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HISTORICAL    COLLECTIONS 


CONTAINING 

A  COLLECTION  OF  THE   MOST   INTERESTING   FACTS,   TRADITIONS, 
BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES,  ANECDOTES,   ETC. 

RELATING    TO    ITS 

GENERAL  AND  LOCAL  HISTORY : 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  ITS  COUNTIES,  PRINCIPAL  TOWNS  AND 

VILLAGES. 

ILLUSTRATED    BY 

180     ENGRAVINGS, 

GIVING 

VIEWS  OF  THE  CHIEF  TOWNS,— PUBLIC  BUILDINGS,— RELICS  OF  ANTI- 
QUITY—HISTORIC  LOCALITIES— NATURAL   SCENERY,  ETC. 

by^eT^^howe. 


CINCINNATI: 

PUBLISHED  FOR  THE   AUTHOR   BY   BRADLEY   &   ANTHONY. 
Price  Three  Dollars. 

1850 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847, 
By  J.  W.  BARBER  &  H.  HOWE, 

la  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Conn. 


PREFACE. 


Introductory  to  this  work,  we  state  some  facts  of  private  history. 

In  the  year  1831,  Mr.  John  W.  Barber  of  New  Haven,  Ct.,  prepared  a 
work  upon  that  our  native  city,  which  combined  history,  biography  and  de- 
scription, and  was  illustrated  by  engravings  connected  with  its  rise,  progress 
and  present  condition.  Its  success  suggested  to  him  the  preparation  of  one,  on 
a  similar  plan,  relative  to  the  State.  For  this  object  he  travelled  through  it, 
from  town  to  town,  collecting  the  materials  and  taking  sketches.  After  two 
years  of  industrious  application  in  this,  and  in  writing  the  volume,  the  His- 
torical Collections  of  Connecticut  was  issued,  a  work  which,  like  its  suc- 
cessors, was  derived  from  a  thousand  different  sources,  oral  and  published. 

As  in  the  ordinary  mode,  the  circulation  of  books  through  "the  trade,"  is 
so  slow  in  progress  and  limited  in  sale,  that  no  merely  local  work,  however 
meritorious,  involving  such  an  unusually  heavy  outlay  of  time  and  expense  as 
that,  will  pay  even  the  mechanical  labor,  it,  as  well  as  its  successors,  was 
circulated  by  travelling  agents  solely,  who  thoroughly  canvassed  the  state,  until 
it  found  its  way  into  thousands  of  families  in  all  ranks  and  conditions, — in 
the  retired  farm-house  equally  with  the  more  accessible  city  mansion. 

That  book,  so  novel  in  its  character,  was  received  with  great  favor,  and 
highly  commended  by  the  public  press  and  the  leading  minds  of  the  state. 
It  is  true,  it  did  not  aspire  to  high  literary  merit : — the  dignified  style, — the 
generalization  of  facts, — the  philosophical  deductions  of  regular  history  were 
not  there.  On  the  contrary,  not  the  least  of  its  merits  was  its  simplicity 
of  style,  its  fullness  of  detail,  introducing  minor,  but  interesting  incidents, 
the  other,  in  "  its  stately  march,"  could  not  step  aside  to  notice,  and  in  avoid- 
ing that  philosophy  which  only  the  scholastic  can  comprehend.  It  seemed, 
in  its  variety,  to  have  something  adapted  to  all  ages,  classes  and  tastes,  and 
the  unlearned  reader,  if  he  did  not  stop  to  peruse  the  volume,  at  least,  in 
many  instances  could  derive  gratification  from  the  pictorial  representation  of 
his  native  village, — of  perhaps  the  very  dwelling  in  which  he  first  drew 
"breath,  and  around  which  entwined  early  and  cherished  associations.  The 
book,  therefore,  reached  more  minds,  and  has  been  more  extensively  read, 
than  any  regular  state  history  ever  issued ;  thus  adding  another  to  the  many 
examples  often  seen,  of  the  productions  of  industry  and  tact,  proving  of  a 
more  extended  utility  than  those  emanating  from  profound  scholastic  ac- 
quirements. 

This  publication  became  the  pioneer  of  others  :  a  complete  list  of  all,  with 
the  dates  of  their  issue,  follows  : 

1  "36.  The  Hist.  Coll.  of  Connecticut  ;     by  John  W.  Barber. 
l*<39.  "  "  Massachusetts;  "  John  W.  Barber. 

1341.  "  "  New  York;  "  J.  W.Barber  and  H.Howe. 

1^43.  "  "  Pennsylvania;    "  Sherman  Day. 

1844.  "  "  New  Jersey;       "  J.  W.  Barber  and  H.  Howe. 

1845.  "         "  Virginia  ;  "  Henry  Howe. 
1847.              "         "          Ohio  ;  «  Henry  Howe. 


4  PREFACE. 

From  this  list  it  will  be  perceived  that  OHIO  makes  the  seventh  state 
work  published  on  the  original  plan  of  Mr.  Barber,  all  of  which  thus  far 
circulated,  were  alike  favorably  received  in  the  states  to  which  each  respect- 
ively related. 

Early  in  January,  1846,  we,  with  some  previous  time  spent  in  preparation, 
commenced  our  tour  over  Ohio,  being  the  fourth  state  through  which  we 
have  travelled  for  such  an  object.  We  thus  passed  more  than  a  year,  in  the 
course  of  which  we  were  in  seventy-nine  of  its  eighty-three  counties,  took 
sketches  of  objects  of  interest,  and  every  where  obtained  information  by  con- 
versation with  early  settlers  and  men  of  intelligence.  Beside  this,  we  have 
availed  ourselves  of  all  published  sources  of  information,  and  have  received 
about  four  hundred  manuscript  pages  in  communications  from  gentlemen  in 
all  parts  of  the  state. 

In  this  way,  we  are  enabled  to  present  a  larger  and  more  varied  amount 
of  materials  respecting  Ohio,  than  was  ever  before  embodied  ;  the  whole 
giving  a  view  of  its  present  condition  and  prospects,  with  a  history  of  its 
settlement,  and  incidents  illustrating  the  customs,  the  fortitude,  the  bravery, 
and  the  privations  of  its  early  settlers.  That  such  a  work,  depicting  the 
rise  and  unexampled  progress  of  a  powerful  state,  destined  to  a  controlling 
influence  over  the  well-being  of  the  whole  nation,  will  be  looked  upon  with 
interest,  we  believe  :  and  furthermore  expect,  that  it  will  be  received  in  the 
generous  spirit  which  is  gratified  with  honest  endeavors  to  please,  rather 
than  in  the  captious  one,  that  is  dissatisfied  short  of  an  unattainable  perfection. 

Whoever  expects  to  find  the  volume  entirely  free  from  defects,  has  but 
little  acquaintance  with  the  difficulties  ever  attendant  upon  procuring  such  ma- 
terials. In  all  of  the  many  historical  and  descriptive  works  whose  fidelity  we 
have  had  occasion  to  test,  some  misstatements  were  found.  Although  we 
have  taken  the  best  available  means  to  insure  accuracy,  yet  from  a  variety 
of  causes  unnecessary  here  to  specify,  some  errors  may  have  occurred.  If 
any  thing  materially  wrong  is  discovered,  any  one  will  confer  a  favor  by  ad- 
dressing a  letter  to  the  publishers,  and  it  shall  be  corrected. 

Our  task  has  been  a  pleasant  one.  As  we  successively  entered  the  va- 
rious counties,  we  were  greeted  with  the  frank  welcome,  characteristic  of 
the  west.  And  an  evidence  of  interest  in  the  enterprize  has  been  variously 
shown,  not  the  least  of  which,  has  been  by  the  reception  of  a  mass  of  valua- 
ble communications,  unprecedented  by  us  in  the  course  of  the  seven  years 
we  have  been  engaged  in  these  pursuits.  To  all  who  have  aided  us, — to 
our  correspondents  especially,  some  of  whom  have  spent  much  time  and  re- 
search, we  feel  under  lasting  obligations,  and  are  enabled  by  their  assistance 
to  present  to  the  public  a  far  better  work,  than  could  otherwise  have  been 
produced.  H.  H. 


OHIO. 


OUTLINE   HISTORY  * 


The  territory  now  comprised  within  the  limits  of  Ohio  was  for- 
merly a  part  of  that  vast  region  claimed  by  France,  between  the 
Alleghany  and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  first  known  by  the  general 
name  of  Louisiana.  In  1673,  Marquette,  a  zealous  French  Mis- 
sionary, accompanied  with  Monsieur  Joliet,  from  Quebec,  with  five 
boatmen,  set  out  on  a  mission  from  Mackinac  to  the  unexplored  re- 
gions lying  south  of  that  station.  They  passed  down  the  lake  to 
Green  Bay,  thence  from  Fox  River  crossed  over  to  the  Wisconsin, 
which  they  followed  down  to  its  junction  with  the  Mississippi. 
They  descended  this  mighty  stream  a  thousand  miles  to  its  con- 
fluence with  the  Arkansas.  On  their  return  to  Canada,  they  did  not 
fail  to  urge,  in  strong  terms,  the  immediate  occupation  of  the  vast 
and  fertile  regions  watered  by  the  Mississippi  and  its  branches. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1679,  M.  de  la  Salle,  the  French  com- 
mandant of  Fort  Frontenac,  on  Lake  Ontario,  launched,  upon  Lake 
Erie,  the  Griffin,  a  bark  of  about  60  tons,  with  which  he  proceeded 
through  the  Lakes  to  the  Straits  of  Michillimackinac.  Leaving  his 
bark  at  this  place,  he  proceeded  up  Lake  Michigan,  and  from  thence 
to  the  south  west,  till  he  arrived  at  Peoria  Lake,  in  Illinois.  At  this 
place  he  erected  a  fort,  and  after  having  sent  Father  Lewis  Henne- 
pin on  an  exploring  expedition,  La  Salle  returned  to  Canada.  In 
1683,  La  Salle  went  to  France,  and,  by  the  representations  which  he 
made,  induced  the  French  Government  to  fit  out  an  expedition  for 
the  purpose  of  planting  a  colony  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi. 
This  expedition  failed,  La  Salle  being  murdered  by  his  own  men. 

This  disaster  did  not  abate  the  ardor  of  the  French  in  their  great 
plan  of  obtaining  possession  of  the  vast  region  westward  of  the 
English  colonies.  A  second  expedition  sailed  from  France,  under 
the  command  of  M.  D'Iberville.  This  officer  entered  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  explored  the  river  for  several  hundred  miles 

*  The  principal  sources  from  which  this  outline  is  derived,  are  the  MSS.  of  Hon.  Thomas 
Scott,  of  Chillicothe,  Secretary  of  the  Convention  which  framed  the  constitution  of  Ohio  ; 
the  historical  sketch  prefixed  to  Chase's  Statutes,  and  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West. 


6  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

Permanent  establishments  were  made  at  different  points  ;  and  from 
this  time  the  French  colony  west  of  the  Alleghanies  steadily  in- 
creased in  numbers  and  strength.  Previous  to  the  year  1725,  the 
colony  had  been  divided  into  quarters,  each  having  its  local  gover- 
nor, or  commandant,  and  judge,  but  all  subject  to  the  superior  au- 
thority of  the  council  general  of  Louisiana.  One  of  these  quarters 
was  established  north  west  of  the  Ohio. 

At  this  period,  the  French  had  erected  forts  on  the  Mississippi,  on 
the  Illinois,  on  the  Maumee,  and  on  the  lakes.  Still,  however,  the 
communication  with  Canada  was  through  Lake  Michigan.  Before 
1750,  a  French  post  had  been  fortified  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash  ; 
and  a  communication  was  established  through  that  river  and  the 
Maumee  with  Canada.  About  the  same  time,  and  for  the  purpose 
of  checking  the  progress  of  the  French,  the  Ohio  Company  was 
formed,  and  made  some  attempts  to  establish  trading  houses  among 
the  Indians.  The  French,  however,  established  a  chain  of  fortifica- 
tions back  of  the  English  settlements,  and  thus,  in  a  measure,  had 
the  entire  control  of  the  great  Mississippi  valley.  The  English  go- 
vernment became  alarmed  at  the  encroachments  of  the  French,  and 
attempted  to  settle  boundaries  by  negotiations.  These  availed  no- 
thing, and  both  parties  were  determined  to  settle  their  differences  by 
the  force  of  arms. 

The  claims  of  the  different  European  monarchs  to  large  portions 
of  the  western  continent  were  based  upon  the  first  discoveries  made 
by  their  subjects.  In  1G09,  the  English  monarch  granted  to  the 
London  Company,  all  the  territories  extending  along  the  coast  for 
two  hundred  miles  north  and  south  from  Point  Comfort,  and  "  up 
into  the  land,  throughout,  from  sea  to  sea,  west  and  north-west." 
In  1662,  Charles  II.  granted  to  certain  settlers  upon  the  Connecticut 
all  the  territory  between  the  parallels  of  latitude  which  include  the 
present  State  of  Connecticut,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  ocean. 
The  claims  which  Massachusetts  advanced,  during  the  revolution, 
to  an  interest  in  the  western  lands,  were  founded  upon  a  similar 
charter,  granted  thirty  years  afterwards. 

When  the  king  of  France  had  dominions  in  North  America,  the 
whole  of  the  late  territory  of  the  United  States,  north-west  of  the 
river  Ohio,  was  included  in  the  province  of  Louisiana,  the  north 
boundary  of  which,  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  concluded  between 
France  and  England  in  1713,  was  fixed  at  the  49th  parallel  of  lati- 
tude north  of  the  Equator.  After  the  conquest  of  the  French  pos- 
sessions in  North  America  by  Great  Britain,  this  tract  was  ceded  by 
France  to  Great  Britain,  by  the  treaty  of  Paris,  in  1763. 

The  principal  ground  whereon  the  English  claimed  dominion 
beyond  the  Alleghanies  was,  that  the  Six  Nations  owned  the  Ohio 
valley,  and  had  placed  it  with  their  other  lands  under  the  protection 
of  England.  Some  of  the  western  lands  were  also  claimed  by  the 
British  as  having  been  actually  purchased,  at  Lancaster,  Penn.,  in 
1744,  at  a  treaty  between  the  colonists  and  the  Six  Nations  at  that 
place.     In  1748,  the  "Ohio  Company,"  for  the  purpose  of  securing 


OUTLINE    HISTORY. 


the  Indian  trade,  was  formed.  In  1749,  it  appears  that  the  English 
built  a  trading  house  upon  the  Great  Miami,  at  a  spot  since  called 
Loramie's  Store.  In  1751,  Christopher  Gist,  an  agent  of  the  Ohio 
Company,  who  was  appointed  to  examine  the  western  lands,  made 
a  visit  to  the  Twigtwees,  who  lived  upon  the  Miami  river,  about  one 
hundred  miles  from  its  mouth. 

Early  in  1752,  the  French  having  heard  of  the  trading  house  on 
the  Miami,  sent  a  party  of  soldiers  to  the  Twigtwees  and  demanded 
the  traders  as  intruders  upon  French  lands.  The  Twigtwees  re- 
fused to  deliver  up  their  friends.  The  French,  assisted  by  the  Ot- 
tawas  and  Chippewas,  then  attacked  the  trading  house,  which  was 
probably  a  block  house,  and  after  a  severe  battle,  in  which  fourteen 
of  the  natives  were  killed  and  others  wounded,  took  and  destroyed 
it,  carrying  away  the  traders  to  Canada.  This  fort,  or  trading  house, 
was  called,  by  the  English,  Pickawillany.  Such  was  the  first  British 
settlement  in  the  Ohio  valley,  of  which  we  have  any  record. 

After  Braddock's  defeat,  in  1755,  the  Indians  pushed  their  excur- 
sions as  far  east  as  the  Blue  Ridge.  In  order  to  repel  them,  Major 
Lewis,  in  Jan.,  1750,  was  sent  with  a  party  of  troops  on  an  expedi- 
tion against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Ohio.  The  point  apparently 
aimed  at  was  the  upper  Shawanese  town,  situated  on  the  Ohio,  three 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha.  The  attempt  proved 
a  failure,  in  consequence,  it  is  said,  of  the  swollen  state  of  the 
streams,  and  the  treachery  of  the  guides.  In  1764,  Gen.  Bradstreet, 
having  dispersed  the  Indian  forces  besieging  Detroit,  passed  into  the 
Wyandot  country  by  way  of  Sandusky  Bay.  He  ascended  the  bay 
and  river  as  far  as  it  was  navigable  for  boats,  and  there  made  a 
camp.  A  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  by  the  Chiefs  and  head  men. 
The  Shawnees  of  the  Scioto  river,  and  the  Delawares  of  the  Mus- 
kingum, however,  still  continued  hostile.  Col.  Boquet,  in  1764,  with 
a  body  of  troops,  marched  from  Fort  Pitt  into  the  heart  of  the 
Ohio  country  on  the  Muskingum  river.  This  expedition  was  con- 
ducted with  great  prudence  and  skill,  and  without  scarcely  any  loss 
of  life,  as  treaty  of  peace  was  effected  with  the  Indians,  who  re- 
stored the  prisoners  they  had  captured  from  the  white  settlements. 
The  next  war  with  the  Indians  was  in  1774,  generally  known  as 
Lord  Dunmore's.  In  the  summer  of  that  year,  an  expedition,  under 
Col.  M'Donald,  was  assembled  at  Wheeling,  marched  into  the  Muskin- 
gum country  and  destroyed  the  Indian  town  of  Wapatomica,  a  few 
miles  above  the  site  of  Zanesville.  In  the  fall,  the  Indians  were  de- 
feated after  a  hard  fought  battle  at  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  Virginia 
side  of  the  Ohio.  Shortly  after  this  event,  Lord  Dunmore  made 
peace  with  the  Indians  at  Camp  Charlotte,  in  what  is  now  Picka- 
way country. 

During  the  revolutionary  war,  most  of  the  western  Indians  were 
more  or  less  united  against  the  Americans.  In  the  fall  of  1778,  an 
expedition  against  Detroit  was  projected.  As  a  preliminary  step,  it 
was  resolved  that  the  forces  in  the  west,  under  Gen.  M'Intosh,  should 
move  up    and  attack  the  Sandusky  Indians.     Preliminary  to  this. 


8  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

Fort  Laurens,  so  called  in  honor  of  the  President  of  Congress,  was 
built  upon  the  Tuscarawas,  a  short  distance  below  the  site  of  Bolivar, 
Tuscarawas  county.  The  expedition  to  Detroit  was  abandoned  and 
the  garrison  of  Fort  Laurens,  after  suffering  much  from  the  Indians 
and  from  famine,  were  recalled  in  August,  1779.  A  month  or  two 
previous  to  the  evacuation  of  this  fort,  Col.  Bowman  headed  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  Shawanees.  Their  village,  Chillicothe,  three 
miles  north  of  the  site  of  Xenia,  on  the  Little  Miami,  was  burnt. 
The  warriors  showed  an  undaunted  front,  and  the  whites  were 
forced  to  retreat.  In  the  summer  of  1780,  an  expedition  directed 
against  the  Indian  towns,  in  the  forks  of  the  Muskingum,  moved  from 
Wheeling,  under  Gen.  Broadhead.  This  expedition,  known  as  "the 
Coshocton  campaign,"  was  unimportant  in  its  results.  In  the  same 
summer,  Gen.  Clark  led  a  body  of  Kentuckians  against  the  Shaw- 
nees.  Chillicothe,  on  the  Little  Miami,  was  burnt  on  their  approach, 
but  at  Piqua,  their  town  on  the  Mad  River,  six  miles  below  the  site 
of  Springfield,  they  gave  battle  to  the  whites  and  were  defeated. 
In  September,  1782,  this  officer  led  a  second  expedition  against  the 
Shawanese.  Their  towns,  Upper  and  Lower  Piqua,  on  the  Miami, 
within  what  is  now  Miami  county,  were  destroyed,  together  with 
the  store  of  a  trader. 

There  were  other  expeditions  into  the  Indian  country  from  Ken- 
tucky, which,  although  of  later  date,  we  mention  in  this  connection. 
In  1786,  Col.  Logan  conducted  a  successful  expedition  against  the 
Mackachack  towns,  on  the  head  waters  of  Mad  River,  in  what  is 
now  Logan  county.  Edwards,  in  1787,  led  an  expedition  to  the 
head  waters  of  the  Big  Miami,  and,  in  1788,  Todd  led  one  into  the 
Scioto  valley.  There  were  also  several  minor  expeditions,  at  various 
times,  into  the  present  limits  of  Ohio. 

The  Moravian  missionaries,  prior  to  the  war  of  the  revolution, 
had  a  number  of  missionary  stations  within  the  limits  of  Ohio.  The 
missionaries,  Heckewelder  and  Post,  were  on  the  Muskingum  as 
early  as  1762.  In  March,  1782,  a  party  of  Americans,  under  Col. 
Williamson,  murdered,  in  cold  blood,  ninety-four  of  the  defenceless 
Moravian  Indians,  within  the  present  limits  of  Tuscarawas  county. 
In  the  June  following,  Col.  Crawford,  at  the  head  of  about  500  men, 
was  defeated  by  the  Indians,  three  miles  north  of  the  site  of  Upper 
Sandusky,  in  Wyandot  county.  Col.  Crawford  was  taken  prisoner 
in  the  retreat,  and  burnt  at  the  stake  with  horrible  tortures. 

By  an  act  of  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain,  passed  in  1774,  the 
whole  of  the  late  north-western  Territory  was  annexed  to,  and  made 
a  part  of,  the  province  of  Quebec,  as  created  and  established  by  the 
royal  proclamation  of  the  7th  of  October,  1763.  But  nothing  therein 
contained,  relative  to  the  boundary  of  the  said  province  of  Quebec, 
was  in  any  wise  to  affect  the  boundaries  of  any  other  colony. 

The  colonies  having,  in  1776,  renounced  their  allegiance  to  the 
British  king,  and  assumed  rank  as  free,  sovereign  and  independent 
States,  each  State  claimed  the  right  of  soil  and  jurisdiction  over  the 
district  of  country  embraced  within  its  charter.     The  charters  of 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  9 

several  of  the  States  embraced  large  portions  of  western  unappro- 
priated lands.  Those  States  which  had  no  such  charters,  insisted 
that  these  lands  ought  to  be  appropriated  for  the  benefit  of  all  the 
States,  according  to  their  population,  as  the  title  to  them,  if  secured 
at  all,  would  be  by  the  blood  and  treasure  of  all  the  States.  Con- 
gress repeatedly  urged  upon  those  States  owning  western  unappro- 
priated lands,  to  make  liberal  cessions  of  them  for  the  common  bene- 
fit of  all. 

The  claim  of  the  English  monarch  to  the  late  north-western  Ter- 
ritory was  ceded  to  the  United  States,  by  the  treaty  of  peace,  signed 
at  Paris,  September  3d,  1783.  The  provisional  articles  which 
formed  the  basis  of  that  treaty,  more  especially  as  related  to  the 
boundary,  were  signed  at  Paris,  November  30th,  1782.  During  the 
pendency  of  the  negociation  relative  to  these  preliminary  articles, 
Mr.  Oswald,  the  British  commissioner,  proposed  the  river  Ohio  as 
the  western  boundary  of  the  United  States,  and  but  for  the  indomit- 
able perseverance  of  the  revolutionary  patriot,  John  Adams,  one  of 
the  American  commissioners,  who  opposed  the  proposition,  and  in- 
sisted upon  the  Mississippi  as  the  boundary,  the  probability  is,  that 
the  proposition  of  Mr.  Oswald  would  have  been  acceded  to  by  the 
United  States  commissioners. 

The  States  who  owned  western  unappropriated  lands,  with  a 
single  exception,  redeemed  their  respective  pledges  by  ceding  them 
to  the  United  States.  The  State  of  Virginia,  in  March,  1784,  ceded 
the  right  of  soil  and  jurisdiction  to  the  district  of  country  embraced 
in  her  charter,  situated  to  the  north-west  of  the  river  Ohio.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1786,  the  State  of  Connecticut  also  ceded  her  claim  of  soil 
and  jurisdiction  to  the  district  of  country  within  the  limits  of  her 
charter,  situated  west  of  a  line  beginning  at  the  completion  of  the 
forty-first  point  degree  of  north  latitude,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  west  of  the  western  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  ;  and  from 
thence  by  a  line  drawn  north  parallel  to,  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  west  of  said  line  of  Pennsylvania,  and  to  continue 
north  until  it  came  to  forty-two  degrees  and  two  minutes  north  lati- 
tude. The  State  of  Connecticut,  on  the  30th  of  May,  1801,  also 
ceded  her  jurisdictional  claims  to  all  that  territory  called  the  "  West- 
ern Reserve  of  Connecticut."  The  States  of  New  York  and  Massa- 
chusetts also  ceded  all  their  claims. 

The  above  were  not  the  only  claims  which  had  to  be  made  prior 
to  the  commencement  of  settlements  within  the  limits  of  Ohio. 
Numerous  tribes  of  Indian  savages,  by  virtue  of  prior  possession, 
asserted  their  respective  claims,  which  also  had  to  be  extinguished. 
A  treaty  for  this  purpose  was  accordingly  made  at  Fort  Stanwix, 
October  27th,  1784,  with  the  Sachems  and  warriors  of  the  Mohawks, 
Onondagas,  Senecas,  Cayugas,  Oneidas,  and  Tuscaroras  ;  by  the 
third  article  of  which  treaty,  the  said  Six  Nations  ceded  to  the  United 
States  all  claims  to  the  country  west  of  a  line  extending  along  the 
west  boundary  of  Pennsylvania,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Oyounayea 
to  the  river  Ohio. 

a 


10  OUTLINH    HISTORY. 

A  treaty  was  also  concluded  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  January  21st,  1785, 
with  the  Wyandot,  Delaware,  Chippewa,  and  Ottawa  nations,  by 
which  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States  and  the  Wyan- 
dot and  Delaware  nations  was  declared  to  begin  "  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  Cuyahoga,  and  to  extend  up  said  river  to  the  Portage,  be- 
tween that  and  the  Tuscaroras  branch  of  the  Muskingum,  thence 
down  that  branch  to  the  crossing  place  above  Fort  Laurens,  then 
westerly  to  the  Portage  of  the  Big  Miami,  which  runs  into  the  Ohio, 
at  the  mouth  of  which  branch  the  fort  stood  which  was  taken  by  the 
French,  in  1752  ;  then  along  said  Portage  to  the  Great  Miami,  or 
Omee  river,  and  down  the  south  side  of  the  same  to  its  mouth;  then 
along  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga 
river,  where  it  began."  The  United  States  allotted  all  the  lands 
contained  within  said  lines  to  the  Wyandot  and  Delaware  nations, 
to  live  and  hunt  on,  and  to  such  of  the  Ottawa  nation  as  lived  there- 
on ;  saving  and  reserving  for  the  establishment  of  trading  posts,  six 
miles  square  at  the  mouth  of  the  Miami,  or  Omee  river,  and  the 
same  at  the  Portage,  on  that  branch  of  the  Big  Miami  which  runs 
into  the  Ohio,  and  the  same  on  the  Lake  of  Sandusky  where  the  fort 
formerly  stood,  and  also  two  miles  square  on  each  side  of  the  Lower 
Rapids  of  Sandusky  river. 

The  Indian  title  to  a  large  part  of  the  territory  within  the  limits 
of  Ohio  having  been  extinguished,  legislative  action  on  the  part  of 
Congress  became  necessary  before  settlements  were  commenced  ; 
as  in  the  treaties  made  with  the  Indians,  and  in  the  acts  of  Congress, 
all  citizens  of  the  United  States  were  prohibited  settling  on  the  lands 
of  the  Indians,  as  well  as  on  those  of  the  United  States.  Ordinan- 
ces were  accordingly  made  by  Congress  for  the  government  of  the 
North-western  Territory,  and  for  the  survey  and  sale  of  portions  of 
lands  to  which  the  Indian  title  had  been  extinguished. 

In  May,  1785,  Congress  passed  an  ordinance  for  ascertaining  the 
mode  of  disposing  of  these  lands.  Under  that  ordinance,  the  first 
seven  ranges,  bounded  on  the  east  by  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the 
south  by  the  Ohio  river,  were  surveyed.  Sales  of  parts  of  these 
were  made  at  New  York,  in  1787,  the  avails  of  which  amounted  to 
$72,974,  and  sales  of  other  parts  of  said  range  were  made  at  Pitts- 
burg and  Philadelphia,  in  1796.  The  avails  of  sales  made  at  the 
former  place  amounted  to  $43,446,  and  at  the  latter,  $5,120.  A 
portion  of  these  lands  were  located  under  United  States  military 
land  warrants.  No  further  sales  were  made  in  that  district  until  the 
Land  Office  was  opened  at  Steubenville,  July  1st,  1801. 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1787,  a  contract  in  writing  was  entered 
into  between  the  Board  of  Treasury  for  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, of  the  one  part,  and  Manassah  Cutler  and  Winthrop  S-argeant, 
as  agents  for  the  directors  of  the  New  England  Ohio  Company  of 
associates,  of  the  other  part,  for  the  purchase  of  the  tract  of  land 
bounded  by  the  Ohio,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto  to  the  intersec- 
tion of  the  western  boundary  of  the  seventh  range  of  townships  then 
surveying ;  thence  by  said  boundary  to  the  northern  boundary  of 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  11 

the  tenth  township  from  the  Ohio ;  thence  by  a  due  west  line  to 
Scioto ;  thence  by  the  Scioto  to  the  beginning.  The  bounds  of  that 
contract  were  afterwards  altered  in  1792.  The  settlement  of  this 
purchase  commenced  at  Marietta,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum 
river,  in  the  spring  of  1788,  and  was  the  first  settlement  formed  within 
the  limits  of  Ohio.  An  attempt  at  settlement  within  the  bounds  of 
Ohio  had  been  made  in  April,  1785,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  on 
the  site  of  Portsmouth,  by  four  families  from  Redstone,  Pa. ;  but  diffi- 
culties with  the  Indians  compelled  its  abandonment. 

The  same  year  in  which  Marietta  was  first  settled,  Congress  ap- 
pointed Gen.  Arthur  St.  Clair,  an  officer  of  the  revolution,  Governor; 
Winthrop  Sargeant,  Secretary ;  and  the  Hon.  Samuel  Holden  Par- 
sons, James  Mitchell  Varnum,  and  John  Cleves  Symmes,  Judges ; 
in,  and  over  the  Territory.  The  territorial  government  was  orga- 
nized, and  sundry  laws  were  made,  or  adopted,  by  the  Governor 
and  Judges  Parsons  and  Varnum.  The  county  of  Washington, 
having  its  limits  extended  westward  to  the  Scioto,  and  northward  to 
Lake  Erie,  embracing  about  half  the  territory  within  the  present 
limits  of  the  State,  was  established  by  the  proclamation  of  the  Go- 
vernor. 

On  the  15th  of  October,  1788,  John  Cleves  Symmes,  in  behalf  of 
himself  and  his  associates,  contracted  with  the  Board  of  Treasury 
for  the  purchase  of  a  large  tract  of  land  situated  between  the  Great 
and  Little  Miami  river,  and  the  first  settlement  within  the  limits  of 
that  purchase,  and  second  in  Ohio,  was  commenced  in  November  of 
that  year,  at  Columbia,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami,  five  miles 
above  the  site  of  Cincinnati. 

"A  short  time  after  the  settlement  at  Marietta  had  commenced,  an 
association  was  formed  under  the  name  of  the  "  Scioto  Land  Com- 
pany." A  contract  was  made  for  the  purchase  of  a  part  of  the  lands 
included  in  the  Ohio  Company's  purchases.  Plats  and  descriptions 
of  the  land  contracted  for,  were,  however,  made  out,  and  Joel  Barlow 
was  sent  as  an  agent  to  Europe  to  make  sales  of  the  lands  for  the 
benefit  of  the  company ;  and  sales  were  effected  of  parts  thereof  to 
companies  and  individuals  in  France.  On  February  19th,  1791.  two 
hundred  and  eighteen  of  these  purchasers  left  Havre  de  Grace,  in 
France,  and  arrived  in  Alexandria,  D.  C,  on  the  3d  of  May  follow- 
ing. During  their  passage,  two  were  added  to  their  number.  On 
their  arrival,  they  were  told  that  the  Scioto  Company  owned  no 
land.  The  agent  insisted  that  they  did,  and  promised  to  secure  to 
them  good  titles  thereto,  which  he  did,  at  Winchester,  Brownsville, 
and  Charleston  (now  Wellsburg).  When  they  arrived  at  Marietta, 
about  fifty  of  them  landed.  The  rest  of  the  company  proceeded  to 
Gallipolis,  which  was  laid  out  about  that  time,  and  were  assured  by 
the  agent  that  the  place  lay  within  their  purchase.  Every  effort  to 
secure  titles  to  the  lands  they  had  purchased  having  failed,  an  appli- 
cation was  made  to  Congress,  and  in  June,  1798,  a  grant  was  made 
to  them  of  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Ohio,  above  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto 
river,  which  is  called  the    '  French  Grant?  " 


12  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

The  Legislature  of  Connecticut,  in  May,  1795,  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  receive  proposals  and  make  sale  of  the  lands  she  had  re- 
served in  Ohio.  This  committee  sold  the  lands  to  sundry  citizens 
of  Connecticut  and  other  States,  and,  in  September  of  the  same  year, 
executed  to  several  purchasers  deeds  of  conveyance  therefor.  The 
purchasers  proceeded  to  survey  into  townships  of  five  miles  square 
the  whole  of  said  tract  lying  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  ;  they  made  di- 
visions thereof  according  to  their  respective  proportions,  and  com- 
menced settlements  in  many  of  the  townships,  and  there  were  actu- 
ally settled  therein,  by  the  21st  of  March,  1800,  about  one  thousand 
inhabitants.  A  number  of  mills  had  been  built,  and  roads  cut  in 
vaiious  directions  to  the  extent  of  about  700  miles. 

The  location  of  the  lands  appropriate  for  satisfying  military  land 
bounty  warrants  in  the  district  appropriated  for  that  purpose,  granted 
for  services  in  the  revolutionary  war,  commenced  on  March  13th, 
1800  ;  and  the  location  of  the  lands  granted  to  the  Canadian  and 
Nova  Scotia  refugees  commenced  February  13th,  1802.  The  lands 
east  of  the  Scioto,  south  of  the  military  bounty  lands,  and  west  of 
the  fifteenth  range  of  townships,  were  first  brought  into  market,  and 
offered  for  sale  by  the  United  States  on  the  first  Monday  of  Mav, 
1801. 

The  State  of  Virginia,  at  an  early  period  of  the  revolutionary  war, 
raised  two  description  of  troops,  State  and  Continental,  to  each  of 
which  bounties  in  land  were  promised.  The  lands  within  the  limits 
of  her  charter,  situate  to  the  north-west  of  Ohio  river,  were  with- 
drawn from  appropriation  on  treasury  warrants,  and  the  lands  on 
Cumberland  river,  and  between  the  Green  and  Tennessee  rivers  on 
the  south-easterly  side  of  the  Ohio,  were  appropriated  for  these  mili- 
tary bounties.  Upon  the  recommendation  of  Congress,  Virginia 
ceded  her  lands  north  of  the  Ohio,  upon  certain  conditions  ;  one  of 
which  was,  that  in  case  the  lands  south  of  Ohio  should  be  insufficient 
for  their  legal  bounties  to  their  troops,  the  deficiency  should  be  made 
up  from  lands  north  of  the  Ohio,  between  the  rivers  Scioto  and 
Little  Miami. 

In  1783,  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  authorized  the  officers  of  their 
respective  lines  to  appoint  superintendants  to  regulate  the  survey  of 
the  bounty  lands  promised.  Richard  C.  Anderson  was  appointed 
principal  surveyor  of  the  lands  of  the  troops  of  the  continental  estab- 
lishment. An  office  for  the  reception  of  locations  and  surveys  was 
opened  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  August  1st,  1784,  and  on  the  1st  of 
August,  1787,  the  said  office  was  open  for  the  reception  of  surveys 
and  locations  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio. 

In  the  year  1789,  January  9th,  a  treaty  was  made  at  Fort  Harmer, 
between  Gov.  St.  Clair  and  the  Sachems  and  warriors  of  the  Wyan- 
dot, Chippewa,  Potawatomie,  and  Sac  nations,  in  which  the  treaty 
at  Fort  Mcintosh  was  renewed  and  confirmed.  It  did  not,  however, 
produce  the  favorable  results  anticipated.  The  Indians,  the  same 
year,  assuming  a  hostile  appearance,  were  seen  hovering  round  the 
infant  settlements  near  the  mouth  of  the  Muskinsrum  and  between 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  13 

the  Miamies,  and  nine  persons  were  killed  within  the  bounds  of 
Symmes'  purchase.  The  new  settlers  became  alarmed  and  erected 
block-houses  in  each  of  the  new  settlements.  In  June,  1789,  Major 
Doughty,  with  140  men,  from  Fort  Harmar,  commenced  the  building 
of  Fort  Washington,  on  a  spot  now  within  the  present  limits  of  Cin- 
cinnati. A  few  months  afterwards,  Gen.  Harmar  arrived,  with  300 
men,  and  took  command  of  the  fort. 

Negotiations  with  the  Indians  proving  unavailing,  Gen.  Harmar 
was  directed  to  attack  their  towns.  In  pursuance  of  his  instructions, 
he  marched  from  Cincinnati,  in  September,  1790,  with  1,300  men,  of 
whom  less  than  one-fourth  were  regulars.  When  near  the  Indian 
villages,  on  the  Miami  of  the  lake  in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now 
Fort  Wayne,  an  advanced  detachment  of  210,  consisting  chiefly  of 
militia,  fell  into  an  ambush  and  was  defeated  with  severe  loss.  Gen. 
Harmar,  however,  succeeded  in  burning  the  Indian  villages,  and  in 
destroying  their  standing  corn,  and  having  effected  this  service,  the 
army  commenced  its  march  homeward.  They  had  not  proceeded 
far  when  Harmar  received  intelligence  that  the  Indians  had  returned 
to  their  ruined  towns.  He  immediately  detached  about  one-third  of 
his  remaining  force,  under  the  command  of  Col.  Hardin,  with  orders 
to  bring  them  to  an  engagement.  He  succeeded  in  this  early  the 
next  morning  ;  the  Indians  fought  with  great  fury,  and  the  militia 
and  the  regulars  alike  behaved  with  gallantry.  More  than  one  hun- 
dred of  the  militia,  and  all  the  regulars  except  nine,  were  killed,  and 
the  rest  were  driven  back  to  the  main  body.  Dispirited  by  this 
severe  misfortune,  Harmar  immediately  marched  to  Cincinnati,  and 
the  object  of  the  expedition  in  intimidating  the  Indians  was  entirely 
unsuccessful. 

As  the  Indians  continued  hostile,  a  new  army,  superior  to  the 
former,  was  assembled  at  Cincinnati,  under  the  command  of  Gov. 
St.  Clair.  The  regular  force  amounted  to  2,300  men ;  the  militia 
numbered  about  600.  With  this  army,  St.  Clair  commenced  his 
march  towards  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Maumee.  Two  forts, 
Hamilton  and  Jefferson,  were  established  and  garrisoned  on  the 
route,  about  forty  miles  from  each  other.  Misfortune  attended  the 
expedition  almost  from  its  commencement.  Soon  after  leaving  Fort 
Jefferson,  a  considerable  party  of  the  militia  deserted  in  a  body. 
The  first  regiment,  under  Major  Hamtramck,  was  ordered  to  pursue 
them  and  to  secure  the  advancing  convoys  of  provisions,  which  it 
was  feared  they  designed  to  plunder.  Thus  weakened  by  desertion 
and  division,  St.  Clair  approached  the  Indian  villages.  On  the  third 
of  November,  1791,  when  at  what  is  now  the  line  of  Darke  and 
Mercer  counties,  he  halted,  intending  to  throw  up  some  slight  forti- 
fication for  the  protection  of  baggage,  and  to  await  the  return  of  the 
absent  regiment.  On  the  following  morning,  however,  about  half 
an  hour  before  sun  rise,  the  American  army  was  attacked  with  great 
fury,  as  there  is  good  reason  to  believe,  by  the  whole  disposable 
force  of  the  north-west  tribes.  The  Americans  were  totally  de- 
feated.    Gen.  Butler  and  upwards  of  six  hundred  men  were  killed, 


14  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

Indian  outrages  of  every  kind  were  now  multiplied,  and  emigration 
was  almost  entirely  suspended. 

President  Washington  now  urged  forward  the  vigorous  prosecu- 
tion of  the  war  for  the  protection  of  the  North-west  Territory ;  but 
various  obstacles  retarded  the  enlistment  and  organization  of  a  new 
army.  In  the  spring  of  1794,  the  American  army  assembled  at 
Greenville,  in  Darke  county,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Anthony 
Wayne,  a  bold,  energetic  and  experienced  officer  of  the  revolution. 
His  force  consisted  of  about  two  thousand  regular  troops,  and  fifteen 
hundred  mounted  volunteers  from  Kentucky.  The  Indians  had  col- 
lected their  whole  force,  amounting  to  about  two  thousand  men, 
near  a  British  fort,  erected  since  the  treaty  of  1783,  in  violation  of 
its  obligations,  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  the  Maumee.  On  the  20th 
of  August,  1794,  Gen.  Wayne  encountered  the  enemy,  and  after  a 
short  and  deadly  conflict,  the  Indians  fled  in  the  greatest  confusion, 
and  were  pursued  under  the  guns  of  the  British  fort.  After  destroy- 
ing all  the  houses  and  corn  fields  above  and  below  the  British  fort, 
on  the  Maumee,  the  victorious  army  returned  to  the  mouth  of  Au 
Glaize,  where  Wayne  erected  Fort  Defiance.  Previous  to  this  ac- 
tion, various  fruitless  attempts  had  been  made  to  bring  the  Indians 
to  peace.  Some  of  the  messengers  sent  among  the  Indians  for  that 
object  were  murdered. 

The  victory  of  Wayne  did  not  at  first  reduce  the  savages  to  sub- 
mission. Their  country  was  laid  waste,  and  forts  were  erected  in 
the  heart  of  their  territory  before  they  could  be  entirely  subdued. 
At  length,  however,  they  became  thoroughly  convinced  of  their  in- 
ability to  resist  the  American  arms  and  sued  for  peace.  A  grand 
council  was  held  at  Greenville,  where  eleven  of  the  most  powerful 
north-western  tribes  were  represented,  to  whom  Gen.  Wayne  dic- 
tated the  terms  of  pacification.  The  boundary  established  by  the 
treaty  at  Fort  Mcintosh  was  confirmed  and  extended  westward  from 
Loramie's  to  Fort  Recovery,  and  thence  south-west  to  the  mouth  of 
Kentucky  river.  The  Indians  agreed  to  acknowledge  the  United 
States  as  their  sole  protector,  and  never  to  sell  their  lands  to  any 
other  power.  Upon  these  and  other  conditions,  the  United  States 
received  the  Indian  nations  into  their  protection.  A  large  quantity 
of  goods  was  delivered  to  them  on  the  spot,  and  perpetual  annuities, 
payable  in  merchandise,  &c,  were  promised  to  each  tribe  who  be- 
came a  party  to  the  treaty. 

While  the  war  with  the  Indians  continued,  of  course,  but  little 
progress  was  made  in  the  settlement  in  the  west.  The  next  county 
that  was  established  after  that  of  Washington,  in  1788,  was  Hamil- 
ton, erected  in  1790.  Its  bounds  included  the  country  between  the 
Miamies,  extending  northward  from  the  Ohio  river,  to  a  line  drawn 
due  east  from  the  standing  stone  forks  of  the  Great  Miami.  The 
name  of  the  settlement  opposite  the  Licking  was,  at  this  time,  called 
Cincinnati. 

At  this  period,  there  was  no  fixed  seat  of  government.  The  laws 
were  passed  whenever  they  seemed  to  be  needed,  and  promulgated 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  15 

at  any  place  where  the  territorial  legislators  happened  to  be  as- 
sembled. In  1789,  the  first  Congress  passed  an  act  recognizing  the 
binding  force  of  the  ordinance  of  1787,  and  adapting  its  provisions 
to  the  federal  constitution.  At  this  period,  the  judges  appointed  by 
the  national  executive  constituted  the  supreme  court  of  the  terri- 
tory. Inferior  to  this  court,  were  the  county  court,  courts  of  com- 
mon pleas,  and  the  general  quarter  sessions  of  the  peace.  Single 
■judges  of  the  common  pleas,  and  single  justices  of  the  quarter  ses- 
sions, were  also  clothed  with  certain  civil  and  criminal  powers  to  be 
exercised  out  of  court. 

In  1795,  the  governor  and  judges  undertook  to  revise  the  terri- 
torial laws,  and  to  establish  a  system  of  statutory  jurisprudence,  by 
adoptions  from  the  laws  of  the  original  States,  in  conformity  to  the 
ordinance.  For  this  purpose  they  assembled  in  Cincinnati,  in  June, 
and  continued  in  session  until  the  latter  part  of  August.  The  general 
court  was  fixed  at  Cincinnati  and  Marietta  ;  other  courts  were 
established,  and  laws  and  regulations  were  adopted  for  various 
purposes. 

The  population  of  the  territory  now  continued  to  increase  and  ex- 
tend. From  Marietta,  settlers  spread  into  the  adjoining  country. 
The  Virginia  military  reservation  drew  a  considerable  number  of 
revolutionary  veterans,  and  others,  from  that  State.  The  region 
between  the  Miamies,  from  the  Ohio  far  up  toward  the  sources  of 
Mad  river,  became  chequered  with  farms,  and  abounded  in  indica- 
tions of  the  presence  of  an  active  and  prosperous  population.  The 
neighborhood  of  Detroit  became  populous,  and  Connecticut,  by 
grants  of  land  within  the  tract,  reserved  in  her  deed  of  cession,  in- 
duced many  of  her  hardy  citizens  to  seek  a  home  on  the  borders  of 
Lake  Erie.  In  1796,  Wayne  county  was  established,  including  all 
the  north-western  part  of  Ohio,  a  large  tract  in  the  north-eastern 
part  of  Indiana,  and  the  whole  territory  of  Michigan.  In  July,  1797, 
Adams  county  was  erected,  comprehending  a  large  tract  lying  on 
both  sides  of  Scioto,  and  extending  northward  to  Wayne.  Other 
counties  were  afterwards  formed  out  of  those  already  established. 
Before  the  end  of  the  year  1798,  the  North-west  Territory  contained 
a  population  of  five  thousand  free  male  inhabitants,  of  full  age,  and 
eight  organized  counties. 

The  people  were  now  entitled,  under  the  ordinance  of  1787,  to  a 
change  in  their  form  of  government.  That  instrument  provided  that 
whenever  there  were  five  thousand  free  males,  of  full  age,  in  the 
territory,  the  people  should  be  authorized  to  elect  representatives  to 
a  territorial  legislature.  These,  when  chosen,  were  to  nominate  ten 
freeholders  of  500  acres,  of  whom  the  president  was  to  appoint  five, 
who  were  to  constitute  the  legislative  council.  Representatives 
were  to  serve  two,  and  councilmen  five  years.  The  first  meeting 
of  the  territorial  legislature  was  appointed  on  the  16th  of  September, 
1799,  but  it  was  not  till  the  24th  of  the  same  month  that  the  two 
houses  were  organized  for  business ;  at  which  time  they  were  ad- 
dressed by  Gov.  St.  Clair.     An  act  was  passed  to  confirm  and  give 


1C  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

force  to  those  laws  enacted  by  the  governor  and  judges,  whose  valid- 
ity had  been  doubted.  This  act,  as  well  as  every  other  which  origi- 
nated in  the  council,  was  prepared  and  brought  forward  by  Jacob 
Burnet,  afterwards  a  distinguished  judge  and  senator,  to  whose 
labors,  at  this  session,  the  territory  was  indebted  for  some  of  its  most 
beneficial  laws.  The  whole  number  of  acts  passed  and  approved 
by  the  governor  was  thirty-seven.  William  H.  Harrison,  then  sec- 
retary of  the  territory,  was  elected  as  delegate  to  Congress,  having 
eleven  of  twenty-one  votes. 

"  Within  a  few  months  after  the  close  of  this  session,  Connecticut 
ceded  to  the  United  States  her  claim  of  jurisdiction  over  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  territory  ;  upon  which  the  president  conveyed, 
by  patent,  the  fee  of  the  soil  to  the  governor  of  the  State,  for  the 
use  of  grantees  and  purchasers  claiming  under  her.  This  tract,  in 
the  summer  of  the  same  year,  was  erected  into  a  new  county  by  the 
name  of  Trumbull.  The  same  congress  which  made  a  final  arrange- 
ment with  Connecticut,  passed  an  act  dividing  the  North-western 
Territory  into  two  governments,  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Kentucky  to  Fort  Recovery,  and  thence  northward  to  the  terri- 
torial line.  East  of  this  line,  the  government,  already  established, 
was  continued  ;  while  west  of  it  another,  substantially  similar,  was 
established.  This  act  fixed  the  seat  of  the  eastern  government  at 
Chillicothe ;  subject,  however,  to  be  removed  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
legislature." 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1802,  Congress  passed  an  act  authorizing  the 
call  of  a  convention  to  form  a  State  constitution.  This  convention 
assembled  at  Chillicothe,  November  1st,  and,  on  the  29th  of  the  same 
month,  a  constitution  of  State  government  was  ratified  and  signed 
by  the  members  of  the  convention.  It  was  never  referred  to  the 
people  for  their  approbation,  but  became  the  fundamental  law  of  the 
State  by  the  act  of  the  convention  alone ;  and,  by  this  act,  Ohio  be- 
came one  of  the  States  of  the  Federal  Union. 

"  Besides  framing  the  constitution,  the  convention  had  another 
duty  to  perform.  The  act  of  congress,  providing  for  the  admission 
of  the  new  State  into  the  Union,  offered  certain  propositions  to  the 
people.  These  were,  first,  that  section  sixteen  in  each  township,  or, 
where  that  section  had  been  disposed  of,  other  contiguous  and  equi- 
valent lands,  should  be  granted  to  the  inhabitants  for  the  use  of 
schools  ;  second,  that  thirty-eight  sections  of  land,  where  salt-springs 
had  been  found,  of  which  one  township  was  situated  on  the  Scioto, 
one  section  on  the  Muskingum,  and  one  section  in  the  United  States 
military  tract,  should  be  granted  to  the  State,  never,  however,  to  bo 
sold  or  leased  for  a  longer  term  than  ten  years  ;  and  third,  that  one- 
twentieth  of  the  proceeds  of  public  lands  sold  within  the  State, 
should  be  applied  to  the  construction  of  roads  from  the  Atlantic,  to 
and  through  the  same.  These  propositions  were  offered  on  the  con- 
dition that  the  convention  should  provide,  by  ordinance,  that  all 
lands  sold  by  the  United  States  after  the  thirtieth  day  of  June,  1802, 
should  be  exempt  from  taxation,  by  the  State,  for  five  years  after  sale. 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  17 

"  The  ordinance  of  1785,  had  already  provided  for  the  appropria- 
tion of  section  sixteen  to  the  support  of  schools  in  every  township 
sold  by  the  United  States ;  and  this  appropriation  thus  became  a 
condition  of  the  sale  and  settlement  of  the  western  country.  It  was 
a  consideration  offered  to  induce  purchases  of  public  lands,  at  a  time 
when  the  treasury  was  well-nigh  empty,  and  this  source  of  revenue 
was  much  relied  upon.  It  extended  to  every  township  of  land 
within  the  territory,  except  those  in  the  Virginia  military  reserva- 
tion and  wherever  the  reserved  section  had  been  disposed  of,  after 
the  passage  of  the  ordinance,  Congress  was  bound  to  make  other 
equivalent  provision  for  the  same  object.  The  reservation  of  sec- 
tion sixteen,  therefore,  could  not,  in  1802,  be  properly  made  the  ob- 
ject of  a  new  bargain  between  the  United  States  and  the  State  :  and 
many  thought  that  the  salt  reservations  and  the  twentieth  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  public  lands  were  very  inadequate  equivalents  for 
the  proposed  surrender  of  the  right  to  tax.  The  convention,  how- 
ever, determined  to  accept  the  propositions  of  Congress,  on  their 
being  so  far  enlarged  and  modified  as  to  vest  in  the  State,  for  the 
use  of  schools,  section  sixteen  in  each  township  sold  by  the  United 
States,  and  three  other  tracts  ol  land,  equal  in  quantity,  respectively, 
to  one  thirty-sixth  of  the  Virginia  reservation,  of  the  United  States 
military  tract,  and  of  the  Connecticut  reserve,  and  to  give  three  per 
centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  public  lands  sold  within  the  State,  to 
be  applied  under  the  direction  of  the  legislature,  to  roads  in  Ohio. 
Congress  assented  to  the  proposed  modifications,  and  thus  completed 
the  compact." 

The  first  General  Assembly  under  the  State  constitution  met  at 
Chilicothe,  March  1st,  1803.  The  legislature  enacted  such  laws  as 
were  deemed  necessary  for  the  new  order  of  things,  and  created 
eight  new  counties,  namely :  Gallia,  Scioto,  Franklin,  Columbiana, 
Butler,  Warren,  Green,  and  Montgomery.  The  first  State  officers 
elected  by  the  assembly  were  as  follows,  viz. :  Michael  Baldwin, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives ;  Nathaniel  Massie,  Speaker 
of  the  Senate  ;  William  Creighton,  Jr.,  Secretary  of  State  ;  Col. 
Thomas  Gibson,  Auditor  ;  William  McFarland,  Treasurer  ;  Return 
J.  Meigs,  Jr.,  Samuel  Huntington,  and  William  Sprigg,  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court ;  Francis  Dunlavy,  Wyllys  Silliman,  and  Calvin 
Pease,  Judges  of  the  District  Courts. 

The  second  General  Assembly  convened  in  December,  1803.  At 
this  session,  the  militia  law  was  thoroughly  revised  and  a  law  was 
passed  to  enable  aliens  to  enjoy  the  same  proprietary  rights  in  Ohio 
as  native  citizens.  At  this  session,  also,  the  revenue  system  of  the 
State  was  simplified  and  improved.  Acts  were  passed  providing  for 
the  incorporation  of  townships,  and  for  the  establishment  of  boards 
of  commissioners  of  counties. 

In  1805,  by  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  Fort  Industry,  the  United 
States  acquired,  for  the  use  of  the  grantees  of  Connecticut,  all  that 
part  of  the  western  reserve  which  lies  west  of  the  Cuyahoga.  By 
subsequent  treaties,  all  the  country  watered  by  the  Maumee  and  the 

3 


18  OUTLINE    HISTORY. 

Sandusky  have  been  acquired,  and  the  Indian  title  to  lands  in  Ohio 
is  now  extinct. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1805,  the  conspiracy  of  Aaron  Burr 
began  to  agitate  the  western  country.  The  precise  scope  of  the 
conspiracy  does  not  distinctly  appear.  "  The  immediate  object, 
probably,  was  to  seize  on  New  Orleans  and  invade  Mexico.  The 
ulterior  purpose  may  have  been  to  detach  the  west  from  the  Ameri- 
can Union.  In  December,  1806,  in  consequence  of  a  confidential 
message  from  the  governor,  founded  on  the  representations  of  an 
agent  of  the  general  government  deputed  to  watch  the  motions  of 
Burr,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  authorizing  the  arrest  of  persons 
engaged  in  an  unlawful  enterprise,  and  the  seizure  of  their  goods. 
Under  this  act,  ten  boats,  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  arms,  am- 
munition, and  provisions,  belonging  to  Burr's  expedition,  were  seized. 
This  was  a  fatal  blow  to  the  project." 

The  Indians,  who  since  the  treaty  at  Greenville  had  been  at  peace, 
about  the  year  1810,  began  to  commit  aggressions  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  west.  The  celebrated  Tecumseh  was  conspicuously 
active  in  his  efforts  to  unite  the  native  tribes  against  the  Americans, 
and  to  arrest  the  farther  extension  of  the  settlements.  His  proceed- 
ings, and  those  of  his  brother,  '  the  Prophet]  soon  made  it  evident 
that  the  west  was  about  to  suffer  the  calamities  of  another  Indian 
war,  and  it  was  resolved  to  anticipate  their  movements.  In  1811, 
Gen.  Harrison,  then  governor  of  Indiana  Territory,  marched  against 
the  town  of  the  '  Prophet,'  upon  the  Wabash.  The  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe ensued,  in  what  is  now  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  which 
the  Indians  were  totally  defeated.  This  year  was  also  distinguish- 
ed by  an  occurrence  of  immense  importance  to  the  whole  west. 
This  was  the  voyage,  from  Pittsburg  to  New  Orleans,  of  the  first 
steamboat  ever  launched  upon  the  western  waters. 

"  In  June,  1812,  the  United  States  declared  war  against  Great 
Britain.  Of  this  war  the  west  was  a  principal  theatre.  Defeat, 
disaster,  and  disgrace  marked  its  opening  scenes ;  but  the  latter 
events  of  the  contest  were  a  series  of  splendid  achievements. 
Croghan's  gallant  defence  of  Fort  Stephenson  ;  Perry's  victory  upon 
Lake  Erie  ;  the  total  defeat,  by  Harrison,  of  the  allied  British  and 
savages,  under  Proctor  and  Tecumseh,  on  the  Thames  ;  and  the 
great  closing  triumph  of  Jackson  at  New  Orleans,  reflected  the  most 
brilliant  lustre  upon  the  American  arms.  In  every  vicissitude  of 
this  contest,  the  conduct  of  Ohio  was  eminently  patriotic  and  honor- 
able. When  the  necessities  of  the  national  government  compelled 
congress  to  resort  to  a  direct  tax,  Ohio,  for  successive  years,  cheer- 
fully assumed,  and  promptly  paid  her  quota  out  of  her  State  trea- 
sury. Her  sons  volunteered  with  alacrity  their  services  in  the  field; 
and  no  troops  more  patiently  endured  hardship  or  performed  better 
service.  Hardly  a  battle  was  fought  in  the  north-west,  in  which 
some  of  these  brave  citizen  soldiers  did  not  seal  their  devotion  to 
their  country  with  their  blood. 

"In  1816,  the  seat  of  the  State  government  was  removed  to  Co- 


OUTLINE    HISTORY.  19 

Iumbus,  the  proprietors  of  the  town  having,  pursuant  to  an  agree- 
ment entered  into,  in  good  faith,  erected  the  State-house  and  other 
public  buildings,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  legislature  and  the 
officers  of  state. 

"In  January,  1817,  the  first  resolution  relating  to  a  canal,  connect- 
ing the  Ohio  river  with  Lake  Erie,  was  introduced  into  the  legisla- 
ture. In  1819,  the  subject  was  again  agitated.  In  1820,  on  the 
recommendation  of  Gov.  Brown,  an  act  was  passed,  providing  for 
the  appointment  of  three  canal  commissioners,  who  were  to  employ 
a  competent  engineer  and  assistants,  for  the  purpose  of  surveying 
the  route  of  the  canal.  The  action  of  the  commissioners,  however, 
was  made  to  depend  on  the  acceptance  by  congress  of  a  proposition 
on  behalf  of  the  State,  for  a  donation  and  sale  of  the  public  lands, 
lying  upon  and  near  the  route  of  the  proposed  canal.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  restriction,  nothing  was  accomplished  for  two  years. 
In  1822,  the  subject  was  referred  to  a  committee  of  the  house  of 
representatives.  This  committee  recommended  the  employment  of 
an  engineer,  and  submitted  various  estimates  and  observations  to 
illustrate  the  importance  and  feasibility  of  the  work.  Under  this 
act,  James  Geddes,  of  New  York,  an  experienced  and  skillful  engi- 
neer, was  employed  to  make  the  necessary  examinations  and  sur- 
veys. Finally,  after  all  the  routes  had  been  surveyed,  and  estimates 
made  of  the  expense  had  been  laid  before  the  legislature  at  several 
sessions,  an  act  was  passed  in  Feb.,  1825,  "  To  provide  for  the  inter- 
nal improvement  of  the  State  by  navigable  canals,"  and  thereupon 
the  State  embarked  in  good  earnest  in  the  prosecution  of  the  great 
works  of  internal  improvement." 

The  construction  of  these  and  other  works  of  internal  improve- 
ment, has  been  of  immense  advantage  in  developing  the  resources 
of  Ohio,  which,  in  little  more  than  half  ?.  century,  has  changed  from 
a  wilderness  to  one  of  the  most  powerfu   States  of  the  Union, 


COUNTIES. 


ADAMS. 

Adams  lies  on  the  Ohio  river,  about  fifty  miles  east  of  Cincinnati, 
and  derives  its  name  from  John  Adams,  second  President  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  formed,  July  10th,  1797,  by  procl equation  ot 
Gov.  St.  Clair,  and  covered  a  large  tract  of  country,  being  then  one  ot 
the  four  counties  into  which  the  N.  W.  Territory  was  divided.  The 
land  is  generally  hilly  and  broken,  and,  in  the  eastern  part,  not  fertile. 
The  staples  are  wheat,  corn,  pork  and  oats.  Many  of  the  first  set- 
tlers were  from  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Ireland.  The  following  is 
a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population  : 


Franklin, 

1,358 

Meigs, 

1,071 

Tiffin, 

1,533 

Green, 

1,081 

Monroe, 

828 

Wayne, 

858 

Jefferson, 

938 

Scott, 

916 

Winchester, 

1,112 

Liberty, 

1,096 

Sprigg, 

1,984 

The  population  of  Adams,  in  1820,  was  10,406 ;  in  1830,  12,278  ; 
and  in  1840,  13,271,  or  24  persons  to  a  square  mile. 

The  first  settlement  within  the  Virginia  military  tract,  and  the 
only  one  between  the  Scioto  and  Little  Miami  until  after  the  treaty 
of  Greenville,  in  1795,  was  made  in  this  county,  at  Manchester,  by 
the  then  Col.,  late  Gen.  Nathaniel  Massie.  McDonald,  in  his  unpre- 
tending, but  excellent  little  volume,  says  : 

Massie,  in  the  winter  of  the  year,  1790,  determined  to  make  a  settlement  in  it,  that  he 
might  be  in  the  midst  of  his  surveying  operations  and  secure  his  party  from  danger  and 
exposure.  In  order  to  effect  this,  he  gave  general  notice  in  Kentucky  of  his  intention,  and 
offered  each  of  the  first  twenty-five  families,  as  a  donation,  one  in-lot,  one  out-lot,  and  one 
hundred  acres  of  land,  provided  they  would  settle  in  a  town  he  intended  to  lay  off  at  his 
settlement.  His  proffered  terms  were  soon  closed  in  with,  and  upwards  of  thirty  families 
joined  him.  After  various  consultations  with  his  friends,  the  bottom  on  the  Ohio  river,  op- 
posite the  lower  of  the  Three  Islands,  was  selected  as  the  most  eligible  spot.  Here,  he 
fixed  his  station,  and  laid  off  into  lots  a  town,  now  called  Manchester  ;  at  this  time  a  small 
place,  about  twelve  miles  above  Maysville,  (formerly  Limestone,)  Kentucky.  This  little 
confederacy,  with  Massie  at  the  helm,  (who  was  the  soul  of  it,)  went  to  work  with  spirit. 
Cabins  were  raised,  and  by  the  middle  of  March,  1791,  the  whole  town  was  enclosed  with 
strong  pickets,  firmly  fixed  in  the  ground,  with  block  houses  at  each  angle  for  defence. 

Thus  was  the  first  settlement  in  the  Virginia  military  district,  and  the  fourth  settlement 
in  the  bounds  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  effected.  Although  this  settlement  was  commenced  in 
the  hottest  Indian  war,  it  suffered  less  from  depredation,  and  even  interruptions,  from  the 
Indians,  than  any  settlement  previously  made  on  the  Ohio  river.  This  was  no  doubt  owing 
to  the  watchful  band  of  brave  spirits  who  guarded  the  place — men  who  were  reared  in  the 
midst  of  danger  and  inured  to  perils,  and  as  watchful  as  hawks.     Here  were  the  Beasleys, 


22  ADAM8    COUNTY. 

the  Stouts,  the  Washburns,  the  Ledoms,  the  Edgingtons,  the  Denings,  the  Ellisons,  the 
Utts,  the  McKenzies,  the  Wades,  and  others,  who  were  equal  to  the  Indians  in  all  the  arta 
and  stratagems  of  border  war. 

As  soon  as  Massie  had  completely  prepared  his  station  for  defence,  the  whole  population 
went  to  work,  and  cleared  the  lower  of  the  Three  Islands,  and  planted  it  in  corn.  The 
island  was  very  rich,  and  produced  heavy  crops.  The  woods,  with  a  little  industry,  sup- 
plied a  choice  variety  of  game.  Deer,  elk,  buffalo,  bears,  and  turkeys,  were  abundant, 
while  the  river  furnished  a  variety  of  excellent  fish.  The  wants  of  the  inhabitants,  under 
these  circumstances,  were  few  and  easily  gratified. 

When  this  station  was  made,  the  nearest  neighbors  north-west  of  the  Ohio,  were  the  in- 
habitants at  Columbia,  a  settlement  below  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami,  five  miles  above 
Cincinnati,  and  at  Gallipolis,  a  French  settlement,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhawa. 

The  station  being  established,  Massie  continued  to  make  locations 
and  surveys.  Great  precautions  were  necessary  to  avoid  the  Indians, 
and  even  these  did  not  always  avail,  as  is  shown  by  the  following 
incidents,  the  first  of  which  is  derived  from  the  narrative  of  Israel 
Donalson,  in  the  American  Pioneer,  and  the  others  from  McDonald's 
sketches. 

I  am  not  sure  whether  i'.  was  the  last  of  March  or  first  of  April  I  came  to  the  territory  to 
reside  ;  but  on  the  night  of  the  21st  of  April,  1791,  Mr.  Massie  and  myself  were  sleeping 
together  on  our  blankets,  (for  beds  we  had  none,)  on  the  loft  of  our  cabin,  to  get  out  of  the 
way  of  the  fleas  and  gnats.  Soon  after  lying  down,  I  began  dreaming  of  Indians,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  so  through  the  night.  Sometime  in  the  night,  however,  whether  Mr.  Massie 
waked  of  himself,  or  whether  I  wakened  him,  I  cannot  now  say,  but  I  observed  to  him  I 
did  not  kiow  what  was  to  be  the  consequence,  for  I  had  dreamed  more  about  Indians  that 
night  than  in  all  the  time  I  had  been  in  the  western  country  before.  As  is  common,  he 
made  light  of  it,  and  we  dropped  again  to  slee;p.  He  asked  me  next  morning  if  I  would 
go  with  him  up  the  river,  about  four  or  five  miles,  to  make  a  survey,  and  that  William 
Lytle,  who  was  then  at  the  fort,  was  going  along.  We  were  both  young  surveyors,  and 
were  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  practice.  Accordingly  we  three,  and  a  James  Tittle,  from 
Kentucky,  who  was  about  buying  the  land,  got  on  board  of  a  canoe,  and  was  a  long  time 
going  up,  the  river  being  very  high  at  the  time.  We  commenced  at  the  mouth  of  a  creek, 
which  from  that  day  has  been  called  Donalson  creek.  We  meandered  up  the  river  ;  Mr. 
Massie  had  the  compass,  Mr.  Lytle  and  myself  carried  the  chain.  We  had  progressed  per- 
haps one  hundred  and  forty,  or  one  hundred  and  fifty  poles,  when  our  chain  broke  or  parted, 
but  with  the  aid  of  the  tomahawk  we  soon  repaired  it.  We  were  then  close  to  a  large 
mound,  and  were  standing  in  a  triangle,  and  Lytle  and  myself  were  amusing  ourselves 
pointing  out  to  Tittle  the  great  convenience  he  would  have  by  building  his  house  on  that 
mound,  when  the  one  standing  with  his  face  up  the  river,  spoke  and  said,  boys,  there  are 
Indians ;  no,  replied  the  other,  they  are  Frenchmen.  By  this  time  I  had  caught  a  glimpse 
of  them  ;  I  said  they  were  Indians,  I  begged  them  to  fire.  I  had  no  gun,  and  from  the  ad- 
vantage we  had,  did  not  think  of  running  until  they  started.  The  Indians  were  in  two 
small  bark  canoes,  and  were  close  into  shore  and  discovered  us  just  at  the  instant  we  saw 
them  ;  and  before  I  started  to  run  I  saw  one  jump  on  shore.  We  took  out  through  the 
bottom,  and  before  getting  to  the  hill,  came  to  a  spring  branch.  I  was  in  the  rear,  and  as 
I  went  to  jump,  something  caught  my  foot,  and  I  fell  on  the  opposite  side.  They  were 
then  so  close,  I  saw  there  was  no  chance  of  escape,  and  did  not  offer  to  rise.  Three  war- 
riors first  came  up,  presented  their  guns  all  ready  to  fire,  but  as  I  made  no  resistance  they 
took  them  down,  and  one  of  them  gave  me  his  hand  to  help  me  up.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Lytle  was  about  a  chain's  length  before  me,  and  threw  away  his  hat ;  one  of  the  Indians 
went  forward  and  picked  it  up.  They  then  took  me  back  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  set 
me  down  while  they  put  up  their  stuff,  and  prepared  for  a  march.  While  setting  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  I  could  see  the  men  walking  about  the  block-house  on  the  Kentucky 
shore,  but  they  heard  nothing  of  it.  They  went  on  rapidly  that  evening,  and  camped,  I 
think,  on  the  waters  of  Eagle  creek,  started  next  morning  early,  it  raining  hard,  and  one 
(•f  them  saw  my  hat  was  somewhat  convenient  to  keep  off  the  rain,  came  up  and  took  it 
off" my  head,  and  put  it  on  his  own.  By  this  time  I  had  discovered  some  friendship  in  a 
very  lusty  Indian,  I  think  the  one  that  first  came  up  to  me  ;  I  made  signs  to  him  that  one 
had  taken  my  hat,  he  went  and  took  it  off  the  other  Indian's  head,  and  placed  it  again  on 
mine,  but  had  not  gone  far  before  they  took  it  again.  I  complained  as  before,  but  my 
friend  shook  his  head,  took  down  and  opened  his  budget,  and  took  out  a  sort  of  blanket 


ADAMS    COUNTY.  23 

cap,  and  put  it  on  my  head.  We  went  on  ;  it  still  rained  hard,  and  the  waters  were  very 
much  swollen,  and  when  my  friend  discovered  that  I  was  timorous,  he  would  lock  his  arm 
in  mine,  and  lead  me  through,  and  frequently  in  open  woods  when  I  would  get  tired,  I 
would  do  the  same  thing  with  him,  and  walk  for  miles.  They  did  not  make  me  carry  any 
thing  until  Sunday  or  Monday.  They  got  into  a  thicket  of  game,  and  killed,  I  think,  two 
bears  and  some  deer  ;  they  then  halted  and  jerked  their  meat,  eat  a  large  portion,  peeled 
some  bark,  made  a  kind  of  box,  filled  it,  and  put  it  on  me  to  carry.  I  soon  got  tired  of  it 
and  threw  it  down :  they  raised  a  great  laugh,  examined  my  back,  applied  some  bear's  oil 
to  it,  and  then  put  on  the  box  again.  I  wen  t  on  some  distance  and  threw  it  down  again  ; 
my  friend  then  took  it  up,  threw  it  over  his  head,  and  carried  it.  It  weighed,  I  thought,  at 
least  fifty  pounds. 

While  resting  one  day,  one  of  the  Indians  broke  up  little  sticks  and  laid  them  up  in  the 
form  of  a  fence,  then  took  out  a  grain  of  corn,  as  carefully  wrapped  up  as  people  used  to 
wrap  up  guineas  in  olden  times  ;  this  they  planted  and  called  out  squaw,  signifying  to  me 
that  that  would  be  my  employment  with  the  squaws.  But,  notwithstanding  my  situation 
at  the  time,  I  thought  they  would  not  eat  much  corn  of  my  raising.  On  Tuesday,  as  we 
were  traveling  along,  there  came  to  us  a  white  man  and  an  Indian  on  horseback  ;  they  had 
a  long  talk,  and  when  they  rode  off,  the  Indians  I  was  with  seemed  considerably  alarmed  ; 
they  immediately  formed  in  Indian  file,  placed  me  in  the  centre,  and  shook  a  war  club 
over  my  head,  and  showed  me  by  these  gestures  that  if  I  attempted  to  run  away  they  would 
kill  me.  We  soon  after  arrived  at  the  Shawanee  camp,  where  we  continued  until  late  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  next  day.  During  our  stay  there  they  trained  my  hair  to  their  own 
fashion,  put  a  j.iwel  of  tin  in  my  nose,  &c,  &,c.  The  Indians  met  with  great  formality 
when  we  came  to  the  camp,  which  was  very  spacious.  One  side  was  entirely  cleared  out 
for  our  use,  and  the  party  I  was  with  passed  the  camp  to  my  great  mortification,  I  thinking 
they  were  going  on  ;  but  on  getting  to  the  further  end  they  wheeled  short  round,  came  into 
the  camp,  sat  down — not  a  whisper.  In  a  few  minutes  two  of  the  oldest  got  up,  went 
round,  shook  hands,  came  and  sat  down  again  ;  then  the  Shawanees  rising  simultaneously, 
came  and  shook  hands  with  them.  A  few  of  the  first  took  me  by  the  hand  ;  but  one  re- 
fused, and  I  did  not  offer  them  my  hand  again,  not  considering  it  any  great  honor.  Soon 
after  a  kettle  of  bear's  oil  and  some  craclins  were  set  before  us,  and  we  began  eating,  they 
first  chewing  the  meat,  then  dipping  it  into  the  bear's  oil,  which  I  tried  to  be  excused  from, 
but  they  compelled  me  to  it,  which  tried  my  stomach,  although  by  this  time  hunger  had 
compelled  me  to  eat  many  a  dirty  morsel.  Early  in  the  afternoon,  an  Indian  came  to  the 
camp,  and  was  met  by  his  party  just  outside,  when  they  formed  a  circle  and  he  spoke,  I 
thought,  near  an  hour,  and  so  profound  was  the  silence,  that  had  they  been  on  a  board  floor, 
I  thought  the  fall  of  a  pin  might  have  been  heard.  I  rightly  judged  of  the  disaster,  for  the 
day  before  I  was  taken  I  was  at  Limestone,  and  was  solicited  to  join  a  party  that  was 
going  down  to  the  mouth  of  Snag  creek,  where  some  Indian  canoes  were  discovered  hid  in 
the  willows.  The  party  went  and  divided,  some  came  over  to  the  Indian  shore,  and  some 
remained  in  Kentucky,  and  they  succeeded  in  killing  nearly  the  whole  party. 

There  was  at  this  camp  two  white  men  ;  one  of  them  could  swear  in  English,  but  very 
imperfectly,  having  I  suppose  been  taken  young  ;  the  other,  who  could  speak  good  English, 
told  me  he  was  from  South  Carolina.  He  then  told  me  different  names  which  I  have  for- 
got, except  that  of  Ward ;  asked  if  I  knew  the  Wards  that  lived  near  Washington,  Ken- 
tucky. I  told  him  I  did,  and  wanted  him  to  leave  the  Indians  and  go  to  his  brother's,  and 
take  me  with  him.  He  told  me  he  preferred  staying  with  the  Indians,  that  he  might  nab 
the  whites.  He  and  I  had  a  great  deal  of  chat,  and  disagreed  in  almost  every  thing.  He 
told  me  they  had  taken  a  prisoner  by  the  name  of  Towns,  that  had  lived  near  Washington, 
Kentucky,  and  that  he  had  attempted  to  run  away,  and  they  killed  him.  But  the  truth 
was,  they  had  taken  Timothy  Downing  the  day  before  I  was  taken,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Blue  Licks,  and  had  got  within  four  or  five  miles  of  that  camp,  and  night  coming  on,  and 
it  being  very  rainy,  they  concluded  to  camp.  There  were  but  two  Indians,  an  old  chief 
and  his  son  ;  Downing  watched  his  opportunity,  got  hold  of  a  squaw-axe  and  gave  the  fatal 
blow.  His  object  was  to  bring  the  young  Ir.dian  in  a  prisoner ;  he  said  he  had  been  so 
kind  to  him  he  could  not  think  of  killing  him.  But  the  instant  he  struck  his  father,  the 
young  man  sprung  upon  his  back  and  confined  him  so  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  extri- 
cated himself  from  his  grasp.  Downing  made  then  for  his  horse,  and  the  Indian  for  the 
camp.  The  horse  he  caught  and  mounted ;  but  not  being  a  woodsman,  struck  the  Ohio  a 
little  below  Scioto,  just  as  a  boat  was  passing.  They  would  not  land  for  him  until  he  rode 
several  miles  and  convinced  them  that  he  was  no  decoy,  and  so  close  was  the  pursuit,  that 
the  boat  had  only  gained  the  stream  when  the  enemy  appeared  on  the  shore.  He  had  se- 
verely wounded  the  young  Indian  in  the  scuffle,  but  did  not  know  it  until  I  told  him.     But 


24  ADAMS    COUNTY. 

to  return  to  my  own  narrative:  two  of  the  party,  viz.,  my  friend  and  another  Indian,  turned 
back  from  this  camp  to  do  other  mischief,  and  never  before  had  I  parted  with  a  friend  with 
the  same  regret.  We  left  the  Shawanee  camp  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  they 
under  great  excitement.  What  detained  them  I  know  not,  for  they  had  a  number  of  their 
horses  up,  and  their  packs  on,  from  early  in  the  morning.  I  think  they  had  at  least  one 
hundred  of  the  best  horses  that  at  that  time  Kentucky  could  afford.  They  calculated  en 
being  pursued,  and  they  were  right,  for  the  next  day,  viz.,  the  28th  of  April,  Major  Kenton, 
with  about  ninety  men,  were  at  the  camp  before  the  fires  were  extinguished  ;  and  I  have 
always  viewed  it  as  a  providential  circumstance  that  the  enemy  had  departed,  as  a  defeat 
on  the  part  of  the  Kentuckians  would  have  been  inevitable.  I  never  could  get  the  Indians 
in  a  position  to  ascertain  their  precise  number,  but  concluded  there  were  sixty  or  upward, 
as  sprightly  looking  men  as  I  ever  saw  together,  and  well  equipped  as  they  could  wish  for. 
The  Major  himself  agreed  with  me  that  it  was  a  happy  circumstance  that  they  were  gone. 
We  traveled  that  evening,  I  thought,  seven  miles,  and  encamped  in  the  edge  of  a  prairie, 
the  water  a  short  distance  off.  Our  supper  that  night  consisted  of  a  raccoon  roasted  un- 
dressed. After  this  meal  I  became  thirsty,  and  an  old  warrior,  to  whom  my  fiiend  had 
given  me  in  charge,  directed  another  to  go  with  me  to  the  water,  which  made  him  angry  ; 
he  struck  me,  and  my  nose  bled.  I  had  a  great  mind  to  return  the  stroke,  but  did  not.  I 
then  determined,  be  the  result  what  it  might,  that  I  would  go  no  farther  with  them.  They 
tied  me  and  laid  me  down  as  usual,  one  of  them  lying  on  the  rope  on  each  side  of  me  ; 
they  went  to  sleep,  and  I  to  work  gnawing  and  picking  the  rope  (made  of  bark)  to  pieces, 
but  did  not  get  loose  until  day  was  breaking.  I  crawled  off  on  my  hands  and  feet  until  I 
got  into  the  edge  of  the  prairie,  and  sat  down  on  a  trussuck  to  put  on  my  moccasins,  and 
had  put  on  one  and  was  preparing  to  put  on  the  other,  when  they  raised  the  yell  and  took 
the  back  track,  and  I  believe  they  made  as  much  noise  as  twenty  white  men  could  do. 
Had  they  been  still  they  might  have  heard  me,  as  I  was  not  more  than  two  chains'  length 
from  them  at  the  time.  But  I  started  and  ran,  carrying  one  moccasin  in  my  hand  ;  and  in 
order  to  evade  them,  chose  the  poorest  ridges  I  could  find  ;  and  when  coming  to  tree-logs 
lying  crosswise,  would  run  along  one  and  then  along  the  other.  I  continued  on  that  way 
until  about  ten  o'clock,  then  ascending  a  very  poor  ridge,  crept  in  between  two  logs,  and 
being  very  weary  soon  dropped  to  sleep,  and  did  not  waken  until  the  sun  was  almost  down  ; 
I  traveled  on  a  short  distance  further  and  took  lodging  for  the  night  in  a  hollow  tree.  I 
think  it  was  on  Saturday  that  I  got  to  the  Miami.  I  collected  some  logs,  made  a  raft  by 
peeling  bark  and  tying  them  together ;  but  I  soon  found  that  too  tedious  and  abandoned  it. 
I  found  a  turkey's  nest  with  two  eggs  in  it,  each  one  having  a  double  yelk  ;  they  made  two 
delicious  meals  for  different  days.  I  followed  down  the  Miami,  until  I  struck  Hat-mar's 
trace,  made  the  previous  fall,  and  continued  on  it  until  I  came  to  Fort  Washington,  now 
Cincinnati.  I  think  it  was  on  Sabbath,  the  first  day  of  May  ;  I  caught  a  horse,  tied  a 
piece  of  bark  around  his  under  jaw,  on  which  there  was  a  large  tumor  like  a  wart.  The 
bark  rubbed  that,  and  he  became  restless  and  threw  me,  not  hurting  me  much,  however  ;  I 
caught  him  again,  and  he  again  threw  me,  hurting  me  badly.  How  long  I  lay  insensible 
I  don't  know  ;  but  when  I  revived  he  was  a  considerable  distance  from  me.  I  then  travel- 
ed on  very  slow,  my  feet  entirely  bare  and  full  of  thorns  and  briars.  On  Wednesday,  the 
day  that  I  got  in,  I  was  so  far  gone  that  I  thought  it  entirely  useless  to  make  any  further 
exertion,  not  knowing  what  distance  I  was  from  the  river ;  and  I  took  my  station  at  the 
root  of  a  tree,  but  soon  got  into  a  state  of  sleeping,  and  either  dreamt,  or  thought  that  I 
should  not  be  loitering  away  my  time,  that  I  should  get  in  that  day ;  which,  on  reflection, 
I  had  not  the  most  distant  idea.  However,  the  impression  was  so  strong  that  I  got  up  and 
walked  on  some  distance.  I  then  took  my  station  again  as  before,  and  the  same  thoughts 
occupied  my  mind.  I  got  up  and  walked  on.  I  had  not  traveled  far  before  I  thought  I 
could  see  an  opening  for  the  river ;  and  getting  a  little  further  on,  I  heard  the  sound  of  a 
bell.  I  then  started  and  ran,  (at  a  slow  speed  undoubtedly  ;)  a  little  further  on,  I  began  to 
perceive  that  I  was  coming  to  the  river  hill ;  and  having  got  about  half  way  down,  I  heard 
the  sound  of  an  axe,  which  was  the  sweetest  music  I  had  heard  for  many  a  day.  It  was 
in  the  extreme  out-lot ;  when  I  got  to  the  lot  I  crawled  over  the  fence  with  difficulty,  it 
being  very  high.  I  approached  the  person  very  cautiously  till  within  about  a  chain's  length, 
undiscovered,  I  then  stopped  and  spoke  ;  the  person  I  spoke  to  was  Mr.  William  Wood- 
ward, (the  founder  of  the  Woodward  High  School.)  Mr.  Woodward  looked  up,  hastily 
cast  his  eyes  round,  and  saw  that  I  had  no  deadly  weapon  ;  he  then  spoke.  "  In  the  name 
of  God,"  said  he,  "  who  are  you  ]"  I  told  him  I  had  been  a  prisoner  and  had  made  my 
escape  from  the  Indians.  After  a  few  more  questions  he  told  me  to  come  to  him.  I  did 
so.  Seeing  my  situation,  his  fears  soon  subsided  ;  he  told  me  to  sit  down  on  a  log  and  he 
would  go  and  eatch  a  horse  hd  had  in  the  lot,  and  take  me  in.     He  caught  his  horse,  set 


ADAMS    COUNTY.  25 

me  on  him,  but  kept  the  bridle  in  his  own  hand.  When  we  got  into  the  road,  people  be- 
gan to  inquire  of  Mr.  Woodward,  "  who  is  he — an  Indian  V  I  was  not  surprised  nor 
offended  at  the  inquiries,  for  I  was  still  in  Indian  uniform,  bare  headed,  my  hair  cut  off 
close,  except  the  scalp  and  foretop,  which  they  had  put  up  in  a  piece  of  tin,  with  a  bunch 
of  turkey  feathers,  which  I  could  not  undo.  They  had  also  stripped  off  the  feathers  of 
about  two  turkeys  and  hung  them  to  the  hair  of  the  scalp  ;  these  I  had  taken  off  the  day  I 
left  them.  Mr.  Woodward  took  me  to  his  house,  where  every  kindness  was  shown  me. 
They  soon  gave  me  other  clothing  ;  coming  from  different  persons,  they  did  not  fit  me  very 
neatly  ;  but  there  could  not  be  a  pair  of  shoes  got  in  the  place  that  I  could  get  on,  my  feet 
were  so  much  swollen. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1793,  the  settlers  at  Manchester  commenced  clearing  the  out-lots 
of  the  town  ;  and  while  so  engaged,  an  incident,  of  much  interest  and  excitement  occurred. 
Mr.  Andrew  Ellison,  one  of  the  settlers,  cleared  a  lot  immediately  adjoining  the  fort.  He 
had  completed  the  cutting  of  the  timber,  rolled  the  logs  together  and  set  them  on  fire.  The 
next  morning,  a  short  time  before  daybreak,  Mr.  Ellison  opened  one  of  the  gates  of  the  fort, 
and  went  out  to  throw  his  logs  together.  By  the  time  he  had  finished  this  job,  a  number 
of  the  heaps  blazed  up  brightly,  and  as  he  was  passing  from  one  to  the  other,  he  observed, 
by  the  light  of  the  fires,  three  men  walking  briskly  towards  him.  This  did  not  alarm  him 
in  the  least,  although,  he  said,  they  were  dark  skinned  fellows  ;  yet  he  concluded  they  were 
the  Wades,  whose  complexions  were  very  dark,  going  early  to  hunt.  He  continued  to 
right  his  log-heaps,  until  one  of  the  fellows  seized  him  by  the  arms,  and  called  out  in  broken 
English,  "How  do?  how  do?"  He  instantly  looked  in  their  faces,  and  to  his  surprise  and 
horror,  found  himself  in  the  clutches  of  three  Indians.  To  resist  was  useless.  He  there- 
fore submitted  to  his  fate,  without,  any  resistance  or  an  attempt  to  escape. 

The  Indians  quickly  moved  off  with  him  in  the  direction  of  Paint  creek.  When  break- 
fast was  ready,  Mrs.  Ellison  sent  one  of  her  children  to  ask  their  father  home  ;  but  he  could 
not  be  found  at  the  log-heaps.  His  absence  created  no  immediate  alarm,  as  it  was  thought 
he  might  have  started  to  hunt  after  the  completion  of  his  work.  Dinner  time  arrived,  and 
Ellison  not  returning,  the  family  became  uneasy,  and  began  to  suspect  some  accident  had 
happened  to  him.  His  gun-rack  was  examined,  and  there  hung  his  rille  and  his  pouch  in 
their  usual  place.  Massie  raised  a  party,  and  made  a  circuit  around  the  place,  and  found, 
after  some  search,  the  trails  of  four  men,  one  of  whom  had  on  shoes ;  and  as  Ellison  had 
shoes  on,  the  truth,  that  the  Indians  had  made  him  a  prisoner,  was  unfolded.  As  it  was 
almost  night  at  the  time  the  trail  was  discovered,  the  party  returned  to  their  station. 
Next  morning,  early  preparations  were  made  by  Massie  and  his  party  to  pursue  the  Indians. 
In  doing  this  they  found  great  difficulty,  as  it  was  so  early  in  the  spring  that  the  vegetation 
was  not  of  sufficient  growth  to  show  plainly  the  trail  of  the  Indians,  who  took  the  precau- 
tion to  keep  on  hard  and  high  land,  where  their  feet  could  make  little  or  no  impression. 
Massie  and  his  party,  however,  were  as  unerring  as  a  pack  of  well-trained  hounds,  and  fol- 
lowed the  trail  to  Paint  creek,  when  they  found  the  Indians  gained  so  fast  on  them,  that 
pursuit  was  vain.     They  therefore  abandoned  it,  and  returned  to  the  station. 

The  Indians  took  their  prisoner  to  Upper  Sandusky,  and  compelled  him  to  run  the  gaunt- 
let. As  Ellison  was  a  large  man  and  not  very  active,  he  received  a  severe  flogging  as  he 
passed  along  the  line.  From  this  place  he  was  taken  to  Lower  Sandusky,  and  was  again 
compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet,  and  was  then  taken  to  Detroit,  where  he  was  generously 
ransomed  by  a  British  officer  for  one  hundred  dollars.  He  was  shortly  afterwards  sent  by 
his  friend,  the  officer,  to  Montreal,  from  whence  he  returned  home  before  the  close  of  the 
summer  of  the  same  year. 

Another  incident  connected  with  the  station  at  Manchester  occurred  shortly  after  this 
time,  which,  although  somewhat  out  of  order  as  to  time,  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  relate  in 
this  place.  John  Edgington,  Asahel  Edgington,  and  another  man,  started  out  on  a  hunt- 
ing expedition  towards  Brush  creek.  They  camped  out  six  miles  in  a  north-east  direction 
from  where  West  Union  now  stands,  and  near  where  Treber's  tavern  is  now  situated,  oa 
the  road  from  Chillicothe  to  Maysville.  The  Edgingtons  had  good  success  in  hunting, 
having  killed  a  number  of  deer  and  bears.  Of  the  deer  killed,  they  saved  the  skins  and 
hams  alone.  The  bears,  they  fleeced ;  that  is,  they  cut  off  all  the  meat  which  adhered  to 
the  hide  without  skinning,  and  left  the  bones  as  a  skeleton.  They  hung  up  the  proceeds  ot 
their  hunt  on  a  scaffold,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  wolves  and  other  wild  animals,  and  return- 
ed home  for  pack  horses.  No  one  returned  to  the  camp  with  the  two  Edgingtons.  As  it 
was  late  in  December,  no  one  apprehended  danger,  as  the  winter  sea'son  was  usually  a  time 
of  repose  from  Indian  incursions.  When  the  Edgingtons  arrived  at  their  old  hunting 
camp,  they  alighted  from  their  horses  and  were  preparing  to  strike  a  fire,  when  a  platoon 
of  Indians  fired  upon  them,  at  the  distance  of  not  more  than  twenty  paces.     Asahel  Edg- 

4 


20  ADAMS    COUNTY. 

ington  fell  to  rise  no  more.  John  was  more  fortunate.  The  sharp  crack  of  the  rifles,  and 
the  horrid  yells  of  the  Indians,  as  they  leaped  from  their  place  of  ambush,  frightened  the 
horses,  who  took  the  track  towards  home  at  full  speed.  John  Edgington  was  very  active 
on  foot,  and  now  an  occasion  offered  which  required  his  utmost  speed.  The  moment  the 
Indians  leaped  from  their  hiding  place,  they  threw  down  their  guns  and  took  after  him. 
They  pursued  him  screaming  and  yelling  in  the  most  horrid  manner.  Edgington  did  not 
run  a  booty  race.  For  about  a  mile  the  Indians  stepped  in  his  tracks  almost  before  the 
bending  grass  could  rise.  The  uplifted  tomahawk  was  frequently  so  near  his  head,  that  he 
thought  he  felt  its  edge.  Every  effort  was  made  to  save  his  life,  and  every  exertion  of  the 
Indians  was  made  to  arrest  him  in  his  flight.  Edgington,  who  had  the  greatest  stake  in 
the  race,  at  length  began  to  gain  on  his  pursuers,  and  after  a  long  race,  he  distanced  them, 
made  his  escape,  and  safely  reached  home.  This,  truly,  was  a  most  fearful  and  well  con- 
tested race.  The  big  Shawnee  chief,  Captain  John,  who  headed  the  Indians  on  this  occa- 
sion, after  peace  was  made  and  Chillicothe  settled,  frequently  told  the  writer  of  this  sketch 
c-f  the  race.  Captain  John  said,  that  "  the  white  man  who  ran  away -was  a  smart  fellow, 
that  the  white  man  run  and  I  run,  he  run  and  run,  at  last,  the  white  man  run  clear  ofT 
from  me." 

The  first  court  in  this  county  was  held  in  Manchester.  Winthrop 
Sargent,  the  secretary  of  the  territory,  acting  in  the  absence  of 
the  governor,  appointed  commissioners,  who  located  the  county 
seat  at  an  out  of  the  way  place,  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
Brush  creek,  which  they  called  Adamsville.  The  locality  was  soon 
named,  in  derision,  Scant.  At  the  next  session  of  the  court,  its 
members  became  divided,  and  part  sat  in  Manchester  and  part  at 
Adamsville.  The  governor,  on  his  return  to  the  territory,  rinding 
the  people  in  great  confusion,  and  much  bickering  between  them, 
removed  the  seat  of  justice  to  the  mouth  of  Brush  creek,  where  the 
first  court  was  held  in  1798.  Here  a  town  was  laid  out  by  Noble 
Grimes,  under  the  name  of  Washington.  A  large  log  court  house 
was  built,  with  a  jail  in  the  lower  story,  and  the  governor  appointed 
two  more  of  the  Scant  party  judges,  which  gave  them  a  majority. 
In  1800,  Charles  Willing  Byrd,  secretary  of  the  territory,  in  the 
absence  of  the  governor,  appointed  two  more  of  the  Manchester 
party  judges,  which  balanced  the  parties,  and  the  contest  was  main- 
tained until  West  Union  became  the  county  seat.  Joseph  Darlin- 
ton*  and  Israel  Donalson,  were  among  the  first  judges  of  the  Com- 
mon Pleas.  These  gentlemen,  now  living  in  this  county,  were  also 
members  of  the  convention  for  forming  the  constitution  of  the  State, 
there  being,  in  1847,  only  three  others  of  that  body  living. 

West  Union,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Maysville  and  Zaitesville 
turnpike,  8  miles  from  the  Ohio  at  Manchester,  and  106  southerly 
from  Columbus.  The  name  was  given  to  it  by  Hon.  Thomas  Kirker, 
one  of  the  commissioners  who  laid  it  out  in  1804,  and  one  of  its 
earliest  settlers.  It  stands  on  the  summit  of  a  high  ridge,  many 
hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Ohio.  As  early  as  1815,  a 
T;i?wspaper  was  established  here  by  James  Finlay,  entitled  the  Polit- 
ical Censor.  The  annexed  view  shows,  on  the  left,  the  jail  and 
market,  and  in  the  centre,  the  court  house  and  county  offices. 
These  last  stand  in  a  pleasant  area,  shaded  by  locusts.  The  court 
nouse  is  a  substantial  stone  building,  and  bears  good  testimony  to  the 

*  In  1803,  Gen.  Darlinton  was  appointed  Clerk  of  Common  Pleas  and  Clerk  of  the  Su- 
preme Court.     The  first  office  he  left  a  few  months  since,  and  the  last  he  still  retains. 


ADAMS    COUNTY 


27 


skill  of  its  builder,  ex-Governor  Metcalt,  of  Kentucky,  who,  com- 
mencing life  as  a  mason,  has  acquired  the  sobriquet  of  "  Stone 
Hammer."  The  first  court  house  here  was  of  logs.  West  Union 
contains  4  churches  :  1  Associate  Reformed,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Meth- 
odist and  1  Baptist ;  2  newspapers,  a  classical  school,  and  9  mercan- 
tile stores.     It  had,  in  1820,  a  population  of  406  ;  in  1840,  452. 


Public  Buildings,  West  Union. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  this  county  are  considerable  beds  of  iron 
ore,  that  have  been  in  use  many  years  ;  it  is  a  mineral  region,  and 
large  hills  are  composed  of  aluminous  slate.  Some  years  since,  a 
singular  phenomenon  occurred  in  this  section,  described  by  Dr. 
Hildreth,  in  the  29th  volume  of  Silliman's  Journal : 

A  part  of  the  summer  of  the  year  1830  was  excessively  dry  in  the  south-west  portion  o 
Ohio.  During  the  drought,  the  water  all  disappeared  from  Brush  creek,  which  heads 
among  some  slaty  hills,  leaving  its  bed  entirely  dry  for  several  weeks.  Towards  the  close 
of  this  period,  loud  and  frequent  explosions  took  place  from  the  slate  at  the  bottom  of  the 
creek,  throwing  up  large  fragments  of  rock  and  shaking  the  earth  violently  for  some  dis- 
tance. The  inhabitants  living  near  its  borders  became  much  alarmed,  thinking  a  volcano 
was  breaking  out.  On  examining  the  spot,  large  pieces  of  iron  pyrites  were  found  mixed 
with  the  slate-stone.  The  water,  which  had  heretofore  protected  the  pyrites  from  the  at- 
mosphere, being  all  evaporated,  the  oxygen  found  its  way  through  the  crevices  of  the  slate 
to  these  beds,  and  acting  chemically  upon  them,  new  combinations  took  place,  forcing  up 
the  superincumbent  strata  with  great  violence  and  noise.  When  the  water  again  covered 
he  bed  of  the  creek,  the  explosions  ceased. 

The  barren  hills  in  this  part  of  the  county,  and  of  some  of  the 
other  river  counties,  remain,  in  many  cases,  the  property  of  the 
General  Government.  They  afford,  however,  a  fine  range  for  the 
cattle  and  hogs  of  the  scattered  inhabitants,  and  no  small  quantity 
of  lumber,  such  as  staves,  hoop  poles  and  tanner's  bark,  which  are 
unscrupulously  taken  from  the  public  lands.  Dr.  John  Locke,  from 
whose  Geological  Report    these  facts  are  derived,  says  : 

Indeed,  there  is  a  vagrant  class  who  are  supported  by  this  kind  of  business.  They  erecj 
a  cabin  towards  the  head  of  some  ravine,  collect  the  chestnut-oak  bark  from  the  neighbor- 
ing hill  tops,  drag  it  on  sleds  to  points  accessible  by  wagons,  where  they  sell  it  for  perhaps 
$2  per  cord  to  the  wagoner.  The  last  sells  it  at  the  river  to  the  flat  boat  shipper,  at  $6 
per  cord,  and  he  again  to  the  consumer  at  Cincinnati,  for  $11.  Besides  this  common  tres- 
pass, the  squatter  helps  himself  out  by  hunting  deer  and  coons,  and,  it  is  said,  occasionally 


28  ALLEN    COUNTY. 

by  taking  a  sheep  era  hog,  the  loss  of  which  may  very  reasonably  be  charged  to  the  wolvea 
The  poor  families  of  the  bark  cutters  often  exhibit  the  very  picture  of  improvidence.  There 
begins  to  be  a  fear  among  the  inhabitants  that  speculators  may  be  tempted  to  purchase  up 
these  waste  lands  and  deprive  them  of  their  present  '  range'  and  lumber.  The  speculator 
must  still  be  a  non-resident,  and  could  hardly  protect  his  purchase.  The  inhabitants  have 
a  hard,  rough  region  to  deal  with,  and  need  all  of  the  advantages  which  their  mountain 
tract  can  afford. 

Winchester,  12  miles  nw.  of  the  county  seat,  is  a  thriving 
town,  with  7  stores  and  about  400  people;  Manchester,  8  sw.,  has 
4  stores  and  about  250  population  ;  Jacksonville,  10  ne.,  has  a 
population  of  about  200 ;  Locust  Grove,  Rockville,  Bentonville, 
Cherry  Fork,  Eckmansville  and  Rome,  are  small  towns  having  post 
offices. 


ALLEN. 

Allen  was  formed  April  1st,  1820,  from  Indian  territory,  and 
named  in  honor  of  a  colonel  of  that  name  in  the  war  of  1812  :  it  was 
temporarily  attached  to  Mercer  county  for  judicial  purposes.  The 
surface  is  generally  level ;  the  soil  varies  from  a  sandy  loam  to  clay, 
and  is  well  adapted  to  grain  and  grass.  The  principal  crops  are 
wheat,  corn,  rye  and  oats,  with  timothy,  clover  and  flaxseed.  The 
county  is  well  settled  for  a  new  one,  which  arises  from  the  U.  S., 
and  State  land  offices  having  formerly  been  within  it,  and  the  land, 
therefore,  was  taken  by  actual  settlers.  The  population  is  of  a 
mixed  character,  and  the  southern  part  has  many  Germans.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population: 

Goshen,         236         Shawanee,       429 
Jackson,        570         Union,  GG9 

Marion,         315         Washington,   457 
Moulton,       263         Wayne,  404 

Perry,  565 

Pusheta,        768 

The  population  of  Allen,  in  1840,  was  9,081,  or  16  inhabitants  to 
a  square  mile. 

Lima,  the  county  seat,  is  95  miles  wnw.  from  Columbus,  and 
was  laid  off  as  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  in  the  spring  of 
1831.  It  is  several  miles  north  of  the  centre  of  the  county,  the 
southern  portion  of  which  has  been  an  Indian  reservation.  The 
annexed  view  was  taken  near  the  residence  of  Col.  Jas.  Cunning- 
ham, on  the  Wapakonetta  road.  The  stream  shown  in  the  view 
is  the  Ottawa  river,  usually  called  Hog  river — a  name  derived 
from  the  following  circumstance :  McKee,  the  British  Indian  agent, 
who  resided  at  the  Machachac  towns,  on  Mad  river,  during  the 
incursion  of  General  Logan,  in  1786,  was  obliged  to  flee  with  his 
effects.  He  had  his  swine  driven  on  to  the  borders  of  this  stream  ; 
the  Indians  thereafter  called  it  Koshko  sepe,  which,  in  the  Shawnee 
language,  signifies  Hog   river.     Lima  contains  1   Presbyterian,  1 


Amanda, 

282 

Auglaise, 

732 

Bath, 

1,382 

Clay, 

435 

Duchaquet, 

692 

German, 

856 

ALLEN    COUNTY. 


29 


Methodist,  and  1  Baptist  church  ;  6  dry  goods  and  4  grocery  stores, 
a  foundery,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  and  a  population  estimated 
at  about  500.  The  town  is  progressing  with  the  gradual  increase 
of  the  country. 


Lima. 


Wapakonetta  is  10  miles  from  St.  Mary's,  and  12  from  Lima,  on 
the  Auglaize,  and  contains  1  Catholic  and  1  Methodist  church  and 
3  stores ;  it  is  settled  principally  by  Germans,  and  in  population  is 
somewhat  less  than  Lima.  After  the  Shawnees  were  driven  from 
Piqua  by  Gen.  Clark,  they  settled  a  town  here,  which  they  called 
Wapaghkonetta*  By  the  treaty  at  the  Maumee  rapids,  in  1817, 
the  Shawnees  were  given  a  reservation  of  ten  miles  square  in  this 
county,  within  which  was  their  council  house  at  Wapakonetta,  and 
also  a  tract  of  twenty-five  square  miles,  which  included  their  set- 
tlement on  Hog  Creek ;  by  the  treaty  of  the  succeeding  year,  made 
at  St.  Mary's,  12,800  acres  adjoining  the  east  line  of  the  Wapakonetta 
Reserve  were  added. 

At  the  village  there  is  a  fine  orchard,  at  least  sixty  years  of  age, 
and  from  its  being  planted  in  regular  order,  it  is  supposed  to  have 
been  done  by  Frenchmen  settled  among  the  Indians.  The  society 
of  Friends,  for  a  number  of  years,  had  a  mission  at  Wapakonetta. 

From  the  year  1796  till  the  formation  of  the  state  constitution, 
Judge  Burnet,  of  Cincinnati,  attended  court  regularly  at  that  place, 
Marietta  and  Detroit,  the  last  of  which  was  then  the  seat  of  justice 
for  Wayne  county  The  jaunts  between  these  remote  places,  through 
a  wilderness,  were  attended  with  exposure,  fatigue  and  hazard,  and 
were  usually  performed  on  horseback,  in  parties  of  two  or  three  or 

*  John  Johnston  says  "  Wapagh-ko-netta  :  this  is  the  true  Indian  orthography.  It  was 
named  after  an  Indian  chief  long  since  dead,  but  who  survived  years  after  my  intercourse 
commenced  with  the  Shawanoese.  The  chief  was  sorr.Jwhat  club-footed,  and  the  word 
has  reference,  I  think,  to  that  circumstance,  although  its  full  import  I  never  could  discover. 
For  many  years  prior  to  1829,  I  had  my  Indian  head  quarters  at  Wapagh-ko-netta.  The 
business  of  the  agency  of  the  Shawanoese,  Wyandotts,  Senecas  and  Delawares,  was  trans- 
acted there." 


80  ALLEN  COUNTY. 

more.  On  one  of  these  occasions,  while  halting  at  Wapakonetta,  he 
witnessed  a  game  of  ball  among  the  people,  of  which  he  has  given 
an  interesting  narration  in  his  letters. 

Blue  Jacket,  the  war  chief,  who  commanded  the  Shawanees  in  the  battle  of  1794,  at 
Maumee,  resided  in  the  village,  but  was  absent.  We  were,  however,  received  with  kind- 
ness, by  the  old  village  chief,  Buckingelas.  When  we  went  to  his  lodge,  he  was  giving 
audience  to  a  deputation  of  chiefs  from  some  western  tribes.  We  took  seats  at  his  re- 
quest, till  the  conference  was  finished,  and  the  strings  of  wampum  disposed  of — he  gave  us 
no  intimation  of  the  subject  matter  of  the  conference,  and,  of  course,  we  could  not  ask  for 
it.  In  a  little  time  he  called  in  some  of  his  young  men,  and  requested  them  to  get  up  a 
game  of  football  for  our  amusement.  A  purse  of  trinkets  was  soon  made  up,  and  the  whole 
village,  male  and  female,  were  on  the  lawn.  At  these  games  the  men  played  against  the 
women,  and  it  was  a  rule,  that  the  former  were  not  to  touch  the  ball  with  their  hands  on 
penalty  of  forfeiting  the  purse  ;  while  the  latter  had  the  privilege  of  picking  it  up,  running 
with,  and  throwing  it  as  far  as  they  could.  When  a  squaw  had  the  ball,  the  men  were 
allowed  *.o  catch  and  shake  her,  and  even  throw  her  on  the  ground,  if  necessary,  to  extri- 
cate the  ball  from  her  hand,  but  they  were  not  allowed  to  touch,  or  move  it,  except  by  their 
feet.  At  the  opposite  extremes  of  the  lawn,  which  was  a  beautiful  plain,  thickly  set  with 
blue  grass,  stakes  were  erected,  about  six  feet  apart — the  contending  parties  arrayed  them- 
selves in  front  of  these  stakes ;  the  men  on  the  one  side,  and  the  women  on  the  other. 
The  party  which  succeeded  in  driving  the  ball  through  the  stakes,  at  the  goal  of  their  op- 
ponents, were  proclaimed  victors,  and  received  the  purse.  All  things  being  ready,  the  old 
chief  went  to  the  centre  of  the  lawn,  and  threw  up  the  ball,  making  an  exclamation,  in  the 
►Shawanee  language,  which  we  did  not  understand.  He  immediately  retired,  and  the  con- 
test began.  The  parties  seemed  to  be  fairly  matched,  as  to  numbers,  having  about  a  hun- 
dred on  a  side.  The  game  lasted  more  than  an  hour,  with  great  animation,  but  was 
finally  decided  in  favor  of  the  ladies,  by  the  power  of  an  herculean  squaw,  who  got  the  ball, 
and  in  spite  of  the  men  who  seized  her  to  shake  it  from  her  uplifted  hand,  held  it  firmly, 
dragging  them  along,  till  she  was  sufficiently  near  the  goal  to  throw  it  through  the  stakes. 
The  young  squaws  were  the  most  active  of  their  party,  and,  of  course,  most  frequently 
caught  the  ball.  When  they  did  so,  it  was  amusing  to  see  the  strife  between  them  and  the 
young  Indians,  who  immediately  seized  them,  and  always  succeeded  in  rescuing  the  ball, 
though  sometimes  they  could  not  effect  their  object  till  their  female  competitors  were  thrown 
on  the  grass.  When  the  contending  parties  had  retired  from  the  field  of  strife,  it  was 
pleasant  to  see  the  feelings  of  exultation  depicted  in  the  faces  of  the  victors  ;  whose  joy 
was  manifestly  enhanced  by  the  fact,  that  their  victory  was  won  in  the  presence  of  white 
men,  whom  they  supposed  to  be  highly  distinguished,  and  of  great  power  in  their  nation. 
This  was  a  natural  conclusion  for  them  to  draw,  as  they  knew  we  were  journeying  to 
Detroit  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  general  court ;  which,  they  supposed,  controled  and 
governed  the  nation.  We  spent  the  night  very  pleasantly  among  them,  and  in  the  morning 
resumed  our  journey. 

In  August,  1831,  treaties  were  negotiated  with  the  Senecas  of 
Lewiston  and  the  Shawnees  of  Wapakonetta,  by  James  Gardiner, 
Esq.,  and  Col.  John  M'Elvain,  special  commissioners  appointed  for 
this  purpose.  The  terms  offered  were  so  liberal  that  the  Indians 
consented  to  give  up  their  land  and  remove  beyond  the  Mississippi. 
The  Shawnees  had  at.  this  time  about  66,000  acres  in  this  county, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  Senecas  about  40,300  acres  at  Lewiston. 
The  Indians  were  removed  to  the  Indian  territory  on  Kanzas  river, 
in  the  Far  West,  in  September,  1832,  D.  M.  Workman  and  David 
Robb  being  the  agents  for  their  removal.  The  latter,  Mr.  Robb,  in 
a  ^communication  respecting  the  Indians,  has  given  the  following 
interesting  facts. 

Intemperance  to  a  great  extent  prevailed  among  the  Indians  ;  there  was,  however,  as 
wide  a  contrast  in  this  respect  as  with  the  whites,  and  some  of  the  more  virtuous  refused 
to  associate  with  the  others.  This  class  also  cultivated  their  little  farms  with  a  degree  oi 
taste  and  judgment :  some  of  these  could  cook  a  comfortable  meal,  and  I  have  eaten  both 


ALLEN  COUNTY.  81 


batter  and  a  kind  of  cheese  made  by  them.  Many  of  them  were  quite  ingenious  and  na- 
tural mechanics,  with  a  considerable  knowledge  of,  and  an  inclination  to  use  tools.  Ont 
chief  had  an  assortment  of  carpenters'  tools  which  he  kept  in  neat  order.  He  made  plows, 
harrows,  wagons,  bedsteads,  tables,  bureaus,  &c.  He  was  frank,  liberal  and  conscientious. 
On  my  asking  him  who  taught  him  the  use  of  tools,  he  replied,  no  one  ;  then  pointing  up 
to  the  sky,  he  said,  "  the  Great  Spirit  taught  me." 

With  all  their  foibles  and  vices,  there  is  something  fascinating  in  the  Indian  character, 
and  one  cannot  long  associate  with  them  without  having  a  perceptible  growing  attachment. 
The  Indian  is  emphatically  the  natural  man,  and  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  make  an  Indian  out 
of  a  white  person,  but  very  difficult  to  civilize  or  christianize  an  Indian.  I  have  known  a 
number  of  whites  who  had  been  taken  prisoners  by  the  Indians  when  young,  and  without 
exception,  they  formed  such  attachments  that,  after  being  with  them  some  time,  they  could 
not  be  induced  to  return  to  their  own  people.  There  was  a  woman  among  the  Shawnees, 
supposed  to  be  near  an  hundred  years  of  age,  who  was  taken  prisoner,  when  young,  in 
eastern  Pennsylvania.  Some  years  after,  her  friends,  through  the  agency  of  traders,  en- 
deavored to  induce  her  to  return,  but  in  vain.  She  became,  if  possible,  more  of  a  squaw  in 
her  habits  and  appearance  than  any  female  in  the  nation. 

As  a  sample  of  their  punctuality  in  performing  their  contracts,  I  would  state  that  I  have 
often  loaned  them  money,  which  was  always  returned  in  due  season,  with  a  single  excep- 
tion. This  was  a  loan  to  a  young  man  who  promised  to  pay  me  when  they  received  their 
annuity.  After  the  appointed  time  he  shunned  me,  and  the  matter  remained  unsettled 
until  just  prior  to  our  departure  for  their  new  homes.  I  then  stated  the  circumstance  to  one 
of  the  chiefs,  more  from  curiosity  to  see  how  he  would  receive  the  intelligence  than  with 
the  expectation  of  its  being  the  means  of  bringing  the  money.  He,  thereupon,  talked  with 
the  lad  upon  the  subject,  but,  being  unsuccessful,  he  called  a  council  of  his  brother  chiefs, 
who  formed  a  circle,  with  the  young  man  in  the  centre.  After  talking  to  him  a  while  in 
a  low  tone,  they  broke  out  and  vociferously  reprimanded  him  for  his  dishonest  conduct ; 
but  all  proved  unavailing.  Finally,  the  chiefs,  in  a  most  generous  and  noble  spirit,  made 
up  the  amount  from  their  own  purses,  and  pleasantly  tendered  it  to  me. 

The  Indians  being  firm  believers  in  witchcraft,  generally  attributed  sickness  and  other 
misfortunes  to  this  cause,  and  were  in  the  habit  of  murdering  those  whom  they  suspected 
of  practising  it.  They  have  been  known  to  travel  all  the  way  from  the  Mississippi  to 
Wapakonetta,  and  shoot  down  a  person  in  his  cabin  merely  on  suspicion  of  his  being  a 
wizzard,  and  return  unmolested.  When  a  person  became  so  sick  as  to  lead  them  to  think 
he  was  in  danger  of  death,  it  was  usual  for  them  to  place  him  in  the  woods  alone,  with  no 
one  to  attend  except  a  nurse  or  doctor,  who  generally  acted  as  an  agent  in  hurrying  on 
their  dissolution.  It  was  distressing  to  see  one  in  this  situation.  I  have  been  permitted  to 
do  this  only  through  the  courtesy  of  relatives,  it  being  contrary  to  rule  for  any  to  visit  them 
except  such  as  had  medical  care  of  them.  The  whole  nation  are  at  liberty  to  attend  the 
funerals,  at  which  there  is  generally  great  lamentation.  A  chief,  who  died  just  previous  to 
their  removal,  was  buried  in  the  following  manner.  They  bored  holes  in  the  lid  of  his 
coffin — as  is  their  custom — over  his  eyes  and  mouth,  to  let  the  Good  Spirit  pass  in  and  out. 
Over  the  grave  they  laid  presents,  &c,  with  provisions,  which  they  affirmed  the  Good  Spirit 
would  take  him  in  the  night.  Sure  enough ! — these  articles  had  all  disappeared  in  the 
morning,  by  the  hand  of  an  evil  spirit  clothed  in  a  human  body.  There  were  many 
funerals  among  the  Indians,  and  their  numbers  rapidly  decreased  :  intemperance,  and  pul- 
monary, and  scrofulous  diseases,  made  up  a  large  share  of  their  bills  of  mortality,  and  the 
number  of  deaths  to  the  births  were  as  one  to  three. 

A  few  anecdotes  will  illustrate  the  wit  and  dishonesty  of  some,  and  the  tragical  encoun- 
ters of  others  of  the  Indians.  Col.  M'Pherson,  the  former  sub-agent,  kept  goods  for  sale, 
for  which  they  often  got  in  debt.  Some  were  slow  in  making  payments,  and  one  in  parti- 
cular was  so  tardy  that  M'Pherson  earnestly  urged  him  to  pay  up.  Knowing  that  he  was 
in  the  habit  of  taking  hides  from  the  tanners,  the  Indian  inquired  if  he  would  take  hides  for 
the  debt.  Being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  promised  to  bring  them  in  about  four  days. 
The  Indian,  knowing  that  M'Pherson  had  at  this  time  a  flock  of  cattle  ranging  in  the  forest, 
went  in  pursuit,  shot  several,  from  which  he  took  off  the  hides,  and  delivered  them  punctually 
according  to  promise. 

While  we  were  encamped,  waiting  for  the  Indians  to  finish  their  ceremonies  prior  to 
emigration,  we  were  much  annoyed  by  an  unprincipled  band  of  whites  who  came  to  trade, 
particularly  in  the  article  of  whiskey,  which  they  secreted  from  us  in  the  woods.  The  In- 
dians all  knew  of  this  depot,  and  were  continually  going,  like  bees  from  the  hive,  day  and 
night,  and  it  was  difficult  to  tell  whether  some  who  lead  in  the  worship  passed  most  of  the 
time  in  that  employment  or  in  drinking  whiskey.     While  this  state  of  things  lasted,  the 


32  ALLEN  COUNTY. 

officers  could  do  nothing  satisfactorily  with  them,  nor  were  they  sensible  of  the  consequence 
of  continuing  in  such  a  course  The  government  was  bound  by  treaty  stipulations  to 
maintain  them  one  year  only,  which  was  passing  away,  and  winter  was  fast  approaching, 
when  they  could  not  well  travel,  and  if  they  could  not  arrive  until  spring,  they  would  be 
unable  to  raise  a  crop,  and  consequently  would  be  out  of  bread.  We  finally  assembled  the 
chiefs  and  other  influential  men,  and  presenting  these  facts  vividly  before  them,  they  became 
alarmed  and  promised  to  reform.  We  then  authorized  them  to  tomahawk  every  barrel, 
keg,  jug,  or  bottle  of  whiskey  that  they  could  find,  under  the  promise  to  pay  for  all  and 
protect  them  from  harm  in  so  doing.  They  all  agreed  to  this,  and  went  to  work  that  night 
to  accomplish  the  task.  Having  lain  down  at  a  late  hour  to  sleep,  I  was  awakened  by  one 
who  said  he  had  found  and  brought  me  a  jug  of  whiskey :  I  handed  him  a  quarter  of  a 
dollar,  set  the  whiskey  down,  and  fell  asleep  again.  The  same  fellow  then  came,  stole  jug 
and  all,  and  sold  the  contents  that  night  to  the  Indians  at  a  shilling  a  dram — a  pretty  good 
speculation  on  a  half  gallon  of  "  whisk,"  as  the  Indians  call  it.  I  suspected  him  of  the 
trick,  but  he  would  not  confess  it  until  I  was  about  to  part  with  them  at  the  end  of  the 
journey,  when  he  came  to  me  and  related  the  circumstances,  saying  that  it  was  too  good  a 
story  to  keep. 

One  of  our  interpreters,  who  was  part  Indian  and  had  lived  with  them  a  long  time,  re- 
lated the  following  tragical  occurrence.  A  company  of  Shawnees  met  some  time  previous 
to  my  coming  among  them,  had  a  drunken  frolic  and  quarrelled.  One  vicious  fellow  who 
had  an  old  grudge  against  several  of  the  others,  and  stabbed  two  of  the  company  succes- 
sively until  they  fell  dead,  was  making  for  the  third,  when  his  arm  was  arrested  by  a  large 
athletic  Indian,  who,  snatching  the  knife  from  him,  plunged  it  into  him  until  he  fell.  He 
attempted  to  rise  and  got  on  his  knees,  when  the  other  straddled  him,  seized  him  by  the 
hair,  lifted  up  his  head  with  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  drew  his  knife  across  his 
throat,  exclaiming — "  lie  there,  my  friend  !     I  guess  you  not  eat  any  more  hommony." 

After  we  had  rendezvoused,  preparatory  to  moving,  we  were  detained  several  weekB 
waiting  until  they  had  got  over  their  tedious  round  of  religious  ceremonies,  some  of  which 
were  public  and  others  kept  private  from  us.  One  of  their  first  acts  was  to  take  away  the 
fencing  from  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  level  them  to  the  surrounding  surface,  and  cover 
them  so  neatly  with  green  sod,  that  not  a  trace  of  the  graves  could  be  seen.  Subsequently, 
a  few  of  the  chiefs  and  others  visited  their  friends  at  a  distance,  gave  and  received  presents 
from  chiefs  of  other  nations,  at  their  head  quarters. 

Among  the  ceremonies  above  alluded  to  was  a  dance,  in  which  none  participated  but  the 
warriors.  They  threw  off  all  their  clothing  but  their  britchclouts,  painted  their  faces  and 
naked  bodies  in  a  fantastical  manner,  covering  them  with  the  pictures  of  snakes  and  disa- 
greeable insects  and  animals,  and  then  armed  with  war  clubs,  commenced  dancing,  yelling 
and  frightfully  distorting  their  countenances :  the  scene  was  truly  terrific.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  dance  they  usually  have  on  returning  from  a  victorious  battle,  in  which  both 
sexes  participated.  It  was  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  other,  and  was  performed  in  the  night, 
in  a  ring,  around  a  large  fire.  In  this  they  sang  and  marched,  males  and  females  promis- 
cuously, in  single  file,  around  the  blaze.  The  leader  of  the  band  commenced  singing,  while 
all  the  rest  were  silent  until  he  had  sung  a  certain  number  of  words,  then  the  next  in  the 
row  commenced  with  the  same,  and  the  leader  began  with  a  new  set,  and  so  on  to  the  end 
of  their  chanting.  All  were  singing  at  once,  but  no  two  the  same  words.  I  was  told  that 
part  of  the  words  they  used  wefe  hallelujah .'  It  was  pleasing  to  witness  the  native 
modesty  and  graceful  movements  of  those  young  females  in  this  dance. 

When  their  ceremonies  were  over,  they  informed  us  they  were  now  ready  to  leave 
They  then  mounted  their  horses,  and  such  as  went  in  wagons  seated  themselves,  and  sei 
out  wkh  their  "  high  priest"  in  front,  bearing  on  his  shoulders  "  the  ark  of  the  covenant,'' 
which  consisted  of  a  large  gourd  and  the  bones  of  a  deer's  leg  tied  to  its  neck.  Just  pre 
\ious  to  starting,  the  priest  gave  a  blast  of  his  trumpet,  then  moved  slowly  and  solemnly 
while  the  others  followed  in  like  manner,  until  they  were  ordered  to  halt  in  the  evening 
for  encampment;  when  the  priest  gave  another  blast  as  a  signal  to  stop,  erect  their  tents, 
and  cook  supper.  The  same  course  was  observed  through  the  whole  of  the  journey. 
When  they  arrived  near  St.  Louis,  they  lost  some  of  their  number  by  cholera.  The  Shaw- 
nees who  emigrated  numbered  about  700  souls,  and  the  Senecas  about  350.  Among  them 
was  also  a  detachment  of  Ottawas,  who  were  conducted  by  Capt.  Hollister  from  the 
Maumee  country. 

The  principal  speaker  among  the  Shawnees  at  the  period  of  their 
removal,  was  Wiwelipea.  He  was  an  eloquent  orator — either  grave 
or  gay,  humorous  or  severe,  as  the  occasion  required.     At  times 


ALLEN  COUNTY.  33 

his  manner  was  so  fascinating,  his  countenance  so  full  of  varied 
expression,  and  his  voice  so  musical,  that  surveyors  and  other  stran- 
gers passing  through  the  country,  listened  to  him  with  delight,  al- 
though the  words  fell  upon  their  ears  in  an  unknown  language.  He 
removed  out  west  with  his  tribe.  The  chief  Catahecassa,  or  Black 
Hoof,  died  at  Wapakonetta,  shortly  previous  to  their  removal,  at 
the  age  of  110  years.  The  sketches  annexed  of  Black  Hoof  and 
Blue  Jacket,  are  derived  from  Drake's  Tecumseh. 

Among  the  celebrated  chiefs  of  the  Shawanoes,  Black  Hoof  is  entitled  to  a  high  rank. 
He  was  born  in  Florida,  and  at  the  period  of  the  removal  of  a  portion  of  that  tribe  to  Ohio 
and  Pennsylvania,  was  old  enough  to  recollect  having  bathed  in  the  salt  water.  He  was 
present,  with  others  of  his  tribe,  at  the  defeat  of  Braddock,  near  Pittsburg,  in  1755,  and  was 
engaged  in  all  the  wars  in  Ohio  from  that  time  until  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795. 
Such  was  the  sagacity  of  Black  Hoof  in  planning  his  military  expeditions,  and  such  the 
energy  with  which  he  executed  them,  that  he  won  the  confidence  of  his  whole  nation,  and 
was  never  at  a  loss  for  braves  to  fight  under  his  banner.  "  He  was  known  far  and  wide  as 
ihe  great  Shawanoe  warrior,  whose  cunning,  sagacity,  and  experience,  were  only  equalled 
by  the  fierce  and  desperate  bravery  with  which  he  carried  into  operation  his  military  plans. 
Like  the  other  Shawanoe  chiefs,  he  was  the  inveterate  foe  of  the  white  man,  and  held  that 
no  peace  should  be  made,  nor  any  negociation  attempted,  except  on  the  condition  that  the 
whites  should  repass  the  mountains,  and  leave  the  great  plains  of  the  west  to  the  sole  occu- 
pancy of  the  native  tribes. 

"  He  was  the  orator  of  his  tribe  during  the  greater  part  of  his  long  life,  and  was  an  ex- 
cellent speaker.  The  venerable  Colonel  Johnston,  of  Piqua,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
much  valuable  information,  describes  him  as  the  most  graceful  Indian  he  had  ever  seen, 
and  as  possessing  the  most  natural  and  happy  faculty  of  expressing  his  ideas.  He  was  well 
versed  in  the  traditions  of  his  people  ;  no  one  understood  better  their  peculiar  relations  to 
the  whites,  whose  settlements  were  gradually  encroaching  on  them,  or  could  detail  with 
more  minuteness  the  wrongs  with  which  his  nation  was  afflicted.  But  although  a  stern  and 
uncompromising  opposition  to  the  whites  had  marked  his  policy  through  a  series  of  forty 
years,  and  nerved  his  arm  in  a  hundred  battles,  he  became  at  length  convinced  of  the  mad- 
ness of  an  ineffectual  struggle  against  a  vastly  superior  and  hourly  increasing  foe.  No 
sooner  had  he  satisfied  himself  of  this  truth,  than  he  acted  upon  it  with  the  decision  which 
formed  a  prominent  trait  in  his  character.  The  temporary  success  of  the  Indians  in  several 
engagements  previous  to  the  campaign  of  General  Wayne,  had  kept  alive  their  expiring 
hopes  ;  but  their  signal  defeat  by  that  gallant  officer  convinced  the  more  reflecting  of  their 
leaders  of  the  desperate  character  of  the  conflict.  Black  Hoof  was  among  those  who  de- 
cided upon  making  terms  with  the  victorious  American  commander  ;  and  having  signed 
the  treaty  of  1795,  at  Greenville,  he  continued  faithful  to  his  stipulations  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  From  that  day,  he  ceased  to  be  the  enemy  of  the  white  man  ;  and  as 
he  was  not  one  who  could  act  a  negative  part,  he  became  the  firm  ally  and  friend  of  those 
against  whom  his  tomahawk  had  been  so  long  raised  in  vindictive  animosity.  He  was 
their  friend,  not  from  sympathy  or  conviction,  but  in  obedience  to  a  necessity  which  left  no 
middle  course,  and  under  a  belief  that  submission  alone  could  save  his  tribe  from  destruc- 
tion ;  and  having  adopted  this  policy,  his  sagacity  and  sense  of  honor,  alike  forbade  a 
recurrence  either  to  open  war  or  secret  hostility.  He  was  the  principal  chief  of  the  Shawa- 
noe nation,  and  possessed  all  the  influence  and  authority  which  are  usually  attached  to  that 
office,  at  the  period  when  Tecumseh  and  his  brother  the  Prophet  commenced  their  hostile 
operations  against  the  United  States." 

When  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet  embarked  in  their  scheme  for  the  recovery  of  the 
lands  as  far  south  as  the  Ohio  river,  it  became  their  interest  as  well  as  policy  to  enlist  Black 
Hoof  in  the  enterprise  ;  and  every  effort  which  the  genius  of  the  one,  and  the  cunning  of 
the  other,  could  devise,  was  brought  to  bear  upon  him.  But  Black  Hoof  continued  faithful 
to  the  treaty  which  he  had  signed  at  Greenville,  in  1795,  and  by  prudence  and  influence 
kept  the  greater  part  of  his  tribe  from  joining  the  standard  of  Tecumseh  or  engaging  on  the 
side  of  the  British  in  the  late  war  with  England.  In  that  contest  he  became  the  ally  of  the 
United  States,  and  although  he  took  no  active  part  in  it,  he  exerted  a  very  salutary  in- 
fluence over  his  tribe.  In  January,  1813,  he  visited  Gen.  Tupper's  camp,  at  Fort  McArthur, 
and  while  there,  about  ten  o'clock  one  night,  when  sitting  by  the  fire  in  company  with  the 
General  and  several  other  officers,  some  one  fired  a  pistol  through  a  hole  in  the  wall  of  th« 

5 


84  ALLEN  COUNTY. 

nut,  and  shot  Black  Hoof  in  the  face  :  the  ball  entered  the  cheek,  glanced  against  the  bone, 
and  finally  lodged  in  his  neck  :  he  fell,  and  for  some  time  was  supposed  to  be  dead,  but 
revived,  and  afterwards  recovered  from  this  severe  wound.  The  most  prompt  and  diligent 
inquiry  as  to  the  author  of  this  cruel  and  dastardly  act,  failed  to  lead  to  his  detection.  No 
doubt  was  entertained  that  this  attempt  at  assassination  was  made  by  a  white  man,  stimu- 
lated perhaps  by  no  better  excuse  than  the  memory  of  some  actual  or  ideal  wrong,  inflicted 
on  some  of  his  own  race  by  an  unknown  hand  of  kindred  color  with  that  of  his  intended 
victim. 

Black  Hoof  was  opposed  to  polygamy,  and  to  the  practice  of  burning  prisoners.  He  is 
reported  to  have  lived  forty  years  with  one  wife,  and  to  have  reared  a  numerous  family  of 
children,  who  both  loved  and  esteemed  him.  His  disposition  was  cheerful,  and  his  conver- 
sation sprightly  and  agreeable.  In  stature  he  was  small,  being  not  more  than  five  feet 
eight  inches  in  height.  He  was  favored  with  good  health,  and  unimpaired  eye  sight  to  the 
period  of  his  death. 

Blue  Jacket,  ok  Weyapiersenwah. — In  the  campaign  of  General  Harmar,  in  the  year 
1790,  Blue  Jacket  was  associated  with  the  Miami  chief,  Little  Turtle,  in  the  command  of 
the  Indians.  In  the  battle  of  the  20th  of  August,  1794,  when  the  combined  army  of  the 
Indians  was  defeated  by  General  Wayne,  Blue  Jacket  had  the  chief  control.  The  night 
previous  to  the  battle,  while  the  Indians  were  posted  at  Presque  Isle,  a  council  was  held, 
composed  of  chiefs  from  the  Miamis,  Potawatimies,  Delawares,  Shawanoes,  Chippewas, 
Ottawas  and  Senecas — the  seven  nations  engaged  in  the  action.  They  decided  against 
the  proposition  to  attack  General  Wayne  that  night  in  his  encampment.  The  expediency 
of  meeting  him  the  next  day  then  came  up  for  consideration.  Little  Turtle  was  opposed 
to  this  measure,  but  being  warmly  supported  by  Blue  Jacket,  it  was  finally  agreed  upon. 
The  former  was  strongly  inclined  to  peace,  and  decidedly  opposed  to  risking  a  battle  under 
the  circumstances  in  which  the  Indians  were  then  placed.  "  We  have  beaten  the  enemy," 
said  he,  "  twice,  under  separate  commanders.  We  cannot  expect  the  same  good  fortune 
always  to  attend  us.  The  Americans  are  now  led  by  a  chief  who  never  sleeps.  The  night 
and  the  day  are  alike  to  him  ;  and,  during  all  the  time  that  he  has  been  marching  upon  our 
villages,  notwithstanding  the  watchfulness  of  our  young  men,  we  have  never  been  able  to 
surprise  him.  Think  well  of  it.  There  is  something  whispers  me,  it  would  be  prudent  to 
listen  to  his  offers  of  peace."  The  councils  of  Blue  Jacket,  however,  prevailed  over  the 
better  judgment  of  Little  Turtle.     The  battle  was  fought  and  the  Indians  defeated. 

In  the  month  of  October  following  this  defeat,  Blue  Jacket  concurred  in  the  expediency 
of  sueing  for  peace,  and  at  the  head  of  a  deputation  of  chiefs,  was  about  to  bear  a  flag  to 
General  Wayne,  then  at  Greenville,  when  the  mission  was  arrested  by  foreign  influence. 
Governor  Simcoe,  Colonel  McKee  and  the  Mohawk  chief,  Captain  John  Brant,  having  in 
charge  one  hundred  and  fifty  Mohawks  and  Messasagoes,  arrived  at  the  rapids  of  the 
Maumee,  and  invited  the  chiefs  of  the  combined  army  to  meet  them  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Detroit  river,  on  the  10th  of  October.  To  this  Blue  Jacket  assented,  for  the  purpose  of 
hearing  what  the  British  officers  had  to  propose.  Governor  Simcoe  urged  the  Indians  to 
retain  their  hostile  attitude  towards  the  United  States.  In  referring  to  the  encroachments 
of  the  people  of  this  country  on  the  Indian  lands,  he  said,  "  Children :  I  am  still  of  the 
opinion  that  the  Ohio  is  your  right  and  title.  I  have  given  orders  to  the  commandant  of 
Fort  Miami  to  fire  on  the  Americans  whenever  they  make  their  appearance  again.  I  will 
go  down  to  Quebec,  and  lay  your  grievances  before  the  great  man.  From  thence  they  will 
be  forwarded  to  the  king  your  father.  Next  spring  you  will  know  the  result  of  every  thing 
what  you  and  I  will  do."  He  urged  the  Indians  to  obtain  a  cessation  of  hostilities,  until 
the  following  spring,  when  the  English  would  be  ready  to  attack  the  Americans,  and  by 
driving  them  back  across  the  Ohio,  restore  their  lands  to  the  Indians.  These  councils  de- 
layed the  conclusion  of  peace  until  the  following  summer.  Blue  Jacket  was  present  at  the 
treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795,  and  conducted  himself  with  moderation  and  dignity. 

Westminster,  Lafayette,  Allentown,  Gallatin,  St.  Johns  and  Uni- 
opolis  are  small  places,  the  largest  of  which,  Westminster,  does  not 
contain  over  45  dwellings.  Fort  Amanda,  a  stockade  in  the  last 
war,  was  on  a  commanding  site  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Big  An- 
glaise,  near  the  western  line  of  the  county,  and  on  the  site  of  an 
old  Ottawa  town.  It  was  built  by  Kentucky  troops,  and  named 
after  some  favorite  lady  of  that  state. 


ASHLAND  COUNTY. 


35 


ASHLAND. 


Ashland  was  formed  February  26th,  1846.  The  surface  on  the 
south  is  hilly,  the  remainder  of  the  county  rolling.  The  soil  of  the 
upland  is  a  sandy  loam  ;  of  the  valleys — which  comprise  a  large 
part  of  the  county — a  rich  sandy  and  gravelly  loam,  and  very  pro- 
ductive. The  principal  crop  is  wheat,  of  which  probably  no  portion 
of  the  state,  of  equal  extent,  produces  more.  A  great  quantity  of 
oats,  corn,  potatoes,  &c,  is  raised,  and  grass  and  fruit  in  abundance. 
A  majority  of  the  population  are  of  Pennsylvania  origin.  Its  pres- 
ent territory  originally  comprised  the  townships  of  Vermillion, 
Montgomery,  Orange,  Green  and  Hanover,  with  parts  of  Monroe, 
Mifflin,  Milton  and  Clear  Creek,  of  Richland  county  ;  also  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  the  townships  of  Jackson,  Perry,  Mohecan  and  Lake, 
of  Wayne  county ;  of  Sullivan  and  Troy,  Lorain  county ;  and 
Ruggles,  of  Huron  county.  This  tract,  in  1840,  contained  a  popu- 
lation of  about  20,000,  or  50  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 


Public  Buildings  in  Ashland. 

Ashland,  the  county  seat,  was  laid  out  in  1816,  by  William  Mont- 
gomery, and  bore,  for  many  years,  the  name  of  Uniontown ;  it  was 
chaaged  to  its  present  name  in  compliment  to  Henry  Clay,  whose 
seat  near  Lexington,  Ky.,  bears  that  name.  Daniel  Carter,  from 
Butler  co.,  Pa.,  raised  the  first  cabin  in  the  county,  about  the  year  1811, 
which  stood  where  the  store  of  Wm.  Granger  now  is,  in  Ashland. 
Robert  Newell,  3  miles  east,  and  Mr.  Fry,  l£  miles  north  of  the 
village,  raised  cabins  about  the  same  time.  In  1817,  the  first  store 
was  opened  by  Joseph  Sheets,  in  a  frame  building  now  kept  as  a 
store  by  the  widow  Yonker.  Joseph  Sheets,  David  Markley,  Sam- 
uel Ury,  Nicholas  Shseffer,  Alanson  Andrews,  Elias  Slocum  and 
George  W.  Palmer  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  place.  Ash- 
land is  a  flourishing  village,  89  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  and  14  from 
Mansfield.  It  contains  5  churches,  viz  :  2  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal 
Methodist,  1  Lutheran,  and  1  Disciples,  9  dry  goods,  4  grocery,  1 
book,  and  2  drug  stores,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  a  flourishing 


36  ASHLAND  COUNTY. 

classical  academy,  numbering  over  100  pupils  of  both  sexes,  and  a 
population  estimated  at  1300.  The  above  view  was  taken  in  front 
of  the  site  selected  for  the  erection  of  a  court  house,  the  Methodist 
church  building — seen  on  the  left — being  now  used  for  that  purpose  : 
the  structures  with  steeples,  commencing  on  the  right,  are  the  1st 
Presbyterian  church,  the  academy,  and  the  2d  Presbyterian  church. 

At  the  organization  of  the  first  court  of  common  pleas  for  this 
county,  at  Ashland,  an  old  gentleman,  by  the  name  of  David  Burns, 
was  one  of  the  grand  jurors,  who,  as  a  remarkable  fact,  it  is  said, 
was  also  a  member  of  the  first  grand  jury  ever  empaneled  in  Ohio. 
The  court  met  near  the  mouth  of  Wegee  creek,  in  Belmont  county, 
in  1795:  the  country  being  sparsely  settled,  he  was  compelled  to 
travel  forty  miles  to  the  place  of  holding  court. 

Jeromeville,  8  miles  se.  of  Ashland,  on  Lake  Fork  of  Mohiccan, 
contains  6  stores  and  about  500  people.  In  the  late  war,  it  was  the 
only  settlement  within  the  present  limits  of  the  county,  and  consisted 
of  a  few  families,  who  erected  pickets  for  their  safety.  There  was 
at  that  time  a  Frenchman,  named  Jerome,  who  resided  there  and 
gave  name  to  the  locality.  He  had  been  an  Indian  trader,  and  had 
taken  a  squaw  for  a  wife.  The  people  of  that  nation  always  be- 
came more  easily  domesticated  among  the  Aborigines  than  the 
English.  From  very  early  times  it  was  the  policy  of  the  French 
government  not  to  allow  their  soldiers  to  take  wives  with  them  into 
the  wilderness.  Hence  the  soldiers  and  traders  frequently  married 
among  the  Indians,  and  were  enabled  to  sustain  themselves  with  far 
less  difficulty. 

The  Delaware  Indians  had  a  settlement  at  or  near  Jeromeville, 
which  they  left  at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Their  chief  was  old 
Captain  Pipe,  who  resided  near  the  road  to  Mansfield,  one  mile 
south  of  Jeromeville.  When  young  he  was  a  great  warrior,  and 
the  implacable  foe  of  the  whites.  He  was  in  St.  Clair's  defeat, 
where,  according  to  his  own  account,  he  distinguished  himself  and 
slaughtered  white  men  until  his  arm  was  weary  with  the  work.  He 
had  a  daughter  of  great  beauty.  A  young  chief,  of  noble  mien, 
became  in  love  with  her,  and  on  his  suit  being  rejected,  mortally 
poisoned  himself  with  the  May  apple.  A  Captain  Pipe,  whose*  In- 
dian name  was  Tauhangecaupouye,  removed  to  the  small  Delaware 
Reserve,  in  the  upper  part  of  Marion  county,  and  when  his  tribe 
sold  out,  about  20  years  since,  accompanied  them  to  the  far  west, 
where  he  has  since  died. 

Loudonville  18  s.,  Rowsburg  9  e.,  Savannah  7  nw.,  Orange  4  e., 
and  Haysville  8  s.  of  Ashland,  are  villages  having  each  from  50  to 
00  dwellings.  At  the  last  is  the  Haysville  Literary  Institute :  ttie 
building  is  a  substantial  brick  edifice.  Sullivan  14  ne.,  and  Perrys- 
ville  18  sw.,  have  each  but  a  few  dwellings. 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 


37 


ASHTABULA. 


Ashtabula  was  formed  June  7, 1807,  from  Trumbull  and  Geauga. 
and  organized  January  22,  1811.  The  name  of  the  county  was 
derived  from  Ashtabula  river,  which  signifies,  in  the  Indian  lan- 
guage, Fish  river.  For  a  few  miles  parallel  with  the  lake  shore  it  is 
level,  the  remainder  of  the  surface  slightly  undulating,  and  the  soil 
generally  clay.  Butter  and  cheese  are  the  principal  articles  of 
export.  Generally,  not  sufficient  wheat  is  raised  for  home  consump- 
tion, but  the  soil  is  quite  productive  in  corn  and  oats.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 


Andover,  881 

Ashtabula,  1711 

Austinburg,  1048 
Cherry  Valley,  689 

Conneaut,  2650 

Denmark,  176 

Geneva,  1215 

Harpersfield,  1399 

Hartsgrove,  553 

Jefferson,  710 


Kingsville, 

Lenox, 

Milford, 

Monroe, 

Morgan, 

New  Lyme, 

Orwell, 

Phelps, 

Pierpont, 


1420 

Richmond, 

384 

550 

Rome, 

765 

173 

Saybrook, 

934 

1326 

Sheffield, 

683 

643 

Trumbull, 

439 

527 

Wayne, 

767 

458 

Williamsfield, 

892 

530 

Windsor, 

875 

639 

706 

Plymouth, 

The  population  of  the  county,  in  1820,  was  7,369  ;  in  1830,  14,584 ; 
in  1840,  23,724,  or  34  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  is  memorable  from  being  not  only  the  first  settled  on 
the  Western  Reserve,  but  the  earliest  in  the  whole  of  northern 
Ohio.  The  incidents  connected  with  its  early  history,  although 
unmarked  by  scenes  of  military  adventure,  are  of  an  interesting 
nature.  They  have  been  well  collected  and  preserved  by  the  Ash- 
tabula Historical  Society.  This  association,  with  a  praiseworthy 
industry,  have  collected  nearly  a  thousand  folio  pages  of  manuscript, 
relating  principally  to  this  county.  Some  of  the  articles  are  finely 
written,  and  as  a  whole,  give  a  better  idea  of  the  toils,  privations, 
customs  and  mode  of  pioneer  life  than  any  work  that  has  ever  met 
our  notice.  From  this  collection  we  have  extracted  nearly  all  the 
historical  materials  embodied  under  the  head  of  this  county. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1796,  the  first  surveying  party  of  the  Western 
Reserve  landed  at  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  creek.  Of  this  event, 
John  Barr,  Esq.,  in  his  sketch  of  the  Western  Reserve,  in  the  National 
Magazine  for  December,  1845,  has  given  a  narration. 

The  sons  of  revolutionary  sires,  some  of  ihem  sharers  of  themselves  in  the  great  baptism 
of  the  republic,  they  made  the  anniversary  of  their  country's  freedom  a  day  of  ceremonial 
and  rejoicing.  They  felt  that  they  had  arrived  at  the  place  of  their  labors,  the — to  many 
of  them — sites  of  home,  as  little  alluring,  almost  as  crowded  with  dangers,  as  were  the 
levels  of  Jamestown,  or  the  rocks  of  Plymouth  to  the  ancestors  who  had  preceded  them  in 
the  conquest  of  the  seacoast  wilderness  of  this  continent.  From  old  homes  and  friendly  and 
social  associations,  they  were  almost  as  completely  exiled  as  were  the  cavaliers  who  de- 
barked upon  the  shores  of  Virginia,  or  the  Puritans  who  sought  the  strand  of  Massachusetts. 
Far  away  as  they  were  from  the  villages  of  their  birth  and  boyhood  ;  before  them  the  track- 
less forest,  or  the  untraversed  lake,  yet  did  they  resolve  to  cast  fatigue  and  privation  and 


38 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 


peril  from  their  thoughts  for  the  time  being,  and  give  to  the  day  its  due,  to  patriotism  its 
awards.  Mustering  their  numbers,  they  sat  them  down  on  the  eastward  shore  of  the 
stream  now  known  as  Conneaut,  and,  dipping  from  the  lake  the  liquor  in  which  they 
pledged  their  country — their  goblets  some  tin  cups  of  no  rare  workmanship,  yet  everyway 
answerable,  with  the  ordnance  accompaniment  of  two  or  three  fowling  pieces  discharging 
the  required  national  salute — the  first  settlers  of  the  Reserve  spent  their  landing-day  as 
became  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers — as  the  advance  pioneers  of  a  population  that  has 


Conneaut,*  the  Plymouth  of  the  Reserve,  in  July,  1796. 

since  made  the  then  wilderness  of  northern  Ohio  to  "  blossom  as  the  rose,"  and  prove  the 
homes  of  a  people  as  remarkable  for  integrity,  industry,  love  of  country,  moral  truth  and 
enlightened  legislation,  as  any  to  be  found  within  the  territorial  limits  of  their  ancestral 
New  England. 

The  whole  party  numbered,  on  this  occasion,  fifty-two  persons,  of  whom  two  were  fe- 
males, (Mrs.  Stiles  and  Mrs.  Gunn,  and  a  child.)  As  these  individuals  were  the  advance 
of  after  millions  of  population,  their  names  become  worthy  of  record,  and  are  therefore 
given,  viz. :  Moses  Cleveland,  agent  of  the  company  ;  Augustus  Porter,  principal  surveyor  ; 
Seth  Pease,  Moses  Warren,  Amos  Spafford,  Milton  Hawley,  Richard  M.  Stoddard,  sur- 
veyors;  Joshua  Stowe,  commissary  ;  Theodore  Shepard,  physician  ;  Joseph  Tinker,  prin- 
cipal boatman  ;  Joseph  Mclntyre,  George  Proudfoot,  FYancis  Gay,  Samuel  Forbes,  Elijah 
Gunn,  wife  and  child,  Amos  Sawten,  Stephen  Benton,  Amos  Barber,  Samuel  Hungerford, 
William  B.  Hall,  Samuel  Davenport,  Asa  Mason,  Amzi  Atwater,  Michael  Coffin,  Eli-sha 
Ayres,  Thomas  Harris,  Norman  Wilcox,  Timothy  Dunham,  George  Goodwin,  Shadrach 
Benham,  Samuel  Agnew,  Warham  Shepard,  David  Beard,  John  Briant,  Titus  V.  Munson, 
Joseph  Landon,  Job  V.  Stiles  and  wife,  Charles  Parker,  Ezekiel  Hawley,  Nathaniel  Doan, 
Luke  Hanchet,  James  Hasket,  James  Hamilton,  Olney  F.  Rice,  John  Lock,  and  four  others 
whose  names  are  not  mentioned. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  the  workmen  of  the  expedition  were  employed  in  the  erection  of  a 
large,  awkwardly  constructed  log  building  ;  locating  it  on  the  sandy  beach  on  the  east 
shore  of  the  stream,  and  naming  it  "  Stow  Castle,"  after  one  of  the  party.  This  became 
the  storehouse  of  the  provisions,  &.c,  and  the  dwelling-place  of  the  families. 

The  spot  where  the  above  described  scene  took  place,  has  much 
altered  in  the  lapse  of  half  a  century.  One  of  the  party,  Amzi  At- 
water, Esq.,  now  living  in  Portage  county,  in  a  communication  before 
us,  says : 


*  The  view  was  constructed  from  a  sketch  as  the  place  is  now,  altered  to  represent 
its  ancient  appearance.  The  word  Conneaut,  in  the  Seneca  language,  signifies  "  many 
fish,"  and  was  applied  originally  to  the  river. 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY.  39 

It  was  then  a  mere  sand  beach  overgrown  with  timber,  some  of  it  of  considerable  size, 
which  we  cut  to  build  the  house  and  for  other  purposes.  The  mouth  of  the  creek,  like 
others  of  the  lake  streams  in  those  days,  was  frequently  choked  up  with  a  sand  bar  so  that 
no  visible  harbor  appeared  for  several  days.  This  would  only  happen  when  the  streams 
were  low  and  after  a  high  wind  either  down  the  lake  or  directly  on  shore  for  several  days. 
I  have  passed  over  all  the  lake  streams  of  this  state  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  and  most  of 
those  in  New  York  on  hard,  dry  sand  bars,  and  I  have  been  told  that  the  Cuyahoga  has 
been  so.  They  would  not  long  continue,  for  as  soon  as  the  wind  had  subsided  and  the 
water  in  the  streams  had  sufficiently  risen,  they  would  often  cut  their  way  through  the  bar 
in  a  different  place  and  form  new  channels.  Thus  the  mouths  of  the  streams  were  con- 
tinually shifting  until  the  artificial  harbors  were  built.  Those  blessed  improvements  have 
in  a  great  measure  remedied  those  evils  and  made  the  mouths  of  the  streams  far  more 
healthy. 

Judge  James  Kingsbury,  who  arrived  at  Conneaut  shortly  after 
the  surveying  party,  wintered  with  his  family  at  this  place  in  a  cabin 
which  stood  on  a  spot  now  covered  by  the  waters  of  the  lake.  This 
was  about  the  first  family  that  wintered  on  the  Reserve. 

The  story  of  the  sufferings  of  this  family  has  often  been  told,  but  in  the  midst  of  plenty, 
where  want  is  unknown,  can  with  difficulty  be  appreciated.  The  surveyors,  in  the  prose- 
cution of  their  labors  westwardly,  had  principally  removed  their  stores  to  Cleveland,  while 
the  family  of  Judge  Kingsbury  remained  at  Conneaut.  Being  compelled  by  business  to 
leave  in  the  fall  for  the  state  of  New  York,  with  the  hope  of  a  speedy  return  to  his  family, 
the  Judge  was  attacked  by  a  severe  fit  of  sickness  confining  him  to  his  bed  until  the  setting 
in  of  winter.  As  soon  as  able  he  proceeded  on  his  return  as  far  as  Buffalo,  where  he  hired 
an  Indian  to  guide  him  through  the  wilderness.  At  Presque  Isle,  anticipating  ihe  wants 
of  his  fapiily,  he  purchased  twenty  pounds  of  flour.  In  crossing  Elk  Creek  on  the  ice, 
he  disabled  his  horse,  left  him  in  the  snow,  and  mounting  his  flour  on  his  own  back, 
pursued  his  way  filled  with  gloomy  forebodings  in  relation  to  the  fate  of  his  family.  On 
his  arrival  late  one  evening,  his  worst  apprehensions  were  more  than  realized  in  a  scene 
agonizing  to  the  husband  and  father.  Stretched  on  her  cot  lay  the  partner  of  his  cares, 
who  had  followed  him  through  all  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  the  wilderness  without 
repining,  pale  and  emaciated,  reduced  by  meagre  famine  to  the  last  stages  in  which  life 
can  be  supported,  and  near  the  mother,  on  a  little  pallet,  were  the  remains  of  his  youngest 
child,  born  in  his  absence,  who  had  just  expired  for  the  want  of  that  nourishment  which 
the  mother,  deprived  of  sustenance,  was  unable  to  give.  Shut  up  by  a  gloomy  wilderness, 
she  was  far  distant  alike  from  the  aid  or  sympathy  of  friends,  filled  with  anxiety  for  an  ab- 
sent husband,  suffering  with  want  and  destitute  of  necessary  assistance,  and  her  children 
expiring  around  her  with  hunger. 

Such  is  the  picture  presented,  by  which  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  present  day  may 
form  some  estimate  of  the  hardships  endured  by  the  pioneers  of  this  beautiful  country.  It 
appears  that  Judge  Kingsbury,  in  order  to  supply  the  wants  of  his  family,  was  under  the 
necessity  of  transporting  his  provisions  from  Cleveland  on  a  hand  sled,  and  that  himself 
and  hired  man  drew  a  barrel  of  beef  the  whole  distance  at  a  single  load.  < 

Mr.  Kingsbury  has  since  held  several  important  judicial  and  legis- 
lative trusts,  and  is  yet  living  in  Newberg,  about  four  miles  distant 
from  Cleveland.  He  was  the  first  who  thrust  a  sickle  into  the  first 
wheat  field  planted  on  the  soil  of  the  Reserve.  His  wife  was  in- 
terred at  Cleveland,  about  the  year  1843.  The  fate  of  her  child — 
the  first  white  child  born  on  the  Reserve,  starved  to  death  for  want 
of  nourishment — will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 

The  harbor  of  Conneaut  is  now  an  important  point  of  tranship- 
ment. It  has  a  pier,  with  a  lighthouse  upon  it,  2  forwarding  houses, 
and  1 1  dwellings.  Several  vessels  ply  from  here,  and  it  is  a  fre- 
quent stopping  place  for  steamers.  Two  miles  south  of  the  harbor, 
22  from  Jefferson,  28  from  Erie,  Pa.,  is  the  borough  of  Conneaut,  ... 
^. .,...,.,,.  on  the  west  bank  of  Conneaut  creek.  It  contains  1  Baptist, 
1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist,  and  1  Christian  church,  11  mercantile 


40  ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 

stores,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  a  fine  classical  academy,  Mr.  L. 
W.  Savage  and  Miss  Mary  Booth,  Principals,  and  about  1000  inhab- 
itants. East  and  West  Conneaut  and  South  Ridge  are  small  places 
in  this,  the  township  of  Conneaut,  which  once  bore  the  name  of 
Salem. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  in  Conneaut  was  in  1799.  Thomas  Montgomery  and 
Aron  Wright  settled  here  in  the  spring  of  1798.  Robert  Montgomery  and  family,  Levi 
and  John  Montgomery,  Nathan  and  John  King,  and  Samuel  Bemus  and  family  came  the 
same  season. 

When  the  settlers  arrived,  some  twenty  or  thirty  Indian  cabins  were  still  standing,  which 
were  said  to  present  an  appearance  of  neatness  and  comfort  not  usual  with  tins  race.  The 
Massauga  tribe,  which  inhabited  the  spot,  were  obliged  to  leave  in  consequence  of  the 
murder  of  a  white  man  named  Williams. 

Two  young  men  taken  at  the  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  were  said  to  have  been  prisoners  for  a 
considerable  time  among  the  Indians  of  this  village.  On  their  arrival  at  Conneaut  they 
were  made  to  run  the  gauntlet,  and  received  the  orthodox  number  of  blows  and  kicks  usual 
on  such  occasions.  In  solemn  council  it  was  resolved  that  the  life  of  Fitz  Gibbon  should 
be  saved,  but  the  other,  whose  name  is  not  recollected,  was  condemned  to  be  burned.  He 
was  bound  to  a  tree,  a  large  quantity  of  hickory  barks  tied  into  faggots  and  piled  around 
him.  But  from  the  horrors  of  the  most  painful  of  deaths  he  was  saved  by  the  interposition 
of  a  young  squaw  belonging  to  the  tribe.  Touched  by  sympathy  she  interceded  in  his 
behalf,  and  by  her  expostulations,  backed  by  several  packages  of  fur  and  a  small  sum  of 
money,  succeeded  in  effecting  his  deliverance:  an  act  in  the  lowly  Indian  maid  which 
entitles  her  name  to  be  honorably  recorded  with  that  of  Pocahontas,  among  the  good  and 
virtuous  of  every  age. 

There  were  mounds  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  village  of  Conneaut  and  an  ex- 
tensive burying  ground  near  the  Presbyterian  church,  which  appear  to  have  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  burying  places  of  the  Indians.  Among  the  human  bones  found  in  the 
mounds  were  some  belonging  to  men  of  gigantic  structure.  Some  of  the  skulls*  were  of 
sufficient  capacity  to  admit  the  head  of  an  ordinary  man,  and  jaw  bones  that  might  have 
been  fitted  on  over  the  face  with  equal  facility :  the  other  bones  were  proportionably  large. 
The  burying  ground  referred  to  contained  about  four  acres,  and  with  the  exception  of  a 
slight  angle  in  conformity  with  the  natural  contour  of  the  ground,  was  in  the  form  of  an 
oblong  square.  It  appeared  to  have  been  accurately  surveyed  into  lots  running  from  north 
to  south,  and  exhibited  all  the  order  and  propriety  of  arrangement  deemed  necessary  to 
constitute  Christian  burial.  On  the  first  examination  of  the  ground  by  the  settlers,  they 
found  it  covered  with  the  ordinary  forest  trees,  with  an  opening  near  the  centre  containing 
a  single  butternut.  The  graves  were  distinguished  by  slight  depressions  disposed  in  straight 
rows,  and  were  estimated  to  number  from  two  to  three  thousand.  On  examination  in 
1800,  they  were  found  to  contain  human  bones,  invariably  blackened  by  time,  which  on 
exposure  to  the  air,  soon  crumbled  to  dust.  Traces  of  ancient  cultivation  observed  by  the 
first  settlers  on  the  lands  of  the  vicinity,  although  covered  with  forest,  exhibited  signs  of 
having  once  been  thrown  up  into  squares  and  terraces,  and  laid  out  into  gardens. 

There  is  a  fragment  or  chip  of  a  tree  in  the  possession  of  the  His- 
torical Society,  which  is  a  curiosity.  The  tree  of  which  that  was 
a  chip,  was  chopped  down  and  butted  off  for  a  saw  log,  about  three 
feet  from  the  ground,  some  thirty  rods  se.  of  Fort  Hill,  in  Conneaut, 
in  1829,  by  Silas  A.  Davis,  on  land  owned  by  B.  H.  King.  Some 
marks  were  found  upon  it  near  the  heart  of  the  tree.  The  Hon. 
Nehemiah  King,  with  a  magnifying  glass,  counted  350  annualer 
rings  in  that  part  of  the  stump,  outside  of  these  marks.     Deducting 

*  In  the  spring  of  1815,  a  mound  on  Harbor  street,  Conneaut,  was  cut  through  for  a 
road.  One  morning  succeeding  a  heavy  rain,  a  Mr.  Walker,  who  was  up  very  early, 
picked  up  a  jaw  bone  together  with  an  artificial  tooth  which  lay  near.  He  brought  them 
forthwith  to  Mr.  P.  R.  Spencer,  at  present  the  Secretary  of  the  Ashtabula  Historical  So- 
ciety, who  fitted  the  tooth  in  a  cavity  from  which  it  had  evidently  fallen.  The  tooth  was 
metallic,  probably  silver,  but  little  was  then  thought  of  the  circumstance. 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY.  41 

350  from  1829,  leaves  1479,  which  must  have  been  the  year  when 
these  cuts  were  made.  This  was  13  years  before  the  discovery  of 
America,  by  Columbus.  It  perhaps  was  done  by  the  race  of  the 
mounds,  with  an  axe  of  copper,  as  that  people  had  the  art  of  harden- 
ing that  metal  so  as  to  cut  like  steel. 

The  adventure  of  Mr.  Salmon  Sweatland,  of  Conneaut,  who 
crossed  Lake  Erie  in  an  open  canoe,  in  September,  1817,  is  one  of 
unusual  interest.  He  had  been  accustomed,  with  the  aid  of  a  neigh- 
bor, Mr.  Cozzens,  and  a  few  hounds,  to  drive  the  deer  into  the  lake, 
where,  pursuing  them  in  a  canoe,  he  shot  them  with  but  little  diffi- 
culty. The  circumstances  which  took  place  at  this  time,  are  vividly 
given  in  the  annexed  extract  from  the  records  of  the  Historical 
Society. 

It  was  a  lovely  morning  in  early  autumn,  and  Sweatland,  in  anticipation  of  his  favorite 
sport,  had  risen  at  the  first  dawn  of  light,  and  without  putting  on  his  coat  or  waistcoat  left 
his  cabin,  listening  in  the  mean  time  in  expectation  of  the  approach  of  the  dogs.  His 
patience  was  not  put  to  a  severe  trial  ere  his  ears  were  saluted  by  the  deep  baying  of  the 
hounds,  and  on  arriving  at  the  beach  he  perceived  that  the  deer  had  already  taken  to  the 
lake,  and  was  moving  at  some  distance  from  the  shore.  In  the  enthusiasm  of  the  moment 
he  threw  his  hat  upon  the  beach,  his  canoe  was  put  in  requisition,  and  shoving  from  the 
shore  he  was  soon  engaged  in  a  rapid  and  animated  pursuit.  The  wind,  which  had  been 
fresh  from  the  south  during  the  night  and  gradually  increasing,  was  now  blowing  nearly  a 
gale,  but  intent  on  securing  his  prize,  Sweatland  was  not  in  a  situation  to  yield  to  the  dic- 
tates of  prudence.  The  deer,  which  was  a  vigorous  animal  of  its  kind,  hoisted  its  flag  of 
defiance,  and  breasting  the  waves  stoutly  showed  that  in  a  race  with  a  log  canoe  and  a 
single  paddle,  he  was  not  easily  outdone. 

Sweatland  had  attained  a  considerable  distance  from  the  shore  and  encountered  a  heavy 
sea  before  overtaking  the  animal,  but  was  not  apprized  of  the  eminent  peril  of  his  situation 
until  shooting  past  him  the  deer  turned  towards  the  shore.  He  was  however  brought  to  a 
full  appreciation  of  his  danger  when,  on  tacking  his  frail  vessel  and  heading  towards  the 
land,  he  found  that  with  his  utmost  exertions  he  could  make  no  progress  in  the  desired 
direction,  but  was  continually  drifting  farther  to  sea.  He  had  been  observed  in  his  outward 
progress  by  Mr.  Cousins,  who  had  arrived  immediately  after  the  hounds,  and  by  his  own 
family,  and  as  he  disappeared  from  sight,  considerable  apprehensions  were  entertained  for 
his  safety. 

The  alarm  was  soon  given  in  the  neighborhood,  and  it  was  decided  by  those  competent 
to  judge  that  his  return  would  be  impossible,  and  that  unless  help  could  be  afforded  he  was 
doomed  to  perish  at  sea.  Actuated  by  those  generous  impulses  that  often  induce  men  to 
peril  their  own  lives  to  preserve  those  of  others,  Messrs.  Gilbert,  Cousins  and  Belden  took  a 
light  boat  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek  and  proceeded  in  search  of  the  wanderer,  with  the  de- 
termination to  make  every  effort  for  his  relief.  They  met  the  deer  returning  towards  the 
shore  nearly  exhausted,  but  the  man  who  was  the  object  of  their  solicitude  was  no  where 
to  be  seen.  They  made  stretches  off  shore  within  probable  range  of  the  fugitive  for  some 
hours,  until  they  had  gained  a  distance  of  five  or  six  miles  from  land,  when  meeting  with  a 
sea  in  which  they  judged  it  impossible  for  a  canoe  to  live,  they  abandoned  the  search,  re- 
turned with  difficulty  to  the  shore,  and  Sweatland  was  given  up  for  lost. 

The  canoe  in  which  he  was  embaiked  was  dug  from  a  large  whitewood  log,  by  Major 
James  Brookes,  for  a  fishing  boat:  it  was  about  fourteen  feet  in  length  and  rather  wide  in 
proportion,  and  was  considered  a  superior  one  of  the  kind.  Sweatland  still  continued  to 
lie  off,  still  heading  towards  the  land,  with  the  faint  hope  that  the  wind  might  abate,  or  that 
aid  might  reach  him  from  the  shore.  One  or  two  schooners  were  in  sight  in  course  of  the 
day,  and  he  made  every  signal  in  his  power  to  attract  their  attention,  but  without  success. 
The  shore  continued  in  sight,  and  in  tracing  its  distant  outline  he  could  distinguish  the 
spot  where  his  cabin  stood,  within  whose  holy  precincts  were  contained  the  cherished  ob- 
jects of  his  affections,  now  doubly  endeared  from  the  prospect  of  losing  them  forever.  As 
these  familiar  objects  receded  from  view,  and  the  shores  appeared  to  sink  beneath  the 
troubled  waters,  the  last  tie  which  united  him  in  companionship  to  his  fellow-men  seemed 
dissolved,  and  the  busy  world,  with  all  its  interests,  forever  hidden  from  his  sight. 

Fortunately  Sweatland  possessed  a  cool  head  and  a  stout  heart,  which,  united  with  a 

6 


42  ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 

tolerable  share  of  physical  strength  and  power  of  endurance,  eminently  qualified  him  for 
the  part  he  was  to  act  in  this  emergency.  He  was  a  good  sailor,  and  as  such  would  not 
yield  to  despondency  until  the  last  expedient  had  been  exhausted.  One  only  expedient 
remained,  that  of  putting  before  the  wind  and  endeavoring  to  reach  the  Canada  shore,  a 
distance  of  about  fifty  miles.     This  he  resolved  to  embrace  as  his  forlorn  hope. 

It  was  now  blowing  a  gale,  and  the  sea  was  evidently  increasing  as  he  proceeded  from 
the  shore,  and  yet  he  was  borne  onwards  over  the  dizzy  waters  by  a  power  that  no  human 
agency  could  control.  He  was  obliged  to  stand  erect,  moving  cautiously  from  one  ex- 
tremity to  the  other,  in  order  to  trim  his  vessel  to  the  waves,  well  aware  that  a  single  lost 
stroke  of  the  paddle,  or  a  tottering  movement,  would  swamp  his  frail  bark  and  bring  his 
adventure  to  a  final  close.  Much  of  his  attention  was  likewise  required  in  bailing  his 
canoe  from  the  water,  an  operation  which  he  was  obliged  to  perform  by  making  use  of  his 
shoes,  a  substantial  pair  of  stoggies,  that  happened  fortunately  to  be  upon  his  feet. 

Hitherto  he  had  been  blessed  with  the  cheerful  light  of  heaven,  and  amidst  all  his  perils 
could  say,  "  The  light  is  sweet,  and  it  is  a  pleasant  thing  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  sun," 
but  to  add  to  his  distress,  the  shades  of  night  were  now  gathering  around  him,  and  he  was 
soon  enveloped  in  darkness.  The  sky  was  overcast,  and  the  light  of  a  few  stars  ihat 
twinkled  through  the  haze  alone  remained  to  guide  his  path  over  the  dark  and  troubled 
waters.  In  this  fearful  condition,  destitute  of  food  and  the  necessary  clothing,  his  log 
canoe  was  rocked  upon  the  billows  during  that  long  and  terrible  night.  When  morning 
appeared  he  was  in  sight  of  land,  and  found  he  had  made  Long  Point,  on  the  Canada  shore. 
Here  he  was  met  by  an  adverse  wind  and  a  cross  sea,  but  the  same  providential  aid  which 
had  guided  him  thus  far  still  sustained  and  protected  him ;  and  after  being  buffeted  by  the 
winds  and  waves  for  nearly  thirty  hours,  he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  land  in  safety. 

What  were  the  emotions  he  experienced  on  treading  once  more  "  the  green  and  solid 
earth,"  we  shall  not  attempt  to  inquire,  but  his  trials  were  not  yet  ended.  He  found  him- 
self faint  with  hunger  and  exhaus:ed  with  fatigue,  at  the  distance  of  forty  miles  from  any 
human  habitation,  whilst  the  country  that  intervened  was  a  desert  filled  with  marshes  and 
tangled  thickets,  from  which  nothing  could  be  obtained  to  supply  his  wants.  These  diffi- 
culties, together  with  the  reduced  state  of  his  strength,  rendered  his  progress  towards  tbe 
settlements  slow  and  toilsome.  On  his  way  he  found  a  quantity  of  goods,  supposed  to 
have  been  driven  on  shore  from  the  wreck  of  some  vessel,  which,  although  they  afforded 
him  no  immediate  relief,  were  afterwards  of  material  service. 

He  ultimately  arrived  at  the  settlement,  and  was  received  and  treated  with  great  kind- 
ness and  hospitality  by  the  people.  After  his  strength  was  sufficiently  recruited,  he  returned 
with  a  boat,  accompanied  by  some  of  the  inhabitants,  and  brought  off  the  goods.  From 
this  place  he  proceeded  by  land  to  Buffalo,  where,  with  the  avails  of  his  treasure,  he  fur- 
nished himself  in  the  garb  of  a  gentleman,  and  finding  the  Traveler,  Capt.  Chas.  Brown, 
from  Conneaut,  in  the  harbor,  he  shipped  on  board  and  was  soon  on  his  way  to  rejoin  his 
family.  When  the  packet  arrived  off  his  dwelling,  they  fired  guns  from  the  deck  and  the 
crew  gave  three  loud  cheers.  On  landing,  he  found  his  funeral  sermon  had  been  preached, 
and  had  the  rare  privilege  of  seeing  his  own  widow  clothed  in  the  habiliments  of  mourning. 

The  first  regular  settlement  made  within  the  present  limits  of  the 
county  was  at  Harpersfield,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1798.  Alexander 
Harper,  Wm.  M'Farland  and  Ezra  Gregory,  with  their  families, 
started  from  Harpersfield,  Delaware  county,  New  York,  and  after 
a  long  and  fatiguing  journey  arrived  on  the  last  of  June,  at  their  new 
homes  in  the  wilderness.  This  little  colony  of  about  twenty  per- 
sons, endured  much  privation  in  the  first  few  months  of  their  resi- 
dence. The  whole  population  of  the  Reserve  amounted  to  less  than 
150  souls,  viz :  ten  families  at  Youngstown,  three  at  Cleveland,  and 
two  at  Mentor.  In  the  same  summer  three  families  came  to  Bur- 
ton, and  Judge  Hudson  settled  at  Hudson. 

Cut  short  of  their  expected  supplies  of  provision  for  the  winter,  by  the  loss  of  a  vessel  they 
had  chartered  for  that  purpose,  the  little  colony  came  near  perishing  by  famine,  having  at 
one  time  been  reduced  to  six  kernels  of  parched  corn  to  each  person ;  but  they  were  saved 
by  the  intrepidity  of  the  sons  of  Col.  Harper,  James  and  William.  These  young  men  made 
frequent  journies  to  Elk  Creek,  Pa.,  from  which  they  packed  on  their  backs  bags  of  corn, 
which  was  about  all  the  provision  the  settlers  had  to  sustain  life  during  a  long  and  tedious 
winter.     Some  few  of  their  journies  were  performed  on  the  ice  of  Lake  Erie,  whenever  it 


ASHTAHULA  COUNTY. 


43 


was  sufficiently  strong  t'o  bear  them,  which  was  seldom.  On  the  first  occasion  of  this  kind 
they  were  progressing  finely  on  the  ice,  when  their  sled  broke  through  into  the  water.  A  third 
person  who  happened  to  be  with  them  at  this  time  exclaimed.  What  shall  we  do  V  "  Let 
it  go,"  James  replied.  "  No!"  exclaimed  William,  who  was  of  a  different  temperament, 
"  you  go  into  the  woods  and  strike  a  fire  while  I  get  the  grain."  He  then  with  great  diffi- 
culty secured  the  grain,  by  which  operation  he  got  completely  wet  through,  and  a  cutting 
wind  soon  converted  his  clothing  into  a  sheet  of  ice.  He  then  went  in  search  of  his  com- 
panions and  was  disappointed  in  finding  they  had  not  built  a  fire.  The  truth  was,  they  had 
grown  so  sleeply  with  the  intense  cold  as  to  be  unable  to  strike  fire.  He  soon  had  a  cheer- 
ful blaze,  and  then  converted  himself  into  a  nurse  for  the  other  two,  who  on  getting  warm 
were  deadly  sick 


County  Buildings  at  Jefferson. 

Jefferson,  the  county  seat,  is  56  miles  from  Cleveland  and  204  ne, 
of  Columbus.  It  is  an  incorporated  borough,  laid  out  regularly  on 
a  level  plat  of  ground,  and  contains  3  stores,  1  Pres.,  1  Bap.,  1  Epis- 
copal, and  1  Methodist  Church,  and  73  dwellings.  The  township 
of  the  same  name  in  which  it  is  situated,  was  originally  owned  by 
Gideon  Granger  of  Conn.  In  the  spring  of  1804  he  sent  out  Mr. 
Eldad  Smith  fr<5m  Suffield  in  that  state,  who  first  opened  a  bridle 
path  to  Austinburg,  and  sowed  and  fenced  ten  acres  of  wheat.  In 
the  summer  of  the  next  year,  Michael  Webster,  Jr.,  and  family,  and 
Jonathan  Warner,  made  a  permanent  settlement.  In  the  fall  follow- 
ing, the  family  of  James  Wilson  built  a  cabin  on  the  site  of  the  tavern 
shown  in  the  view.  The  court  house  was  finished  in  1810  or  '11, 
and  the  first  court  held  in  1811  ;  Timothy  R.  Hawley,  Clerk,  Quin- 
tus  F.  Atkins,  Sheriff. 

Ashtabula  is  on  Ashtabula  river,  on  the  Buffalo  and  Cleveland 

It  is  a  pleasant  village,  adorned  with 
The  borough  contains  1  Presbyte- 
rian, 1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  and  1  Baptist  church,  10  mercantile 
stores,  and  a  population  estimated  at  1200. 

The  harbor  of  Ashtabula  is  2^  miles  from  the  village  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  It  has  several  forwarding  establishments,  20  or  30 
houses,  the  lake  steamers  stop  there,  and  considerable  business  is 
carried  on  ;  about  a  dozen  vessels  are  owned  at  this  port.     The  com- 


road,  8  miles  from  Jefferson, 
neat  dwellings  and  shrubbery. 


44 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 


mercial  business  of  this  and  Lake  county  has  been  much  injured  by 
the  internal  improvement  system  of  the  state,  which  has  diverted 
the  back  country  trade  into  other  channels.     When  the  Erie  canal 


North  Public  Square,  Ashtabula. 

was  finished,  Northern  Ohio  felt  its  invigorating  effects,  for  from  the 
depression  of  the  times  after  the  late  war,  until  the  opening  of  that 
canal  and  the  commencement  of  steam  navigation  on  the  lake,  bu- 
siness languished  and  made  but  little  progress.  The  invigorating 
effects  of  that  work  prompted  a  spirit  in  Ohio  for  similar  enterprises. 
The  representatives  of  this  vicinity  in  the  legislature  drank  deeply 
of  the  general  enthusiasm,  although  aware  that  in  any  event  their 
constituents  would  receive  but  a  general  benefit. 

The  prosperity  of  Ashtabula  received  a  severe  shock  in  the  loss 
of  the  steamer  Washington,  destroyed  by  fire  on  Lake  Erie,  off  Silver 
Creek,  in  June,  1838,  by  which  misfortune  about  40  lives  were  lost. 
This  boat  was  built  at  Ashtabula  harbor,  and  most  of  her  stock  was 
owned  by  persons  of  moderate  circumstances  in  this  place.  She 
wras  commanded  by  Capt.  N.  W.  Brown.  A  passenger  who  was  on 
board  published,  a  few  days  after,  the  following  account  of  this  dis- 
astrous event. 

The  W.  left  Cleveland  on  her  passage  down  from  Detroit,  June  14th,  at  8  A.  M.,  pro- 
ceeded on  her  way  until  Saturday  2  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when  she  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Sil- 
ver Creek,  about  33  miles  from  Buffalo.  The  boat  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire,  which  pro- 
ceeded from  beneath  the  boilers.  The  passengers  were  alarmed,  and  aroused  from  their 
slumbers ;  such  a  scene  of  confusion  and  distress  ensued  as  those  only  of  my  readers  can 
imagine  who  have  been  in  similar  circumstances.  Despair  did  not  however  completely 
possess  the  mass,  until  it  became  evident  that  the  progress  of  the  flames  could  not  be  ar- 
rested. From  that  moment  the  scene  beggars  all  description.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  numbers 
precipitated  themselves  from  the  burning  mass  into  the  water  ;  some  of  them  with  a  shriek 
of  despair,  and  others  silently  sunk  beneath  the  waves ;  others  momentarily  more  fortunate 
swam  a  short  distance  and  drowned ;  others  still,  on  pieces  of  boards  and  wood,  arrived  on 
the  beach  ;  yet  some  even  of  them,  sank  into  a  watery  grave.  The  small  boat  had  by  this 
time  put  off  loaded  with  about  25  souls  for  the  shore.  Those  arrived  safe,  picking  up  one 
or  two  by  the  way. 

The  writer  of  this  article  was  one  of  the  number.  Other  small  boats  came  to  our  assist- 
ance, which,  together  with  the  Washington's  boat,  saved  perhaps  a  majority  of  the  passen- 
gers on  board.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  as  many  as  40  perished.  It  is  impossible 
to  compute  the  precise  number.  Many  remained  on  the  boat  till  it  was  wrapped  in  one 
sheet  of  flame.  Of  those  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  numbers  perished  in  the  confla- 
gration ;  while  others,  half  burned,  precipitated  themselves  into  the  watery  element,  thus 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY.  45 

suffering  the  double  agency  of  death  by  fire  and  water.  Most  of  the  crew  were  saved, 
the  Captain  among  the  number,  who,  during  the  awful  calamity,  acted  with  the  utmost  de- 
cision and  intrepidity.  Indeed,  no  blame,  so  far  as  the  writer  has  been  informed,  has  been 
attached  to  any  officer  or  hand  on  the  boat.  The  utmost  exertion  was  used  to  move  her 
on  the  shore,  until  it  became  necessary  to  stop  the  engine  in  order  to  let  down  the  small 
boat,  which  having  been  done,  the  fire  had  progressed  so  far  as  to  render  it  impossible  to 
again  start  the  machinery.  I  give  a  few  particulars  of  the  losses  of  the  passengers.  Mr. 
Shudds  is  the  only  survivor  of  his  family  of  seven.  A  lady  passenger  lost  three  children, 
a  sister  and  mother.  Mr.  Michael  Parker  lost  his  wife  and  parents,  sister  and  her  child. 
But  I  will  not  further  continue  the  cases  of  individual  bereavement. 

Kingsville,  14  miles  ne.  of  Jefferson,  contains  1  Baptist,  1  Pres- 
byterian, and  1  Methodist  church  ;  3  stores,  a  woolen  factory,  and 
about  400  people.  It  is  a  pleasant  village  and  has  a  public  square 
on  which  stand  the  churches.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  fine  and  intelli- 
gent agricultural  community.  At  this  place  is  the  Kingsville  Acad- 
emy, a  thriving  institution,  in  good  repute,  with  about  130  pupils, 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Z.  Graves,  and  supported  by  the  public 
spirit  of  the  vicinity.  The  water  privileges  are  good  at  Kingsville  : 
Conneaut  creek  runs  near  the  village,  on  which  are  several  mills 
and  factories,  and  a  branch  runs  through  it,  on  which,  within  half  a 
mile,  are  5  improved  water  privileges. 

Six  miles  westerly  from  Jefferson  is  Austinburg,  a  village  similar 
in  character  to  the  above.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Congrega- 
tional, and  1  Free  Will  Baptist  church,  and  about  300  people.  West 
of  the  town,  on  a  commanding  site,  is  the  Grand  River  Institute, 
Rev.  Thomas  Tenney,  Principal.  The  buildings  are  spacious  and 
comfortable  and  the  institution  flourishing,  having  a  large  fund  for 
its  support  and  about  150  pupils  of  both  sexes. 

The  original  proprietors  of  this  township  were  Wm.  Battell,  of 
Torringford,  Solomon  Rockwell  &  Co.,  of  Winchester,  and  Elipha- 
let  Austin,  of  New  Hartford,  Ct.  By  the  instrumentality  of  Judge 
Austin,  from  whom  the  town  was  named,  two  families  moved  to  this 
place  from  Connecticut  in  1799.  The  Judge  preceded  them  a  short 
time  driving,  in  company  with  a  hired  man,  some  cattle  150  miles 
through  the  woods  on  an  Indian  trail,  while  the  rest  came  in  a  boat 
across  the  lake.  There  was  at  this  time  a  few  families  at  Harpers- 
field  ;  at  Windsor,  southwest,  about  20  miles,  a  family  or  two ;  also 
at  Elk  creek,  40  miles  northeast,  and  at  Vernon,  40  miles  southeast. 
were  several  families,  all  of  whom  were  in  a  destitute  condition  for 
provisions.  In  the  year  1800,  another  family  moved  from  Nor- 
folk, Conn.  In  the  spring  of  1801,  there  was  an  accession  of  ten 
families  to  the  settlement,  principally  from  Norfolk,  Conn.  Part  of 
these  came  from  Buffalo  by  water,  and  part  by  land  through  the 
wilderness.  During  that  season  wheat  was  carried  to  mill  at  Elk 
creek,  a  distance  of  40  miles,  and  in  some  instances  one  half  was 
given  for  carrying  it  to  mill  and  returning  it  in  flour. 

On  Wednesday,  October  24th,  1801,  a  church  was  constituted  at 
Austinburg  with  sixteen  members.  This  was  the  first  church  on 
the  Western  Reserve,  and  was  founded  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Badger, 
the  first  missionary  on  the  Reserve,  a  sketch  of  whom  is  in  another 
part  of  this  volume.     It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  note,  that  in  1802,  Mr. 


46  ASHTABULA  COUNTY. 

Badger  moved  his  family  from  Buffalo  to  this  town,  in  the  first  wag- 
on that  ever  came  from  that  place  to  the  Reserve.  In  1803,  Aus- 
tinburg,  Morgan  and  Harpersfield  experienced  a  revival  of  religion 
by  which  about  35  from  those  places  united  with  the  church  at  Aus- 
tinburg.  This  revival  was  attended  with  the  phenomena  of  "  bodily 
exercises?  then  common  in  the  west.  They  have  been  classified  by  a 
clerical  writer  as  1st,  the  Falling  exercise  ;  2d,  the  Jerking  exercise  ; 
3d,  the  Rolling  exercise  ;  4th,  the  Running  exercise  ;  5th,  the  Dan- 
cing exercise ;  6th,  the  Barking  exercise ;  7th,  Visions  and  Trances. 
We  make  room  for  an  extract  from  his  account  of  the  2d  of  the 
series,  which  sufficiently  characterises  the  remainder. 

It  was  familiarly  called  The  Jerks,  and  the  first  recorded  instance  of  its  occurrence  was 
at  a  sacrament  in  East  Tennessee,  when  several  hundred  of  both  sexes  were  seized  with 
this  strange  and  involuntary  contortion.  The  subject  was  instantaneously  seized  with 
spasms  or  convulsions  in  every  muscle,  nerve  and  tendon.  His  head  was  thrown  or  jerked 
from  side  to  side  with  such  rapidity  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  his  visage,  and  the 
most  lively  fears  were  awakened  lest  he  should  dislocate  his  neck  or  dash  out  his  brains. 
His  body  partook  of  the  same  impulse  and  was  hurried  on  by  like  jerks  over  every  obstacle, 
fallen  trunks  of  trees,  or  in  a  church,  over  pews  and  benches,  apparently  to  the  most  im- 
minent danger  of  being  bruised  and  mangled.  It  was  useless  to  attempt  to  hold  or  restrain 
him,  and  the  paroxysm  was  permitted  gradually  to  exhaust  itself.  An  additional  motive 
for  leaving  him  to  himself  was  the  superstitious  notion  that  all  attempt  at  restraint  was 
resisting  the  spirit  of  God. 

The  first  form  in  which  these  spasmodic  contortions  made  their  appearance  was  that  of 
a  simple  jerking  of  the  arms  from  the  elbows  downwards.  The  jerk  was  very  quick  and 
sudden,  and  followed  with  short  intervals.  This  was  the  simplest  and  most  common  form, 
but  the  convulsive  motion  was  not  confined  to  the  arms ;  it  extended  in  many  instances  to 
other  parts  of  the  body.  When  the  joint  of  the  neck  was  affected,  the  head  was  thrown 
backward  and  forward  with  a  celerity  frightful  to  behold,  and  which  was  impossible  to  be 
imitated  by  persons  who  were  not  under  the  same  stimulus.  The  bosom  heaved,  the  coun- 
tenance was  disgustingly  distorted,  and  the  spectators  were  alarmed  lest  the  neck  should 
be  broken.  When  the  hair  was  long,  it  was  shaken  with  such  quickness,  backward  and 
forward,  as  to  crack  and  snap  like  the  lash  of  a  whip.  Sometimes  the  muscles  of  the  back 
were  affected,  and  the  patient  was  thrown  down  on  the  ground,  when  his  contortions  for 
some  time  resembled  those  of  a  live  fish  cast  from  its  native  element  on  the  land. 

The  most  graphic  description  we  have  is  from  one  who  was  not  only  an  eye  witness,  but 
an  apologist.  He  says,  "  Nothing  in  nature  could  better  represent  this  strange  and  unac- 
countable operation,  than  for  one  to  goad  another,  alternately  on  every  side,  with  a  piece  of 
red  hot  iron.  The  exercise  commonly  began  in  the  head,  which  would  fly  backward  and 
forward,  and  from  side  to  side,  with  a  quick  jolt,  which  the  person  would  naturally  labor  to 
suppress,  but  in  vain  ;  and  the  more  any  one  labored  to  stay  himself  and  be  sober,  the  more 
he  staggered,  and  the  more  his  twitches  increased.  He  must  necessarily  go  as  he  was  in- 
clined, whether  with  a  violent  dash  on  the  ground,  and  bounce  from  place  to  place  like  a 
foot-ball,  or  hop  round,  with  head,  limbs  and  trunk  twitching,  and  jolting  in  every  direction, 
as  if  they  must  inevitably  fly  asunder.  And  how  such  could  escape  without  injury,  was 
no  small  wonder  among  spectators.  By  this  strange  operation  the  human  frame  was 
commonly  so  transformed  and  disfigured,  as  to  lose  every  trace  of  its  natural  appearance. 
Sometimes  the  head  would  be  twitched  right  and  left,  to  a  half  round,  with  such  velocity, 
that  not  a  feature  could  be  discovered,  but  the  face  appeared  as  much  behind  as  before  ; 
and  in  the  quick  progressive  jerk,  it  would  seem  as  if  the  person  was  transmuted  into  some 
other  species  of  creature.  Head  dresses  were  of  little  account  among  the  female  jerkers. 
Even  handkerchiefs  bound  tight  round  the  head  would  be  flirted  off  almost  with  the  first 
twitch,  and  the  hair  put  into  the  utmost  confusion ;  this  was  a  very  great  inconvenience,  to 
redress  which  the  generality  were  shorn,  though  directly  contrary  to  their  confession  of 
faith.  Such  as  were  seized  with  the  jerks,  were  wrested  at  oiice,  not  only  from  under  their 
own  government,  but  that  of  every  one  else,  so  that  it  was  dangerous  to  attempt  confining 
them  or  touching  them  in  any  manner,  to  whatever  danger  they  were  exposed,  yet  few  were 
hurt,  except  it  were  such  as  rebelled  against  the  operation,  through  wilful  and  deliberate 
enmity,  and  refused  to  comply  with  the  injunctions  which  it  came  to  enforce." 

From  the  universal  testimony  of  those  who  have  described   these  spasms,  they  appear  to 


ASHTABULA  COUNTY.  47 

have  been  wholly  involuntary.  This  remark  is  applicable  also  to  all  the  other  bodily  exer- 
cises. What  demonstrates  satisfactorily  their  involuntary  nature  is,  not  only  that,  as  above 
stated,  the  twitches  prevailed  in  spite  of  resistance,  and  even  more  for  attempts  to  suppress 
them  ;  but  that  wicked  men  would  be  seized  with  them  while  sedulously  guarding  against 
an  attack,  and  cursing  every  jerk  when  made.  Travellers  on  their  journey,  and  laborers 
at  their  daily  work,  were  also  liable  to  them. 

We  conclude  our  sketch  of  the  county  with  some  amusing  inci- 
dents, related  in  the  mss.  of  the  Society ;  although  trivial  in  them- 
selves, they  are  important  in  illustration. 

There  is  a  stream  in  Geneva,  called  "  Morse's  Slough,"  and  it  took  its  cognomen  in  this 
wise.  For  a  time  after  the  Spencers,  Austin,  Hale,  and  Morse  commenced  operations  on 
the  lake  shore,  in  the  ne.  corner  of  Geneva,  they  plied  their  labors  there  only  a  week  at 
the  time,  or  as  long  as  a  back  load  of  provisions,  that  each  carried,  might  happen  to  last. 
Whatever  time  of  the  week  they  went  out,  those  having  families  returned  on  Saturday 
night  to  the  settlements,  and  those  without,  returned  whenever  out  of  provisions.  The 
main  portion  of  provisions  by  them  thus  transported,  consisted  of  Indian  or  corn  bread: 
and  whoever  has  been  used  to  the  labors  of  the  woods,  swinging  the  axe,  for  instance,  from 
sun  to  sun,  and  limited  to  that  kind  of  diet  almost  solely,  will  know  that  it  requires  a 
johnny-cake  of  no  slight  dimensions  and  weight  to  last  an  axeman  a  ivhole  week.  It  must, 
in  short,  be  a  mammoth  of  its  species !  Such  a  loaf,  baked  in  a  huge  Dutch  oven,  was 
snugly  and  firmly  pinioned  to  the  back  of  James  M.  Morse,  as  he,  with  others,  wended  his 
way  to  the  lake  shore,  intent  upon  the  labors  of  the  week. 

The  stream  was  then  nameless,  but  nevertheless  had  to  be  crossed,  and  Morse  must  cros3 
it  to  reach  the  scene  of  his  labors.  Although  a  light  man,  he  had  become  ponderous  by  the 
addition  of  this  tremendous  johnny-cake.  The  ice  lay  upon  the  streams,  and  men  passed 
and  re-passed  unloaded  without  harm.  Not  so  those  borne  down  with  such  incumbrance 
as  distinguished  the  back  of  Morse,  who  was  foremost  among  the  gang  of  pioneers,  all 
marching  in  Indian  file  and  similarly  encumbered.  They  came  to  the  stream.  Morse 
rushed  upon  the  ice — it  trembled — cracked — broke — and  in  a  moment  he  was  initiated 
into  the  mysteries  beneath,  with  the  johnny-cake  holding  him  firmly  to  the  bottom. 

The  water  and  mud,  though  deep,  were  not  over  his  head.  The  company,  by  aid  of 
poles,  approached  him,  removed  the  Gloucester  hump  of  deformity  from  his  shoulders,  re- 
lieved him  from  his  uncouth  and  unenvied  attitude,  and  while  he  stood  dripping  and  quiv- 
ering on  the  margin  of  the  turbid  element — amid  a  shout  of  laughter  they  named  this 
stream  "  Morse's  Slough." 

A  young  man  by  the  name  of  Elijah  Thompson,  of  Geneva,  was  out  hunting  in  the 
forest  with  his  favorite  dog.  While  thus  engaged,  his  dog  left  him  as  if  he  scented  game, 
and  soon  was  engaged  with  a  pack  of  seven  wolves.  Young  Thompson,  more  anxious  for 
the  dog  than  his  own  safety,  rushed  to  the  rescue,  firing  his  rifle  as  he  approached,  and 
then  clubbing  it,  made  a  fierce  onset  upon  the  enemy.  His  dog,  being  badly  wounded  and 
nearly  exhausted,  could  give  him  no  assistance,  and  the  contest  seemed  doubtful.  The 
wolves  fought  with  desperation  ;  but  the  young  man  laid  about  him  with  so  much  energy 
and  agility,  that  his  blows  told  well,  and  he  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  wolf  after 
wolf  skulk  away  under  the  blows  which  he  dealt  them,  until  he  remained  master  of  the 
field,  when,  with  the  remains  of  his  rifle — the  barrtl — on  his  shoulder,  and  his  bleeding  and- 
helpless  dog  under  his  arm,  he  left  the  scene  panning  and  weary,  though  not  materially 
injured  in  the  conflict. 

Mrs.  John  Austin,  of  the  same  township,  hearing,  on  one  occasion,  a  bear  among  her 
hogs,  determined  to  defeat  his  purpose.  First  hurrying  her  little  children  up  a  ladder  into 
her  chamber,  for  safety,  in  case  she  was  overcome  by  the  animal,  she  seized  a  rifle,  and 
rushing  to  the  spot  saw  the  bear  only  a  few  rods  distant,  carrying  off  a  hog  into  the  woods, 
while  the  prisoner  sent  forth  deafening  squeals,  accompanied  by  the  rest  of  the  sty  in  full 
chorus.  Nothing  daunted,  she  rushed  forward  to  the  scene  with  her  rifle  ready  cocked, 
on  which  the  monster  let  go  his  prize,  raised  himself  upon  his  haunches  and  faced  her. 
Dropping  upon  her  knees  to  obtain  a  steady  aim,  and  resting  her  rifle  on  the  fence,  within 
six  feet  of  the  bear,  the  intrepid  female  pulled  the  trigger.  Perhaps  fortunately  for  her, 
the  rifle  missed  fire.  Again  and  again  she  snapped  her  piece,  but  with  the  same  result. 
The  bear,  after  keeping  his  position  some  time,  dropped  down  on  all  fouis,  ani  leaving  the 
hogs  behind,  retreated  to  the  forest  and  resigned  the  field  to  the  woman. 

The  early  settlers  experienced  great  difficulty  in  preserving  their  swine  from  the  ravages 
of  wild  beasts.  Messrs.  Morgan  and  Murrain,  who,  with  their  wives,  dwelt  in  the  same 
cabin,  had  with  difficulty  procured  a  sow  which,  with  her  progeny,  occupied  a  strong  pen 


48  ATHENS  COUNTY. 

contiguous  to  the  dwelling.  During  a  dark  night,  their  husbands  being  necessarily  absent, 
the  repose  of  the  ladLes  was  disturbed  by  a  very  shrill  serenade  from  the  pen :  arousing 
from  their  slumbers,  they  discovered  a  large  bear  making  an  assault  upon  the  swine.  They 
attempted,  by  loud  screams  and  throwing  fire  brands,  to  terrify  the  animal ;  but  not  suc- 
ceeding, they  took  an  unloaded  rifle,  and  having  heard  their  husbands  say  that  it  required 
just  two  fingers  of  powder,  they  poured  liberally  into  the  muzzle,  one  of  them  in  the  mean- 
while measuring  lengthwise  of  her  fingers,  until  the  full  amount  was  obtained,  then  driving 
in  a  ball  they  sallied  out  to  the  attack.  One  lady  held  the  light,  while  the  other  fired  the 
gun.  Such  another  report,  from  a  tube  of  equal  capacity,  is  seldom  heard.  The  ladies 
both  fell  prostrate  and  insensible,  and  the  gun  Hew  into  the  bushes.  The  bear  was  doubt- 
less alarmed,  but  not  materially  injured. 

On  the  night  of  the  11th  of  August,  1812,  the  people  of  Conneaut  were  alarmed  by  a 
false  report  that  the  British  were  landing  from  some  of  their  vessels.  A  sentinel,  placed 
on  the  shore,  descrying  boats  approaching,  mistook  them  for  the  enemy.  In  his  panic  he 
threw  away  his  musket,  mounted  his  horse,  and  dashing  through  the  settlement,  cried 
with  a  stentorian  voice,  "  turn  out !  turn  out .'  save  your  lives,  the  British  and  Indians  are 
landing,  and  will  be  on  you  in  fifteen  minutes!"  The  people,  aroused  from  their  beds, 
tied  in  the  utmost  terror  to  various  places  of  covert  in  the  forest.  Those  of  East  Conneaut 
had  sheltered  themselves  in  a  dense  grove,  which  being  near  the  high  road,  it  was  deemed 
that  the  most  perfect  silence  should  be  maintained.  By  that  soothing  attention  mothers 
know  how  to  bestow,  the  cries  of  the  children  were  measurably  stilled  ;  but  one  little 
dog,  from  among  his  companions,  kept  up  a  continual  unmitigated  yelping.  Various  means 
having  in  vain  been  employed  to  still  him,  until  the  patience  of  the  ladies  was  exhausted, 
it  was  unanimously  resolved,  that  that  particular  dog  should  die,  and  he  was  therefore 
sentenced  to  be  hanged,  without  benefit  of  clergy.  With  the  elastics  supplied  by  the  ladies,, 
for  a  halter,  and  a  young  sapling  for  a  gallows,  the  young  dog  passed  from  the  shores  of 
time  to  yelp  no  more. 

Rock  Creek,  8  miles  s.  of  Jefferson,  contains  2  churches,  2  stores, 
1  saw,  1  grist,  1  oil  mill,  2  tanneries,  and  about  60  dwellings.  It  is 
on  a  creek  of  the  same  name,  which  furnishes  considerable  water. 
Ea2;leville  is  a  somewhat  smaller  manufacturing  village,  4  miles  sw. 
of  Jefferson,  on  Mill  creek,  a  good  mill  stream.  Windsor,  20  miles 
sw.  of  Jefferson,  contains  about  40  dwellings.  There  are  other  small 
villages  in  the  county,  generally  bearing  the  names  of  the  townships 
in  which  they  are  situated. 


ATHENS. 

Athens  was  formed  from  Washington,  March  1,  1805,  and  derived 
its  name  from  Athens,  its  seat  of  justice.  The  surface  is  broken 
and  hilly,  with  intervals  of  rich  bottom  lands.  The  hilly  lands  are 
covered  with  a  fertile  soil,  and  a  heavy  growth  of  trees.  The  prin- 
cipal crops  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  tobacco.  Excellent  coal 
abounds,  iron  ore  is  found  in  many  places,  and  quantities  of  salt  are 
made.  The  Hocking  canal  commences  at  Carrol,  on  the  Ohio  canal, 
in  Fairfield  county,  and  follows  the  river  valley  to  Athens,  a  distance 
of  56  miles.  The  business,  now  small,  is  rapidly  increasing.  The 
coal  trade  of  this  valley  is  destined  to  be  very  great,  ere  many  years. 
Below  are  the  names  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population 
at  that  time. 


ATHENS  COUNTY.  19 


Alexander, 

1450 

Carthage, 

737 

Trimble, 

762 

Ames, 

1431 

Dover, 

1297 

Troy, 

1056 

Athens, 

1593 

Elk, 

1261 

Vinton, 

227 

Bern, 

381 

Lee, 

848 

Ward, 

345 

Brown, 

257 

Lodi, 

754 

Waterloo, 

741 

Canaan, 

800 

Rome, 

866 

York, 

1601 

Population  of  Athens  county,  in  1820,  was  6,342;  in  1830,  9,778, 
and  in  1840,  19,108,  or  30  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

In  Evan's  map  of  the  middle  British  colonies,  published  in  1755, 
there  is  placed  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Hocking,  somewhere  in  this 
region,  a  town,  station  or  fort,  named  "  French  Margarets."  Proba- 
bly Margarets  creek,  in  this  county,  was  named  from  it.  In  the 
county  above,  (Hocking,)  have  been  found  the  remains  of  an  old 
press,  for  packing  furs  and  peltries,  which  are  yet  visible,  and  attest 
that  French  cupidity  and  enterprise  had  introduced  an  extensive 
trade  among  the  Indians. 

Lord  Dunmore,  in  his  famous  expedition  against  the  Indian  towns 
upon  the  Scioto,  in  the  autumn  of  1774 — just  prior  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolutionary  war,  descended  the  Ohio,  and  landed  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Great  Hockhocking,  in  this  county.  He  was  there 
during  the  bloody  battle  of  Point  Pleasant — on  an  air  line  28  miles 
distant — between  General  Lewis  and  the  Indians.  At  this  place  he 
established  a  depot  and  erected  some  defences,  called  Fort  Gower, 
in  honor  of  Earl  Gower.  From  that  point  he  marched  up  the  valley 
of  the  river,  encamping,  tradition  says,  a  night  successively  at  Fed- 
eral creek,  Sunday  creek,  and  at  the  falls  of  the  Hocking.  From 
the  last,  he  proceeded  to  the  Scioto,  where  the  detachment  under 
General  Lewis  joined  him,  and  the  war  was  brought  to  a  close  by  a 
treaty  or  truce  with  the  hostile  tribes.  Dunmore,  on  his  return, 
stopped  at  Fort  Gower,  where  the  officers  passed  a  series  of  resolu- 
tions, for  which,  see  Pickaway  county,  with  other  details  of  this 
expedition. 

Colonel  Robert  Paterson,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Cin* 
cinnati,  with  a  party  of  Kentuckians,  was  attacked,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Hocking,  by  the  Indians,  two  years  after  the  erection  of  Fort 
Gower.  The  circumstances  are  given  under  the  head  of  Mont- 
gomery county. 

Athens,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  a  commanding  site  on  the 
Hockhocking  river,  72  miles  se.  of  Columbus.  It  contains  1  Pres- 
byterian, 1  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  and  a  Methodist  church,  a 
classical  academy,  11  mercantile  stores,  and  by  the  census  of  1840, 
had  710  inhabitants.  It  was  made  the  county  seat  in  March, 
1805.  The  Ohio  University,  the  oldest  college  in  Ohio,  is  situated 
here,  but  has  temporarily  suspended  its  operations,  for  the  purpose 
of  recovering  from  pecuniary  embarrassment.  It  was  first  chartered 
by  the  territorial  government,  and  afterwards,  in  1804,  by  the  state 
legislature.  It  was  early  endowed  by  Congress  with  the  two  town- 
ships of  Athens  and  Alexander,  containing  46,000  acres  of  land, 
which,  with  the  connecting  resources,  yield  an  annual  income  ot 

7 


50 


ATHENS  COUNTY. 


about  85000.  The  buildings  are  substantial  and  neat,  and  stand  in  a 
pleasant  green.  This  institution  has  exerted  a  most  beneficial  influ- 
ence upon  the  morals  and  intelligence  of  this  region.  Among  its 
graduates  are  many  who  do  it  honor,  and  it  will,  doubtless,  when 


Ohio  University ,  at  Athens. 

again  in  successful  operation — as  it  soon  will  be — continue  its  good 
work. 

This  county  was  settled  shortly  after  Wayne's  victory.  The 
following  named  persons  are  recollected  as  settling  in  Athens  and 
vicinity,  two  or  three  years  subsequent  to  that  event,  viz :  Solomon 
Tuttle,  Christopher  Stevens,  Jonathan  Watkins,  Alvan  and  Silas 
Bingham,  Henry  and  David  Bartlett,  John  Chandler,  and  John  and 
Moses  Hewit.  On  Federal  creek,  also,  were  Nathan  Woodbury, 
George  Ewing — father  of  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing — Ephraim  Cutler 
and  Benjamin  Brown.  The  first  mill  was  erected  about  1800,  on 
Margarets  creek,  prior  to  which  some  of  the  settlers  were  accus- 
tomed to  make  tedious  voyages,  in  canoes,  down  the  Hocking,  up 
the  Ohio,  and  4  miles  up  the  Muskingum,  above  Marietta,  to  get 
their  corn  ground,  while  others,  comprising  a  majority,  depended 
upon  hand  mills  and  hommony  blocks. 

The  annexed  vivid  sketch  of  the  captivity  and  escape  of  Moses 
Hewit  (one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  this  county)  from  the  Indians, 
is  from  the  history  of  the  Bellville  settlement,  written  by  Dr.  S.  P. 
Hildreth,  and  published  in  the  Hesperian,  edited  by  William  D. 
Gallagher. 

Mopcs  Hewit  was  a  native  of  New  England,  the  land  of  active  and  enterprising  men, 
and  born  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  in  the  year  17G7.  He  removed  to  tiie  waters  ot 
the  Ohio,  in  1790,  in  company  with  his  uncle,  Captain  John  Hewit,  soon  after  the  settle- 
ment of  the  Ohio  Company  ;  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Indian  war,  he  resided  on  the 
island  now  known  by  the  name  of  "  Blennerhasset,"  in  the  block  house  of  Captain  James, 
where  he  married  a  cousin,  the  daughter  of  Captain  Hewit.  After  his  marriage,  he  lived 
a  short  time  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Kenawha,  but  as  the  Indians  became  dangerous,  he 
'oined  the  company  of  settlers  at  "  Neil's  station,"  a  short  distance  above,  on  the  same 


ATHENS  COUNTY.  51 

stream.  At  this  period,  all  the  settlements  on  both  banks  of  the  Ohio  were  broken  up, 
and  the  inhabitants  retired  to  their  garrisons  for  mutual  defence. 

The  garrison  at  the  middle  settlement,  in  Belprie,  was  called  "  Farmer's  Castle,"  and 
was  a  strong  stockaded  defence,  with  comfortable  dwelling  houses  erected  along  the  margin 
of  the  stout  palisades  which  surrounded  it.  It  stood  near  the  bank  of  the  Ohio  river,  on 
the  waters  of  which  nearly  all  the  intercourse  between  the  stations  was  conducted  in  light 
canoes.  At  this  garrison,  Mr.  He  wit  was  a  frequent  visitor,  but  not  an  inmate.  Some  ot 
the  more  fearless  inhabitants,  on  the  left  bank,  still  continued  to  live  in  their  own  dwellings, 
considering  themselves  in  a  manner  protected  by  the  Ohio  river,  and  by  the  vigilance  of  the 
"spies,"  who  daily  scoured  the  adjacent  forests.  Mr.  Hewit  was,  at  this  time,  in  the  prime 
of  life  and  manhood  ;  possessed  of  a  vigorous  frame,  nearly  six  feet  high,  with  limbs  of  the 
finest  mould,  not  surpassed  by  the  Belvidere  Apollo,  for  manly  beauty.  The  hands  and 
feet  were  small  in  proportion  to  the  muscles  of  the  anns  and  legs.  Of  their  strength,  some 
estimate  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  stated  that  he  could,  with  a  single  hand,  lift  with  ease 
a  large  blacksmith's  anvil,  by  grasping  the  tapering  horn  which  projects  from  its  side.  To 
this  great  muscular  strength  was  added  a  quickness  of  motion,  which  gave  to  the  dash  ot 
his  fist  the  rapidity  of  thought,  as  it  was  driven  into  the  face  or  breast  of  his  adversary. 
The  eye  was  coal  black,  small  and  sunken,  but  when  excited  or  enraged,  flashed  fire  like 
that  of  the  tiger.  The  face  and  head  were  well  developed,  with  such  powerful  masseter 
and  temporal  muscles,  that  the  fingers  of  the  strongest  man,  when  once  confined  between 
his  teeth,  could  no  more  be  withdrawn  than  from  the  jaws  of  a  vice. 

With  such  physical  powers,  united  to  an  unrefined  and  rather  irritable  mind,  who  shall 
wonder  at  his  propensity  for,  and  delight  in,  personal  combat ;  especially  when  placed  in 
the  midst  of  rude  and  unlettered  companions,  where  courage  and  bodily  strength  were  held 
in  unlimited  estimation.  Accordingly,  we  find  him  engaged  in  numberless  personal  con- 
tests, in  which  he  almost  universally  came  off  victorious.  One  instance  of  his  activity  and 
reckless  daring  took  place  at  Marietta,  about  the  year  1796.  In  some  quarrel  at  a  tavern, 
the  vigor  of  his  arm  was  laid  so  heavily  upon  one  of  his  opponents,  that  serious  apprehen- 
sions were  felt  for  his  life.  Complaint  was  made  to  the  magistrate,  and  a  warrant  issued 
for  his  apprehension.  Of  this  he  had  timely  notice,  and  not  relishing  the  inside  of  a  jail 
at  that  inclement  season  of  the  year,  it  being  in  February,  he  started  for  the  river,  intending 
to  cross  into  Virginia,  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  constable.  It  so  happened  that  the 
rains  on  the  head  waters  had  raised  the  river  to  half  bank,  and  broken  up  the  ice,  which 
completely  covered  the  stream  with  fragments  of  all  dimensions,  so  closely  arranged  that 
no  canoe  could  be  forced  through  them.  Although  late  in  the  night,  there  was  yet  the 
light  of  the  moon,  and  rushing  down  the  bank,  with  the  constable  and  a  numerous  posee 
at  his  back,  he  leaped  fearlessly  on  to  the  floating  ice,  and  springing  from  fragment  to 
fragment,  with  the  activity  of  a  fox,  he  reached  the  opposite  shore  in  safety,  about  half  a 
mile  below  the  point  where  he  commenced  this  perilous  adventure.  The  constable,  seeing 
the  object  of  his  pursuit  afloat  on  the  ice,  came  to  a  halt,  concluding  that,  although  he  had 
escaped  from  the  penalty  of  the  law,  he  could  not  avoid  the  fate  which  awaited  him,  and 
that  he  would  certainly  be  drowned  before  he  could  gain  the  shore.  But,  as  fortune  is  said 
to  favor  the  brave,  he  escaped  without  harm,  and  his  life  was  preserved  for  wise  and  provi- 
dential purposes. 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  May,  1792,  while  living  at  Neil's  station,  on  the  Little  Ken- 
awha,  Mr.  Hewit  rose  early  in  the  morning  and  went  out  about  a  mile  from  the  garrison 
in  search  of  a  stray  horse,  little  expecting  any  Indians  to  be  near,  having  heard  of  none  in 
that  vicinity  for  some  time.  He  was  sauntering  along  at  his  ease,  in  an  obscure  cattle 
path,  thinking  more  of  his  stray  animal  than  of  danger,  when  all  at  once  three  Indians 
sprang  from  behind  two  large  trees,  that  stood  one  on  each  side  of  the  track,  where  they 
had  been  watching  his  approach.  So  sudden  was  the  onset,  and  so  completely  was  he  in 
their  grasp,  that  resistance  was  vain,  and  would  probably  have  been  the  cause  of  his  death. 
He  therefore  quietly  surrendered,  thinking  that  in  a  few  days  he  should  find  some  way  of 
escape.  For  himself,  he  felt  but  little  uneasiness ;  his  great  concern  was  for  his  wife  and 
child,  from  whom,  with  the  yearnings  of  a  father's  heart,  he  was  thus  forcibly  separated, 
and  whom  he  might  never  see  again. 

In  their  progress  to  the  towns  on  the  Sandusky  plains,  the  Indians  treated  their  prisoner, 
Hewit,  with  as  little  harshness  as  could  be  expected.  He  was  always  confined  at  night  by 
fastening  his  wrists  and  ancles  to  saplings,  as  he  lay  extended  upon  his  back  upon  the 
ground,  with  an  Indian  on  each  side.  By  day  his  limbs  were  free,  but  always  marching 
with  one  Indian  before,  and  two  behind  him.  As  they  approached  the  prairies,  frequent 
halts  were  made  to  search  for  honey,  the  wild  bee  being  found  in  every  hollow  tree,  and 
often  in  tbs  ground  beneath  decayed  roots,  in  astonishing  numbers.     This  afforded  them 


52  ATHEN9    COUNTY. 

many  luscious  repasts,  of  which  the  prisoner  was  allowed  to  partake.  The  naturalization 
of  the  honey  bee  to  the  forests  of  North  America,  since  its  colonization  by  the  whites,  is, 
in  fact,  the  only  real  addition  to  its  comforts  that  the  red  man  has  ever  received  from  the 
destroyer  of  his  race  ;  and  this  industrious  insect,  so  fond  of  the  society  of  man,  seems  also 
destined  to  destruction  by  the  bee-moth,  and  like  the  buffalo  and  the  deer,  will  soon  vanish 
from  the  woods  and  prairies  of  the  West. 

While  the  Indians  were  occupied  in  these  searches,  Hewit  closely  watched  an  opportu- 
nity for  escape,  but  his  captors  were  equally  vigilant.  As  they  receded  from  the  danger  of 
pursuit,  they  became  less  hurried  in  their  march,  and  often  stopped  to  hunt  and  amuse  them- 
selves. The  level  prairie  afforded  fine  ground  for  one  of  their  favorite  sports,  the  foot  race. 
In  this,  Hewit  was  invited  to  join,  and  soon  found  that  he  could  easily  outrun  two  of  them, 
but  the  other  was  more  than  his  match,  which  discouraged  him  from  trying  to  escape,  until 
a  more  favorable  opportunity.  They  treated  him  familiarly,  and  were  much  pleased  with 
his  lively,  cheerful  manners.  After  they  had  reached  within  one  or  two  day's  march  of 
their  village,  they  made  a  halt  to  hunt,  and  left  their  prisoner  at  their  camp,  although  they 
had  usually  taken  him  with  them,  as  he  complained  of  being  sick.  To  make  all  safe,  they 
placed  him  on  his  back,  confining  his  wrists  with  stout  thongs  of  raw-hide  to  saplings,  and 
his  legs  raised  at  a  considerable  elevation,  to  a  small  tree.  After  they  had  been  gone  a 
short  time,  he  began  to  put  in  operation  the  plan  he  had  been  meditating  for  escape,  trust- 
ing that  the  thickness  of  his  wrists,  in  comparison  with  the  smallness  of  his  hands,  would 
enable  him  to  withdraw  them  from  the  ligatures.  After  long  and  violent  exertions,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  liberating  his  hands,  but  not  without  severely  lacerating  the  skin  and  covering 
them  with  blood.  His  legs  were  next  freed  by  untying  them,  but  not  without  a  great  effort, 
from  their  elevation. 

Once  fairly  at  liberty,  the  first  object  was  to  secure  some  food  for  the  long  journey  which 
was  before  him.  But  as  the  Indian's  larder  is  seldom  well  stocked,  with  all  his  search,  he 
could  only  find  two  small  pieces  of  jerked  venison,  not  more  than  sufficient  for  a  single 
meal.  With  this  light  stock  of  provision,  his  body  nearly  naked,  and  without  even  a  knife 
or  a  tomahawk,  to  assist  in  procuring  more,  he  started  for  the  settlements  on  the  Musk- 
ingum, as  the  nearest  point  where  he  could  meet  with  friends.  It  seems  that  the  Indians 
returned  to  the  camp  soon  after  his  escape,  for  that  night  while  cautiously  traversing  a 
wood,  he  heard  the  cracking  of  a  breaking  twig  not  far  from  him.  Dropping  silently  on 
to  the  ground  where  he  stood,  he  beheld  his  three  enemies  in  pursuit.  To  say  that  he  was 
not  agitated,  would  not  be  true  ;  his  senses  were  wide  awake,  and  his  heart  beat  quick,  but 
it  was  a  heart  that  never  knew  fear.  It  so  happened  that  they  passed  a  few  yards  to  one 
side  of  him,  and  he  remained  unseen.  As  soon  as  they  were  at  a  sufficient  distance,  he 
altered  his  course  and  saw  no  more  of  them. 

Suffering  every  thing  but  death,  from  the  exhausting  effects  of  hunger  and  fatigue,  he, 
after  nine  days,  struck  the  waters  of  the  Big  Muskingum,  and  came  in  to  the  garrison,  at 
Wolf  creek  mills.  During  this  time  he  had  no  food  but  roots  and  the  bark  of  the  slippery- 
elm,  after  the  two  bits  of  venison  were  expended.  When  he  came  in  sight  of  the  station, 
he  was  so  completely  exhausted  that  he  could  not  stand  or  halloo.  His  body  was  entirely 
naked,  excepting  a  small  strip  of  cloth  round  the  loins,  and  so  torn,  bloody  and  disfigured, 
by  the  briers  and  brush,  that  he  thought  it  imprudent  to  show  himself,  lest  he  should  be 
taken  for  an  Indian,  and  shot  by  the  centries.  It  is  a  curious  physiological  fact,  that  fam- 
ine and  hunger  will  actually  darken  the  skin  in  the  manner  mentioned  by  the  prophet  Jer- 
emiah, when  foretelling  the  fate  of  the  Israelites  ;  and  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  ab- 
sorption of  the  bile  into  the  blood,  when  not  used  up  in  the  process  of  digesting  the  food. 
In  this  forlorn  state,  Hewit  remained  until  evening,  when  he  crawled  silently  to  the  gate- 
way, which  was  open,  and  crept  in  before  any  one  was  aware  of  his  being  near.  As  they 
all  had  heard  of  his  capture,  and  some  personally  knew  him,  he  was  instantly  recognized 
by  a  young  man,  as  the  light  of  the  fire  fell  on  his  face,  who  exclaimed,  "  here  is  Hewit." 
They  soon  clothed  and  fed  him,  and  his  fine  constitution  directly  restored  his  health. 

The  course  pursued  by  Mr.  Hewit  was  in  the  direction  of  a  favorite  and  well  known 
trail,  or  war  path  of  the  Indians,  from  Sandusky  to  the  settlements  on  the  Muskingum, 
and  struck  that  river  at  a  point  called  "  Big  Rock,"  from  an  enormous  block  of  sandstone 
that  had  tumbled  out  of  a  cliff  and  lay  on  the  shore.  The  line  of  the  trail  lay  between  the 
waters  of  the  Muskingum  and  those  of  the  Scioto,  crossing  some  of  the  branches  of  both 
these  rivers.  The  war  paths  of  the  Indians  were  generally  known  to  the  old  hunters,  as 
in  times  of  peace  there  was  considerable  intercourse  for  trade  and  hunting  between  the 
borderers  and  the  Indian  tribes.  After  the  war  was  closed,  by  the  masterly  campaign  of 
Gen.  Wayne,  the  sturdy  settlers  on  the  shores  of  the  Ohio,  sallied  out  from  their  garrisons, 
where  they  had  been  more  or  less  closely  confined  for  five  years,  and  took  possession  of  the 


ATHENS    COUNTY.  53 

various  farms,  which  had  fallen  to  their  lots  either  as  "  donation  lands,"  or  as  proprietors  in 
the  Ohio  Company,  some  of  which  had  been  partially  cleared  and  cultivated  before  the 
commencement  of  hostilities.  During  this  period,  they  suffered  from  famine,  sickness,  and 
death,  in  addition  to  the  depredations  of  the  Indiane.  The  small-pox  and  putrid  sore 
throat,  had  both  visited  them  in  their  garrisons,  destroying,  in  some  instances,  whole  fami- 
lies of  children  in  a  few  days.  The  murderous  savage  without,  with  sickness  and  famine 
within,  had  made  their  castles  wearisome  dwelling  places,  although  they  protected  them 
from  the  tomahawk,  and  saved  the  settlements  from  being  entirely  broken  up. 

In  the  year  1797,  Mr.  Hewit  cast  his  lot  in  the  valley  of  the  Hockhocking  river,  near 
the  town  of  Athens,  and  settled  quietly  down  to  clearing  his  farm.  He  was  by  nature  en- 
dowed with  a  clear,  discriminating,  and  vigorous  mind  ;  and,  although  his  education  was 
very  limited,  extending  only  to  reading  and  writing,  yet  his  judgment  was  acute,  and  his 
reasoning  powers  highly  matured  by  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men.  For  some  years 
before  his  death,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  which  has  the  praise  of  re- 
claiming more  depraved  men  than  perhaps  any  other  sect,  and  became  a  valuable  citizen 
and  useful  man  in  society.  A  short  time  previous  to  his  decease,  which  took  place  in  the 
year  1814,  he  was  appointed  a  Trustee  of  the  Ohio  University,  at  Athens.  At  that  early 
time,  the  duties  of  a  Trustee  mainly  consisted  in  leasing  out  and  managing  the  fiscal  af- 
fairs of  the  college  domain,  embracing  two  townships  of  land.  For  this  business  he  was 
well  fitted,  and  his  judgment  and  good  sense,  were  of  real  value  to  the  institution,  however 
little  he  might  be  qualified  to  act  in  literary  matters. 

The  life  of  Mr.  Hewit  affords  an  interesting  subject  of  contemplation.  Hundreds  of 
others,  who  were  among  the  western  borderers  in  early  days,  afford  similar  examples  of 
reckless  daring,  and  outrageous  acts,  while  surrounded  with  war,  tumult  and  danger,  who, 
when  peace  was  restored  and  they  returned  to  the  quiet  scenes  of  domestic  and  civil  life, 
became  some  of  the  most  useful,  influential,  and  distinguished  men.  It  shows  how  much 
man  is  the  creature  of  habit ;  and  that  he  is  often  governed  more  by  the  character,  and  the 
outward  example  of  men  around  him,  and  the  times  in  which  he  lives,  than  by  any  innate 
principle  of  good  or  evil,  which  may  happen  to  predominate  within  him. 

About  four  miles  north  of  Athens,  are  mounds  and  ancient  forti- 
fications with  gateways.  One  of  the  mounds  which  was  composed 
of  a  kind  of  stone,  differing  from  any  in  the  vicinity,  was  taken  for 
the  construction  of  a  dam  across  the  Hocking  ;  there  were  in  it  over 
a  thousand  perches,  and  some  of  the  stones  weighed  two  hundred 
pounds.  In  the  mound  were  found  copper  rings  and  other  relics. 
There  are  many  mounds  in  some  other  parts  of  the  county. 

Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  of  Marietta,  a  gentleman  of  well-known  sci- 
entific attainments,  thus  speaks  in  Silliman's  Journal  of  the  fossil  re- 
mains in  this  region. 

The  sandstone  rocks  contain  many  relics  of  fossil  trees,  of  that  ancient  and  curious  fam- 
ily, bearing  those  rare  devices  and  figures  on  their  bark,  so  artificial  in  their  appearance  as 
to  induce  a  common  belief  among  the  ignorant,  of  their  being  the  work  of  man  before 
the  flood,  and  buried  by  that  catastrophe  in  huge  heaps  of  sand,  since  consolidated  into 
rock.  The  excavations  in  sandstone  rocks  have  been,  as  yet,  so  few  and  partial,  that  but 
a  small  number  have  been  brought  to  light,  although  the  strata  through  this  valley  are  one 
vast  cemetery  of  the  plants  of  a  former  creation.  I  have  seen  some  specimens  fonnd  in 
quarrying  stones  for  a  cellar,  or  in  grading  a  road,  and  have  heard  of  many  more,  proving 
that  there  is  an  abundant  supply  laid  up  for  future  geologists,  when  the  country  becomes 
more  cultivated,  and  extensive  openings  shall  be  made  in  the  earth.  On  the  heads  of 
Shade  river,  a  few  miles  sw.  of  Athens,  there  is  a  large  deposit  of  fossil  trees,  the  wood 
being  replaced  by  a  dark  ferruginous  silex. 

The  yellow  pine  is  very  abundant  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Hock- 
ing valley,  and  was  probably  at  no  very  remote  period,  the  prevail- 
ing growth  of  this  part  of  the  country.  On  this  point,  Dr.  Hildreth 
also  gives  the  following  interesting  facts. 

Extensive  districts  in  which  a  pine  is  not  now  found,  are  thickly  scattered  with  pitch 
pine  knots,  lying  on  the  surface,  the  relics  of  former  forests,  which  some  disease,  or  pro- 


54  BELMONT    COUNTY. 

bably  the  depredations  of  insects,  had  destroyed.  In  these  situations  large  quantities  of 
pitch  and  tar  were  formerly  made.  In  numerous  mounds,  opened  under  my  direction,  the 
charcoal  found  about  the  human  bones,  which  they  almost  universally  contain,  and  which 
the  aborigines  first  burned  before  casting  up  the  mound  of  earth  and  stone,  as  a  sacred 
monument  for  the  dead,  is  most  generally  the  charcoal  of  pine  wood — leading  also  to  the 
conclusion,  that  at  their  erection,  yellow  pine  was  the  prevailing  tree  of  the  forest,  for  it  is 
not  probable  they  would  take  the  trouble  of  bringing  it  from  any  distance. 

By  the  United  States  Statistics  it  appears  there  were  92,800 
bushels  of  salt  produced  in  the  county,  and  47  men  employed  in 
the  manufacture,  in  1840.  This  has  since  increased.  The  princi- 
pal salt  wells  now  in  the  county,  are  those  of  Ewing,  Vinton  &, 
Co.,  Fuller  &  Walker,  and  Samuel  Denmans,  at  Chauncey  ;  Hydes, 
Perkins  &  Prudens,  near  Athens. 

Nelsonville,  on  the  Hocking  canal,  13  miles  above  Athens,  is  a 
flourishing  village,  in  the  heart  of  the  coal  region  and  trade,  and 
contains  about  300  people  :  considerable  tobacco  is  packed  here. 
Chauncey,  also  on  the  canal  7  miles  above  Athens,  is  a  village  of 
about  200  inhabitants,  where  the  manufacture  of  salt  is  extensively 
carried  on,  together  with  coal  mining ;  at  one  mine  the  coal  is  ob- 
tained by  sinking  a  shaft  120  feet  perpendicular.  M'Arthurstown, 
26  miles  wsw.  of  Athens,  has  about  250  people,  and  is  in  a  good 
country.  Hockingport,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hocking,  Hocking  City, 
Amesville,  Hebardsville,  Albany,  Millfield,  Chesterfield,  Savannah 
and  Trimble,  are  small  places. 


BELMONT. 

Belmont  was  established,  September  7th,  1801,  by  proclamation 
of  Gov.  St.  Clair,  being  the  ninth  county  formed  in  the  N.  W.  Terri- 
tory. The  name  is  derived  from  two  French  words,  signifying  a 
fine  mountain.  It  is  a  hilly  and  picturesque  tract,  and  contains 
much  excellent  land.  The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  oats,  Indian 
corn  and  tobacco,  of  which  last,  about  two  million  pounds  are  annu- 
ally raised.  It  has  about  68,000  sheep,  and  coal  abounds.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Colerain,  1389         Pultney,         X47         Warren,  2410 

Flushing,  1683         Richland,       3735         Washington,      1388 

Goshen,  1882         Smith,  1956         Wayne,  1734 

Kirkwood,  2280         Somerset,       1932         Wheeling,  1389 

Mead,  1496         Union,  2127         York,  1294 

Pease,  2449 

Population  of  Belmont  county  in  1820,  20,329 ;  in  1830,  28,543  ; 
in  1840,  30,902,  or  51  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Belmont  county  was  one  of  the  earliest  settled  within  the  State  of 
Ohio,  and  the  scene  of  several  desperate  encounters  with  the  In- 
dians. About  1790,  or  perhaps  two  or  three  years  later,  a  fort 
called  Dillie's  fort  was  erected  on  the  west  side  of  the  Ohio,  oppo- 
site Grave  creek. 


BELMONT    CCUNTY.  55 

About  250  yards  below  this  fort,  an  old  man  named  Tate  was 
shot  down  by  the  Indians  very  early  in  the  morning,  as  he  was 
opening  his  door.  His  daughter-in-law  and  grandson  pulled  him  in 
and  barred  the  door.  The  Indians  endeavoring  to  force  it  open, 
were  kept  out  for  some  time  by  the  exertions  of  the  boy  and  woman. 
They  at  length  fired  through  and  wounded  the  boy.  The  woman 
was  shot  from  the  outside  as  she  endeavored  to  escape  up  chimney, 
and  fell  into  the  fire.  The  boy,  who  had  hid  behind  some  barrels, 
ran  and  pulled  her  out,  and  returned  again  to  his  hiding  place.  The 
Indians  now  effected  an  entrance,  killed  a  girl  as  they  came  in,  and 
scalped  the  three  they  had  shot.  They  then  went  out  behind  that 
side  of  the  house  from  the  fort.  The  boy,  who  had  been  wounded 
in  the  mouth,  embraced  the  opportunity,  and  escaped  to  the  fort. 
The  Indians,  twelve  or  thirteen  in  number,  went  off  unmolested, 
although  the  men  in  the  fort  had  witnessed  the  transaction  and 
had  sufficient  force  to  engage  with  them. 

Captina  creek  is  a  considerable  stream  entering  the  Ohio,  near 
the  southeast  angle  of  Belmont.  On  its  banks  at  an  early  day,  a 
sanguinary  contest  took  place  known  as  "  the  battle  of  Captina."  Its 
incidents  have  often  and  variously  been  given.  We  here  relate 
them  as  they  fell  from  the  lips  of  Martin  Baker,  of  Monroe,  who 
was  at  that  time  a  lad  of  about  12  years  of  age  in  Baker's  fort. 

One  mile  below  the  mouth  of  Captina,  on  the  Virginia  shore,  was 
Baker's  fort,  so  named  from  my  father.  One  morning,  in  May,  1794, 
four  men  were  sent  over  according  to  the  custom,  to  the  Ohio 
side,  to  reconnoitre.  They  were  Adam  Miller,  John  Daniels,  Isaac 
M'Cowan,  and  John  Shoptaw.  Miller  and  Daniels  took  up  stream, 
the  other  two  down.  The  upper  scout  were  soon  attacked  by  In- 
dians, and  Miller  killed ;  Daniels  ran  up  Captina  about  3  miles,  but 
being  weak  from  the  loss  of  blood  issuing  from  a  wound  in  his  arm, 
was  taken  prisoner,  carried  into  captivity,  and  subsequently  released 
at  the  treaty  of  Greenville.  The  lower  scout  having  discovered 
signs  of  the  enemy,  Shoptaw  swam  across  the  Ohio  and  escaped, 
but  M'Gowan  going  up  towards  the  canoe,  was  shot  by  Indians  in 
ambush.  Upon  this,  he  ran  down  to  the  bank,  and  sprang  into 
the  water,  pursued  by  the  enemy,  who  overtook  and  scalped  him. 
The  firing  being  heard  at  the  fort,  they  beat  up  for  volunteers. 
There  were  about  fifty  men  in  the  fort.  There  being  much  reluc- 
tance among  them  to  volunteer,  my  sister  exclaimed,  "  She  wouldn't 
be  a  coward"  This  aroused  the  pride  of  my  brother,  John  Ba- 
ker, who  before  had  determined  not  to  go.  He  joined  the  others, 
14  in  number,  including  Capt.  Abram  Enochs.  They  soon  crossed 
the  river,  and  went  up  Captina  in  single  file,  a  distance  of  a  mile 
and  a  half,  following  the  Indian  trail.  The  enemy  had  come  back 
on  their  trails  and  were  in  ambush  on  the  hill  side  awaiting  their 
approach.  When  sufficiently  near  they  fired  upon  our  people, 
but  being  on  an  elevated  position,  their  balls  passed  harmless  over 
them.  The  whites  then  treed.  Some  of  the  Indians  came  behind 
and  shot  Capt.  Enochs  and  Mr.  Hoffman.     Our  people  soon  re- 


56  BELMONT  COUNTY. 

treated,  and  the  Indians  pursued  but  a  short  distance.  On  theii 
retreat  my  brother  was  shot  in  the  hip.  Determined  to  sell  his  life 
as  dearly  as  possible,  he  drew  off  one  side  and  secreted  himself  in 
a  hollow  with  a  rock  at  his  back,  offering  no  chance  for  the  enemy 
to  approach  but  in  front.  Shortly  after,  two  guns  were  heard  in 
quick  succession  ;  doubtless  one  of  them  was  fired  by  my  brother, 
and  from  the  signs  afterwards,  it  was  supposed  he  had  killed  an 
Indian.  The  next  day  the  men  turned  out  and  visited  the  spot. 
Enochs,  Hoffman  and  John  Baker,  were  found  dead  and  scalped. 
Enoch's  bowels  were  torn  out,  his  eyes  and  those  of  Hoffman 
screwed  out  with  a  wiping  stick.  The  dead  were  wrapped  in  white 
hickory  bark,  and  brought  over  to  the  Virginia  shore,  and  buried 
in  their  bark  coffins.  There  were  about  thirty  Indians  engaged  in 
this  action,  and  seven  skeletons  of  their  slain  were  found  long  after 
secreted  in  the  crevices  of  rocks. 

M'Donald,  in  his  biographical  sketch  of  Gov.  M' Arthur,  who  was 
in  the  action,  says,  that  after  the  death  of  Capt.  Enochs,  that  M' Ar- 
thur, although  the  youngest  man  in  the  company,  was  unanimously 
called  upon  to  direct  the  retreat.  The  wounded  who  were  able  to 
walk  were  placed  in  front,  while  M' Arthur  with  his  Spartan  Band 
covered  the  retreat.  The  moment  an  Indian  showed  himself  in 
pursuit,  he  was  fired  upon,  and  generally  it  is  believed  with  effect. 
The  Indians  were  so  severely  handled,  that  they  gave  up  the  pur- 
suit. The  Indians  were  commanded  by  the  Shawnee  Chief,  Char- 
ley Wilkey.  He  told  the  author  [M'Donald]  of  this  narrative,  that 
the  battle  of  Captina  was  the  most  severe  conflict  he  ever  witnessed  ; 
that  although  he  had  the  advantage  of  the  ground  and  the  first  fire, 
he  lost  the  most  of  his  men,  half  of  them  having  been  either  killed 
or  wounded. 

The  celebrated  Indian  hunter,  Lewis  Wetzel,  was  often  through 
this  region.  Belmont  has  been  the  scene  of  at  least  two  of  the  da- 
ring adventures  of  this  far-famed  borderer. 

While  hunting,  Wetzel  fell  in  with  a  young  hunter  who  lived  on  Dunkard's  creek,  and 
was  persuaded  to  accompany  him  to  his  home.  On  their  arrival  they  found  the  house  in 
ruins  and  all  the  family  murdered,  except  a  young  woman  who  had  been  bred  with 
them,  and  to  whom  the  young  man  was  ardently  attached.  She  was  taken  alive,  as  was 
found  by  examining  the  trail  of  the  enemy,  who  were  three  Indians  and  a  white  renegado. 
Kurning  with  revenge,  they  followed  the  trail  until  opposite  the  mouth  of  Captina,  where  the 
enemy  had  crossed.  They  swam  the  stream  and  discovered  the  Indians  camp,  around  the 
tires  of  which  lay  the  enemy  in  careless  repose.  The  young  woman  was  apparently  un- 
hurt, but  was  making  much  moaning  and  lamentation.  The  young  man,  hardly  able  to  re- 
strain his  rage,  was  for  firing  and  rushing  instantly  upon  them.  Wetzel,  more  cautious,  told 
him  to  wait  until  day  light  when  there  was  a  better  chance  of  success  in  killing  the  whole 
party.  At  dawn  the  Indians  prepared  to  depart.  The  young  man  selecting  the  white  rene- 
gado, and  Wetzel  the  Indian,  they  both  fired  simultaneously  with  fatal  effect.  The  young 
man  rushed  forward  knife  in  hand  to  relieve  the  mistress  of  his  affections,  while  Wetzel 
reloaded  and  pursued  the  two  surviving  Indians,  who  had  taken  to  the  woods  until  they  could 
ascertain  the  number  of  their  enemies.  Wetzel,  as  soon  as  he  was  discovered,  discharged 
his  rifle  at  random  in  order  to  draw  them  from  their  covert.  The  ruse  took  effect,  and 
taking  to  his  heels  he  loaded  as  he  ran,  and  suddenly  wheeling  about  discharged  his  rifle 
through  the  body  of  his  nearest  and  unsuspecting  enemy.  The  remaining  Indian  seeing 
the  fate  of  his  companion,  and  that  his  enemy's  rifle  was  unloaded,  rushed  forward  with 
all  energy,  the  prospect  of  prompt  revenge  being  fairly  before  him.     Wetzel  led  him  on 


BELMONT  COUNTY. 


57 


dodging  from  tree  to  tree,  until  his  rifle  was  again  ready,  when  suddenly  turning  he  fired, 
and  his  remaining  enemy  fell  dead  at  his  feet.  After  taking  their  scalps,  Wetzel  and  his 
friend,  with  their  rescued  captive,  returned  in  safety  to  the  settlement. 

A  short  time  after  Crawford's  defeat,  in  1782,  Wetzel  accompanied  Thomas  Mills,  a 
soldier  in  that  action,  to  obtain  his  horse,  which  he  had  left  near  the  site  of  St.  Clairsville. 
They  were  met  by  a  party  of  about  forty  Indians,  at  the  Indian  springs,  two  miles  from  St. 
Clairsville,  on  the  road  to  Wheeling.  Both  parties  discovered  each  other  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, when  Lewis  instantly  fired  and  killed  an  Indian,  while  the  Indians  wounded  his 
companion  in  the  heel,  overtook  and  killed  him.  Four  Indians  pursued  Wetzel.  About 
half  a  mile  beyond,  one  of  the  Indians  having  got,  in  the  pursuit,  within  a  few  steps,  Wet- 
zel wheeled  and  shot  him,  and  then  continued  the  retreat.  In  less  than  a  mile  farther,  a 
second  one  came  so  close  to  him  that,  as  he  turned  to  fire,  he  caught  the  muzzle  of  his  gun, 
when,  after  a  severe  struggle,  Wetzel  brought  it  to  his  chest,  and  discharging  it,  his  opponent 
fell  dead.  Wetzel  still  continued  on  his  course,  pursued  by  the  two  Indians.  All  three 
were  pretty  well  fatigued,  and  often  stopped  and  treed.  After  going  something  more  than 
a  mile,  Wetzel  took  advantage  of  an  open  ground,  over  which  the  Indians  were  passing, 
stopped  suddenly  to  shoot  the  foremost,  who  thereupon  sprang  behind  a  small  sapling. 
Wetzel  fired  and  wounded  him  mortally.  The  remaining  Indian  then  gave  a  little  yell, 
exclaiming,  "  No  catch  that  man,  gun  always  loaded."  After  the  peace  of  1795,  Wetzel 
pushed  for  the  frontier,  on  the  Mississippi,  where  he  could  trap  the  beaver,  hunt  the  buffalo 
and  deer,  and  occasionally  shoot  an  Indian,  the  object  of  his  mortal  hatred.  He  finally 
died,  as  he  had  lived,  a  free  man  of  the  forest. 


St.  Clairsville. 

St.  Clairsville,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  an  elevated  and 
romantic  site,  in  a  rich  agricultural  region,  on  the  line  of  the  National 
road,  11  miles  west  of  Wheeling,  and  116  east  of  Columbus.  It 
contains  6  places  for  public  worship :  2  Friends,  1  Presbyterian,  1 
Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  and  1  Union,  1  female  seminary,  12  mer- 
cantile stores,  2  or  3  newspaper  offices,  H.  Anderson's  map  engrav- 
ing and  publishing  establishment,  and,  in  1840,  had  829  inhabitants. 
Cuming's  tour,  published  in  1810,  states  that  this  town  "was  laid 
out  in  the  woods,  by  David  Newell,  in  1801.  On  the  south  side  of 
Newell's  plat,  is  an  additional  part,  laid  out  by  William  Matthews, 
which  was  incorporated  with  Newell's  plat,  on  the  23d  January, 
1807,  by  the  name  of  St.  Clairsville."  By  the  act  of  incorporation, 
the  following  officers  were  appointed  until  the  first  stated  meeting 
of  the  inhabitants  should  be  held  for  an  election,  viz.  John  Patterson, 


58  BELMONT  COUNTY. 

President;  Sterling  Johnston,  Recorder ;  Samuel  Sullivan,  Marshall, 
Groves  Wm.  Brown,  John  Brown,  and  Josiah  Dillon,  Trustees ; 
William  Congliton,  Collector;  James  Colwell,  Treasurer,  and 
Robert  Griffeth,  Town  Marshall.  The  view  given  was  taken  from 
an  elevation  west  of  the  town,  near  the  National  road,  and  Neis- 
wanger's  old  tavern,  shown  on  the  extreme  right.  The  building  in 
the  distance,  on  the  left,  shaded  by  poplars,  is  the  Friend's  meeting 
house ;  in  the  centre  is  shown  the  spire  of  the  court  house,  and  on 
the  right,  the  tower  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

St.  Clairsville  derives  its  name  from  the  unfortunate  but  meri- 
torious Arthur  St.  Clair.  He  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1734,  and 
after  receiving  a  classical  education  in  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
universities  of  his  native  country,  studied  medicine ;  but  having  a 
taste  for  military  pursuits,  he  sought  and  obtained  a  subaltern's 
appointment,  and  was  with  Wolfe  in  the  storming  of  Quebec. 
After  the  peace  of  17C3,  he  was  assigned  the  command  of  Fort 
Ligonier,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  received  there  a  grant  of  one  thousand 
acres.  Prior  to  the  revolutionary  war,  he  held  several  civil  offices. 
His  military  skill  and  experience,  intelligence  and  integrity  were 
such,  that  when  the  revolutionary  war  commenced,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Colonel  of  Continentals.  In  August,  1776,  he  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  Brigadier,  and  bore  an  active  part  in  the  battles  of 
Trenton  and  Princeton.  He  was  subsequently  created  a  Major 
General,  and  ordered  to  repair  to  Ticonderoga,  where  he  commanded 
the  garrison,  and  on  the  approach  of  Burgoyne's  army,  abandoned 
it.  Charges  of  cowardice,  incapacity  and  treachery  were  brought 
against  him,  in  consequence.  He  was  tried  by  a  court  martial,  who, 
with  all  the  facts  before  them,  acquitted  him,  accompanying  their 
report  with  the  declaration,  that  "  Major  General  St.  Clair  is  ac- 
quitted, with  the  highest  honor,  of  the  charges  against  him."  Con- 
gress subsequently,  with  an  unanimous  voice,  confirmed  this  sen- 
tence. The  facts  were,  that  the  works  were  incomplete  and  inca- 
pable of  being  defended  against  the  whole  British  army,  and  although 
St.  Clair  might  have  gained  great  applause  by  a  brave  attempt  at 
defence,  yet  it  would  have  resulted  in  the  death  of  many  of  his 
men,  and  probably  the  capture  of  the  remainder ;  a  loss  which,  it 
was  afterwards  believed  in  camp,  and  perhaps  foreseen  by  St.  Clair, 
would  have  prevented  the  taking  of  Burgoyne's  army.  In  daring 
to  do  an  unpopular  act,  for  the  public  good,  St.  Clair  exhibited  a 
high  degree  of  moral  courage,  and  deserves  more  honor  than  he 
who  wins  a  battle. 

St.  Clair  served,  with  reputation,  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In 
1785,  while  residing  on  his  farm,  at  Ligonier,  he  was  appointed  a 
delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress,  and  was  soon  after  chosen 
President  of  that  august  body.  After  the  passage  of  the  ordinance 
for  the  government  of  the  North-western  territory,  he  was  made 
governor,  and  continued  in  the  office  until  within  a  few  weeks  of 
the  termination  of  the  territorial  form  of  government,  in  the  winter 
of  1802-3,  when  he  was  removed  by  President  Jefferson. 


BELMONT  COUNTY.  59 

The  remainder  of  the  sketch  of  Gov.  St.  Clair,  we  give  in  ex- 
tracts from  the  Notes  of  Judge  Burnet,  who  was  personally  ac- 
quainted with  him.  Beside  being  clearly  and  beautifully  written, 
it  contains  important  facts  in  the  legislative  history  of  Ohio. 

During  the  continuance  of  the  first  grade  of  that  imperfect  government,  he  enjoyed  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  every  class  of  the  people.  He  was  plain  and  simple  in  his  dress 
and  equipage,  open  and  frank  in  his  manners,  and  accessible  to  persons  of  every  rank.  In 
these  respects,  he  exhibited  a  striking  contrast  with  the  Secretary,  Colonei  Sargent ;  and 
that  contrast,  in  some  measure,  increased  his  popularity,  which  he  retained,  unimpaired, 
till  after  the  commencement  of  the  first  session  of  the  legislature.  During  that  session,  he 
manifested  a  strong  desire  to  enlarge  his  own  powers,  and  restrict  those  of  the  Assembly ; 
which  was  the  more  noticed,  as  he  had  opposed  the  usurpations  of  the  legislative  council, 
composed  of  himself,  or  in  his  absence,  the  Secretary,  and  the  Judges  of  the  General 
Court ;  and  had  taken  an  early  opportunity  of  submitting  his  views  on  that  subject  to  the 
General  Assembly 

The  effect  of  the  construction  he  gave,  of  his  own  powers,  may  be  seen  in  the  fact, 
that  of  the  thirty  hills,  passed  by  the  two  Houses,  during  the  first  session,  and  sent  to  him 
for  his  approval,  he  refused  his  assent  to  eleven;  some  of  which  were  supposed  to  be  of 
much  importance,  and  all  of  them  calculated,  more  or  less,  to  advance  the  public  interest. 
Some  of  them  he  rejected,  because  they  related  to  the  establishment  of  new  counties; 
others,  because  he  thought  they  were  unnecessary  or  inexpedient.  Thus  more  than  a  third 
of  the  fruits  of  the  labor  of  that  entire  session  was  lost,  by  the  exercise  of  the  arbitrary 
discretion  of  one  man 

This,  and  some  other  occurrences  of  a  similar  character,  which  were  manifest  deviations 
from  his  usual  course,  not  easily  accounted  for,  multiplied  his  opponents  very  rapidly,  and 
rendered  it  more  difficult  for  his  friends  to  defend  and  sustain  him.  They  also  created  a 
state  of  bad  feeling  between  the  legislative  and  executive  branches,  and  eventually  termi- 
nated in  his  removal  from  office,  before  the  expiration  of  the  territorial  government. 

The  governor  was  unquestionably  a  man  of  superior  talents,  of  extensive  information, 
and  of  great  uprightness  of  purpose,  as  well  as  suavity  of  manners.  His  general  course, 
though  in  the  main  correct,  was  in  some  respects  injurious  to  his  own  popularity  ;  but  it 
was  the  result  of  an  honest  exercise  of  his  judgment.  He  not  only  believed  that  the 
power  he  claimed  belonged  legitimately  to  the  executive,  but  was  convinced  that  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  exercised  it,  was  imposed  on  him  as  a  duty,  by  the  Ordinance  ;  and  was 
calculated  to  advance  the  best"  interests  of  the  territory 

Soon  after  the  governor  was  removed  from  office,  he  returned  to  the  Legonier  valley, 
poor,  and  destitute  of  the  means  of  subsistence  ;  and  unfortunately,  too  much  disabled, 
by  age  and  infirmity,  to  embark  in  any  kind  of  active  business.  During  his  admin- 
istration of  the  territorial  government,  he  was  induced  to  make  himself  personally 
liable  for  the  purchase  of  a  number  of  pack-horses  and  other  articles  necessary  to  fit  out 
an  expedition  against  the  Indians,  to  an  amount  of  some  two  or  three  thousand  dollars, 
which  he  was  afterwards  compelled  to  pay.  Having  no  use  for  the  money  at  the  time,  he 
did  not  present  his  claim  to  the  government.  After  he  was  removed  from  office,  he  looked 
to  that  fund  as  his  dependence  for  future  subsistence  ;  and,  under  a  full  expectation  of 
receiving  it,  he  repaired  to  Washington  City,  and  presented  his  account  to  the  proper  offi- 
cer of  the  treasury.  To  his  utter  surprise  and  disappointment,  it  was  rejected,  on  the 
mortifying  ground,  that,  admitting  it  to  have  been  originally  correct,  it  was  barred  by  the 
statute  ;  and  that  the  time  which  had  elapsed,  afforded  the  highest  presumption  that  it  had 
been  settled,  although  no  voucher  or  memorandum  to  that  effect  could  be  found  in  the 
department.  To  counteract  the  alledged  presumption  of  payment,  the  original  vouchers, 
showing  the  purchase,  the  purpose  to  which  the  property  was  applied,  and  the  payment  of 
the  money,  were  exhibited.  It  was,  however,  still  insisted,  that  as  the  transaction  was  an 
old  one,  and  had  taken  place  before  the  burning  of  the  war  office,  in  Philadelphia,  the 
lapse  of  time  furnished  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  claim  must  have  been  settled,  and 
the  vouchers  destroyed  in  that  conflagration. 

The  pride  of  the  old  veteran  was  deeply  wounded,  by  the  ground  on  which  his  claim 
was  refused ;  and  he  was  induced,  from  that  consideration,  as  well  as  by  the  pressure  of 
poverty  atid  want,  to  persevere  in  his  efforts  to  maintain  the  justice  and  equity  of  his 
demand  ;  still  hoping  that  presumption  would  give  way  to  truth.  For  the  purpose  of 
getting  rid  of  his  solicitations,  Congress  passed  an  act,  purporting  to  be  an  act  for  his 
relief;  but  which  merely  removed  the  technical  objection,  founded  on  lapse  of  time,  by 
authorizing  a  settlement  of  his  demands,  regardless  of  the  limitation,     This  step  seemed 


60  BELMONT  COUNTY. 

necessary,  to  preserve  their  own  character;  but  it  left  the  icorn  out  veteran  still  at  the 
mercy  of  the  accounting  officers  of  the  department,  from  whom  he  had  nothing  to  expect, 
but  disappointment.  During  the  same  session,  a  bill  was  introduced  into  the  House  of 
Representatives,  granting  him  an  annnuity,  which  was  rejected,  on  the  third  reading,  by  a 
vote  of  48  to  50. 

After  spending  the  principal  part  of  two  sessions,  in  useless  efforts,  subsisting,  during  the 
time,  on  the  bounty  of  his  friends,  he  abandoned  the  pursuit  in  despair,  and  returned  to  the 
Legonier  valley,  where  he  lived  several  years  in  the  most  abject  poverty,  in  the  family  of  a 
widowed  daughter,  as  destitute  as  himself.  At  length,  Pennsylvania,  his  adopted  state, 
from  considerations  of  personal  respect,  and  gratitude  for  past  services,  as  well  as  from  a 
laudable  feeling  of  state  pride,  settled  on  him  an  annuity  of  three  hundred  dollars,  which 
was  soon  after  raised  to  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  That  act  of  beneficence  gave  to 
the  gallant  old  soldier  a  comfortable  subsis'ence  for  the  little  remnant  of  his  days  which 
then  remained.  The  honor  resulting  to  the  state,  from  that  step,  was  very  much  enhanced, 
by  the  fact,  that  the  individual  on  whom  their  bounty  was  bestowed,  was  a  foreigner,  and 
was  known  to  be  a  warm  opponent,  in  politics,  to  the  great  majority  of  the  legislature  and 
their  constituents. 

He  lived,  however,  but  a  short  time  to  enjoy  the  bounty.  On  the  31st  of  August,  1818, 
that  venerable  officer  of  the  Revolution,  after  a  long,  brilliant  and  useful  life,  died  of  an 
injury  occasioned  by  the  running  away  of  his  horse,  near  Greensburgh,  in  the  eighty-fourth 
year  of  his  age. 

Bridgeport,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Ohio,  opposite  the  city  of 
Wheeling,  and  on  the  National  road,  is  an  important  point  for  the 
forwarding  goods  to  the  West.  It  contains  1  church,  1  grist  and  1 
saw  mill,  3  stores,  3  forwarding  and  commission  houses,  and  had,  in 
1840,  329  inhabitants. 

In  the  spring  of  1791,  the  cabin  of  Captain  Joseph  Kirkwood,  at 
this  place,  was  attacked  at  night  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who,  after  a 
severe  action,  were  repulsed.  This  Captain  Kirkwood  "  was  the 
gallant  and  unrewarded  Captain  Kirkwood,  of  the  Delaware  line, 
in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  to  whom  such  frequent  and  honorable 
allusion  is  made  in  Lee's  memoir  of  the  Southern  campaigns.  The 
state  of  Delaware  had  but  one  continental  regiment,  which,  at  the 
defeat  at  Camden,  was  reduced  to  a  single  company.  It  was  there- 
fore impossible,  under  the  rules,  for  Kirkwood  to  be  promoted  ;  and 
he  was  under  the  mortification  of  beholding  inferior  officers  in  the 
regiments  of  other  states,  promoted  over  him,  while  he,  with  all  his 
merit,  was  compelled  to  remain  a  captain,  solely  in  consequence  of 
the  small  force  Delaware  was  enabled  to  maintain  in  the  service. 
He  fought  with  distinguished  gallantry  through  the  war,  and  was  in 
the  bloody  battles  of  Camden,  Holkirks,  Eutaw  and  Ninety  Six." 

Captain  Kirkwood  moved  to  this  place  in  1789,  and  built  his  cabin 
on  the  knoll,  about  thirty  yards  west  of  the  present  residence  of  Mr. 
M'Swords.  At  the  time  of  the  attack  on  the  cabin,  there  was  an 
unfinished  block-house  standing  on  the  highest  part  of  the  knoll, 
only  a  few  yards  distant.  On  the  night  of  the  attack,  a  party  of 
fourteen  soldiers,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Joseph  Biggs, 
together  with  Captain  Kirkwood  and  family,  were  in  the  cabin. 
About  two  hours  before  day  break,  the  captain's  little  son  Joseph, 
had  occasion  to  leave  the  cabin  for  a  few  moments,  and  requested 
Captain  Biggs  to  accompany  him.  They  were  out  but  a  few  min- 
utes, and  although  unknown  to  them,  were  surrounded  by  Indians. 
They  had  returned,  and  again  retired  to  sleep  in  the  upper  loft. 


BELMONT  COUNTY.  61 

when  they  soon  discovered  the  roof  in  a  blaze,  which  was  the  first 
intimation  they  had  of  the  presence  of  an  enemy.  Captain  K.  was 
instantly  awakened,  when  he  and  his  men  commenced  pushing  oft' 
the  roof,  the  Indians  at  the  same  time  firing  upon  them,  from  under 
cover  of  the  block-house.  Captain  Biggs,  on  the  first  alarm,  ran 
down  the  ladder  into  the  room  below,  to  get  his  rifle,  when  a  ball 
entered  a  window  and  wounded  him  in  the  wrist.  Soon  the  Indians 
had  surrounded  the  house,  and  attempted  to  break  in  the  door  with 
their  tomahawks.  Those  within  braced  it  with  puncheons  from  the 
floor.  In  the  panic  of  the  moment,  several  of  the  men  wished  to 
escape  from  the  cabin,  but  Captain  K.  silenced  them  with  the  threat 
of  taking  the  life  of  the  first  man  who  made  the  attempt,  asserting 
that  the  Indians  would  tomahawk  them  as  fast  as  they  left.  The 
people  of  Wheeling — one  mile  distant — hearing  the  noise  of  the 
attack,  fired  a  swivel,  to  encourage  the  defenders,  although  fearful  of 
coming  to  the  rescue.  This  enraged  the  Indians  the  more ;  they 
sent  forth  terrific  yells,  and  brought  brush,  piled  it  around  the  cabin, 
and  set  it  on  fire.  Those  within,  in  a  measure  smothered  the  flames, 
first  with  the  water  and  milk  in  the  house,  and  then  with  damp 
earth,  from  the  floor  of  the  cabin.  The  fight  was  kept  up  about 
two  hours,  until  dawn,  when  the  Indians  retreated.  Had  they  at- 
tacked earlier,  success  would  have  resulted.  The  loss  of  the  In- 
dians, or  their  number,  was  unknown — only  one  was  seen.  He  was 
in  the  act  of  climbing  up  the  corner  of  the  cabin,  when  he  was 
discovered,  let  go  his  hold  and  fell.  Seven  of  those  within  were 
wounded,  and  one,  a  Mr.  Walker,  mortally.  He  was  a  brave  man. 
As  he  lay,  disabled  and  helpless,  on  his  back,  on  the  earth,  he  called 
out  to  the  Indians,  in  a  taunting  manner.  He  died  in  a  few  hours, 
and  was  buried  the  next  day,  at  Wheeling,  with  military  honors. 
A  party  of  men,  under  Gen.  Benjamin  Biggs,  of  West  Liberty, 
went  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  but  without  success.  A  niece  of 
Captain  Kirkwood,  during  the  attack,  was  on  a  visit  about  twenty 
miles  distant,  on  Buffalo  creek.  In  the  night,  she  dreamed  that  the 
cabin  was  attacked,  and  heard  the  guns.  So  strong  an  impression 
did  it  make,  that  she  arose  and  rode  down  with  all  her  speed  to 
Wheeling,  where  she  arrived  two  hours  after  sunrise. 

After  this  affair,  Captain  Kirkwood  moved  with  his  family  to 
Newark,  Delaware.  On  his  route,  he  met  with  some  of  St.  Clair's 
troops,  then  on  their  way  to  Cincinnati.  Exasperated  at  the  Indians, 
for  their  attack  upon  his  house,  he  accepted  the  command  of  a  com- 
pany of  Delaware  troops,  was  with  them  at  the  defeat  of  St.  Clair, 
in  the  November  following,  "  where  he  fell,  in  a  brave  attempt  to 
repel  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet,  and  thus  closed  a  career  as  hon- 
orable as  it  was  unrewarded." 

Elizabeth  Zane,  who  acted  with  so  much  heroism  at  the  siege  of 
Wheeling,  in  1782,  lived  many  years  since  about  two  miles  above 
Bridgeport,  on  the  Ohio  side  of  the  river,  near  Martinsville.  She 
was  twice  married,  first  to  Mr.  M'Laughlin,  and  secondly  to  Mr. 
Clark.     The  anecdote  we  derive  from  a  published  source. 


62  BELMONT  COUNTY. 

When  Lynn,  the  ranger,  gave  the  alarm  that  an  Indian  army  was  approaching,  the  fort 
having  been  for  some  time  unoccupied  by  a  garrison,  and  Colonel  Zane's  house  having  been 
used  for  a  magazine,  those  who  retired  into  the  fortress  had  to  take  with  them  a  supply  of 
ammunition  for  its  defence.  The  supply  of  powder,  deemed  ample  at  the  time,  was  now 
almost  exhausted,  by  reason  of  the  long  continuance  of  the  siege,  and  the  repeated  en- 
deavors of  the  savages  to  take  the  fort  by  storm:  a  few  rounds  only  remained.  In  this 
emergency,  it  became  necessary  to  renew  their  stock  from  an  abundant  store  which  was 
deposited  in  Colonel  Zane's  house.  Accordingly,  it  was  proposed  that  one  of  the  fleetest 
men  should  endeavor  to  reach  the  house,  obtain  a  supply  of  powder,  and  return  with  it  to 
the  fort.  It  was  an  enterprise  full  of  danger ;  but  many  of  the  heroic  spirits  shut  up  in 
the  fort  were  willing  to  encounter  the  hazard.  Among  those  who  volunteered  to  go  on 
this  enterprise,  was  Elizabeth,  the  sister  of  Colonel  E.  Zane.  She  was  young,  active  and 
athletic,  with  courage  to  dare  the  danger,  and  fortitude  to  sustain  her  through  it.  Dis- 
daining to  weigh  the  hazard  of  her  own  life  against  that  of  others,  when  told  that  a  man 
would  encounter  less  danger  by  reason  of  his  greater  fleetness,  she  replied,  "  and  should  he 
fall,  his  loss  will  be  more  severely  felt ;  you  have  not  one  man  to  spare  ;  a  woman  will  not 
be  missed  in  the  defence  of  the  fort."  Her  services  were  then  accepted.  Divesting  herself 
of  some  of  her  garments,  as  tending  to  impede  her  progress,  she  stood  prepared  for  the 
hazardous  adventure  ;  and  when  the  gate  was  thrown  open,  bounded  forth  with  the  buoy- 
ancy of  hope,  and  in  the  confidence  of  success.  Wrapt  in  amazement,  the  Indians  beheld 
her  springing  forward,  and  only  exclaiming,  "  a  squaw,"  "  a  squaw,"  no  attempt  was 
made  to  interrupt  her  progress:  arrived  at  the  door,  she  proclaimed  her  errand.  Colonel 
Silas  Zane  fastened  a  table  cloth  around  her  waist,  and  emptying  into  it  a  keg  of  powder, 
again  she  ventured  forth.  The  Indians  were  no  longer  passive.  Ball  after  ball  whizzed 
by,  several  of  which  passed  through  her  clothes :  she  reached  the  gate,  and  entered  the  fort 
in  safety ;  and  thus  was  the  garrison  again  saved  by  female  intrepidity.  This  heroine  had 
but  recently  returned  from  Philadelphia,  where  she  had  received  her  education,  and  was 
wholly  unused  to  such  scenes  as  were  daily  passing  on  the  frontiers.  The  distance  she 
had  to  run  was  about  forty  yards. 

Among  the  best  sketches  of  backwoods  life,  is  that  written  by  Mr. 
John  S.  Williams,  editor  of  the  American  Pioneer,  and  published 
in  it  in  October,  1843.  In  the  spring  of  1800,  his  father's  family  re- 
moved from  Carolina  and  settled  with  others  on  Glenn's  run,  about 
six  miles  northeast  of  St.  Clairsville.  He  was  then  a  lad,  as  he  re- 
lates, of  seventy  five  pounds  weight.  From  his  sketch,  "  Our  Cabin  ; 
or  Life  in  the  Woods,"  we  make  some  extracts. 

Emigrants  poured  in  from  different  parts,  cabins  were  put  up  in  every  direction,  and  wo- 
men, children  and  goods  tumbled  into  them.  The  tide  of  emigration  flowed  like  water 
through  a  breach  in  a  mill-dam.  Every  thing  was  bustle  and  confusion,  and  all  at  work 
that  could  work.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  the  mumps,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  other  dis- 
eases, prevailed  and  gave  us  a  seasoning.  Our  cabin  had  been  raised,  covered,  part  of 
the  cracks  chinked,  and  part  of  the  floor  laid  when  we  moved  in,  on  Christmas  day ! 
There  had  not  been  a  stick  cut  except  in  building  the  cabin.  We  had  intended  an  inside 
chimney,  for  we  thought  the  chimney  ought  to  be  in  the  house.  We  had  a  log  put  across 
the  whole  width  of  the  cabin  for  a  mantel,  but  when  the  floor  was  in  we  found  it  so  low  as 
not  to  answer,  and  removed  it.  Here  was  a  great  change  for  my  mother  and  sister,  as  well 
as  the  rest,  but  particularly  my  mother.  She  was  raised  in  the  most  delicate  manner  in  and 
near  London,  and  lived  most  of  her  time  in  affluence,  and  always  comfortable.  She  was 
now  in  the  wilderness,  surrounded  by  wild  beasts ;  in  a  cabin  with  about  half  a  floor,  no 
door,  no  ceiling  over  head,  not  even  a  tolerable  sign  for  a  fireplace,  the  light  of  day  and  the 
chilling  winds  of  night  passing  between  every  two  logs  in  the  building,  the  cabin  so  high 
from  the  ground  that  a  bear,  wolf,  panther,  or  any  other  animal  less  in  size  than  a  cow, 
could  enter  without  even  a  squeeze.  Such  was  our  situation  on  Thursday  and  Thursday 
night,  December  25th,  1800,  and  which  was  bettered  but  by  very  slow  degrees.  We  got 
the  rest  of  the  floor  laid  in  a  very  few  days,  the  chinking  of  the  cracks  went  on  slowly, 
but  the  daubing  could  not  proceed  till  weather  more  suitable,  which  happened  in  a  few 
days  ;  door-ways  were  sawed  out  and  steps  made  of  the  logs,  and  the  back  of  the  chimney 
was  raised  up  to  the  mantel,  but  the  funnel  of  sticks  and  clay  was  delayed  until  spring.  .  . 

Our  family  consisted  of  my  mother,  a  sister,  of  twenty-two,  my  brother,  near  twenty-one 
and  very  weakly.,  and  myself,  in  my  eleventh  year.     Two  years  afterwards,  Black  Jenny 


BELMONT    COUNTY. 


C3 


followed  us  in  company  with  my  half-brother,  Richard,  and  his  family.     She   lived  two 
years  with  us  in  Ohio,  and  died  in  the  winter  of  1803-4. 

In  building  our  cabin  it  was  set  to  front  the  north  and  south,  my  brother  using  my  father's 
pocket  compass  on  the  occasion.     We  had  no  idea  of  living  in  a  house  that  did  not  stand 


Our  Cabin ;  or  Life  in  the  Woods. 

square  with  the  earth  itself.  This  argued  our  ignorance  of  the  comforts  and  conveniencies  of 
a  pioneer  life.  The  position  of  the  house,  end  to  the  hill,  necessarily  elevated  the  lower 
end,  and  the  determination  of  having  both  a  north  and  south  door,  added  much  to  the  airi- 
ness of  the  domicil,  particularly  after  the  green  ash  puncheons  had  shrunk  so  as  to  have 
cracks  in  the  floor  and  doors  from  one  to  two  inches  wide.  At  both  the  doors  we  had  high, 
unsteady,  and  sometimes  icy  steps,  made  by  piling  up  the  logs  cut  out  of  the  wall.  We 
had,  as  the  reader  will  see,  a  window,  if  it  could  be  called  a  window,  when,  perhaps,  it 
was  the  largest  spot  in  the  top,  bottom,  or  sides  of  the  cabin  at  watch  the  wind  could  not 
enter.  It  was  made  by  sawing  out  a  log,  placing  sticks  across,  and  then,  by  pasting  an  old 
newspaper  over  the  hole,  and  applying  some  hog's  lard,  we  had  a  kind  of  glazing  which 
shed  a  most  beautiful  and  mellow  light  across  die  cabin  when  the  sun  shone  on  it.  All 
other  light  entered  at  the  doors,  cracks  and  chimney. 

Our  cabin  was  twenty  four  by  eighteen.  The  west  end  was  occupied  by  two  beds,  the 
center  of  each  side  by  a  door,  and  here  our  symmetry  had  to  stop,  for  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  window,  made  of  clapboards,  supported  on  pins  driven  into  the  logs,  were  our  shelves. 
Upon  these  shelves  my  sister  displayed  in  ample  order,  a  host  of  pewter  plates,  basins,  and 
flishes,  and  spoons,  scoured  and  bright.  It  was  none  of  your  new-fangled  pewter  made  of 
lead,  but  the  best  London  pewter,  which  our  father  himself  bought  of  Townsend,  the  man- 
ufacturer. These  were  the  plates  upon  which  you  could  hold  your  meat  so  as  to  cut  it 
without  slipping  and  without  dulling  yo\  r  knife.  But,  alas  !  the  days  of  pewter  plates  and 
sharp  dinner  knives  have  passed  away  never  to  return.  To  return  to  our  internal  ar- 
rangements. A  ladder  of  five  rounds  occupied  the  corner  near  the  window.  By  this, 
when  we  got  a  floor  above,  we  could  ascend.  Our  chimney  occupied  most  of  the  east  end  ; 
pots  and  kettles  opposite  the  window  under  the  shelves,  a  gun  on  hooks  over  the  north 
door,  four  split-bottom  chairs,  three  three-legged  stools,  and  a  small  eight  by  ten  looking- 
glass  sloped  from  the  wall  over  a  large  towel  and  combcase.  These,  with  a  clumsy  shovel 
and  a  pair  of  tongs,  made  in  Frederick,  with  one  shank  straight,  as  the  best  manufacture 
of  pinches  and  blood-blisters,  completed  our  furniture,  except  a  spinning-wheel  and  such 
things  as  were  necessary  to  work  with.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  to  have  three-legged 
stools,  as  four  legs  of  any  thing  could  not  all  touch  the  floor  at  the  same  time. 

The  completion  of  our  cabin  went  on  slowly.  The  season  was  inclement,  we  were 
weak-handed  and  weak-pocketed  ;  in  fact,  laborers  were  not  to  be  had.  We  got  our  chim- 
ney up  breast  high  as  soon  as  we  could,  and  got  our  cabin  daubed  as  high  as  the  joists 
outside.     It  never  was  daubed  on  the  inside,  for  my  sister,  who  was  very  nice,  could  not 


64  BELiMONT  COUNTY. 

consent  to  "  live  right  next  to  the  mud."  My  impression  now  is,  that  the  window  was 
not  constructed  till  spring,  for  until  the  sticks  and  clay  was  put  on  the  chimney  we  could 
possibly  have  no  need  of  a  window  ;  for  the  flood  of  light  which  always  poured  into  the 
cabin  from  the  fireplace  would  have  extinguished  our  paper  window,  and  rendered  it  as 
useless  as  the  moon  at  noonday.  We  got  a  floor  laid  over  head  as  soon  as  possible,  per- 
haps in  a  month  ;  but  when  it  was  laid,  the  reader  will  readily  conceive  of  its  imperviousness 
to  wind  or  weather,  when  we  mention  that  it  was  laid  of  loose  clapboards  split  from  a  red 
oak,  the  stump  of  which  may  be  seen  beyond  the  cabin.  That  tree  grew  in  the  night,  and 
so  twisting  that  each  board  laid  on  two  diagonally  opposite  corners,  and  a  cat  might  have 
shook  every  board  on  our  ceiling. 

It  may  be  well  to  inform  the  unlearned  reader  that  clapboards  are  such  lumber  as  pio- 
neers split  with  a  frow,  and  resemble  barrel  staves  before  they  are  shaved,  but  are  split 
longer,  wider  and  thinner  ;  of  such  our  roof  and  ceiling  were  composed.  Puncheons 
were  planks  made  by  splitting  logs  to  about  two  and  a  half  or  three  inches  in  thickness, 
and  hewing  them  on  one  or  both  sides  with  the  broad-axe.  Of  such  our  floor,  doors,  ta- 
bles and  stools  were  manufactured.  The  eave-bearers  are  those  end  logs  which  project 
over  to  receive  the  butting  poles,  against  which  the  lower  tier  of  clapboards  rest  in  forming 
the  roof.  The  trapping  is  the  roof  timbers,  composing  the  gable  end  and  the  ribs,  the  ends 
of  which  appear  in  the  drawing,  being  those  logs  upon  which  the  clapboards  lie.  The 
trap  logs  are  those  of  unequal  length  above  the  eave  bearers,  which  form  the  gable  ends, 
and  upon  which  the  ribs  rest.  The  weight  poles  are  those  small  logs  laid  on  the  roof, 
which  weigh  down  the  course  of  clapboards  on  which  they  lie,  and  against  which  the  next 
course  above  is  placed.  The  knees  are  pieces  of  heart  timber  placed  above  the  butting 
poles,  successively,  to  prevent  the  weight  poles  from  rolling  off. 

The  evenings  of  the  first  winter  did  not  pass  off  as  pleasantly  as  evenings  afterward. 
We  had  raised  no  tobacco  to  stem  and  twist,  no  corn  to  shell,  no  turnips  to  scrape  ;  we 
had  no  tow  to  spin  into  rope-yarn,  nor  straw  to  plait  for  hats,  and  we  had  come  so  late  we 
could  get  but  few  walnuts  to  crack.  We  had,  however,  the  Bible,  George  Fox's  Journal, 
Barkley's  Apology,  and  a  number  of  books,  all  better  than  much  of  the  fashionable  read- 
ing of  the  present  day — from  which,  after  reading,  the  reader  finds  he  has  gained  nothing, 
while  his  understanding  has  been  made  the  dupe  of  the  writer's  fancy — that  while  reading 
he  had  given  himself  up  to  be  led  in  mazes  of  fictitious  imagination,  and  losing  his  taste 
for  solid  reading,  as  frothy  luxuries  destroy  the  appetite  for  wholesome  food.  To  our  stock 
of  books  were  soon  after  added  a  borrowed  copy  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  which  we  read 
twice  through  without  stopping.  The  first  winter  our  living  was  truly  scanty  and  hard  ; 
but  even  this  winter  had  its  felicities.  We  had  part  of  a  barrel  of  flour  which  we  had 
brought  from  Fredericktown.  Besides  this,  we  had  a  part  of  a  jar  of  hog's  lard  brought 
from  old  Carolina  ;  not  the  tasteless  stuff  which  now  goes  by  that  name,  but  pure  leaf  lard, 
taken  from  hogs  raised  on  pine  roots  and  fattened  on  sweet  potatoes,  and  into  which,  while 
rendering,  were  immersed  the  boughs  of  the  fragrant  bay  tree,  that  imparted  to  the  lard  a 
rich  flavor.  Of  that  flour,  shortened  with  this  lard,  my  sister  every  Sunday  morning,  and 
at  7io  other  time,  made  short  biscuit  for  breakfast — not  these  greasy  gum-elastic  biscuit,  we 
mostly  meet  with  now,  rolled  out  with  a  pin,  or  cut  out  with  a  cutter ;  or  those  that  are,  per- 
haps, speckled  by  or  puffed  up  with  refined  lye  called  sala;ratus,  but  made  out,  one  by 
one,  in  her  fair  hands,  placed  in  neat  juxtaposition  in  a  skillet  or  spider,  pricked  with  a 
fork  to  prevent  blistering,  and  baked  before  an  open  fire — not  half-baked  and  half-stewed 
in  a  cooking  stove.     ...... 

In  the  ordering  of  a  good  Providence  the  winter  was  open,  but  windy.  While  the  wind 
was  of  great  use  in  driving  the  smoke  and  ashes  out  of  our  cabin,  it  shook  terribly  the 
timber  standing  almost  over  us.  We  were  sometimes  much  and  needlessly  alarmed.  We 
had  never  seen  a  dangerous  looking  tree  near  a  dwelling,  but  here  we  were  surrounded  by 
the  tall  giants  of  the  forest,  waving  their  boughs  and  uniting  their  brows  over  us,  as  if  in 
defiance  of  our  disturbing  their  repose,  and  usurping  their  long  and  uncontested  pre- 
emption rights.  The  beech  on  the  left  often  shook  his  bushy  head  over  us  as  if  in  absolute 
disapprobation  of  our  settling  there,  threatening  to  crush  us  if  we  did  not  pack  up  and  start. 
The  walnut  over  the  spring  branch  stood  high  and  straight  ;  no  one  could  tell  which  way 
it  inclined,  but  all  concluded  that  if  it  had  a  preference,  it  was  in  favor  of  quartering  on 
our  cabin.  We  got  assistance  to  cut  it  down.  The  axeman  doubted  his  ability  to  control 
its  direction,  by  reason  that  he  must  necessarily  cut  it  almost  off  before  it  would  fall.  He 
thought  by  felling  the  tree  in  the  direction  of  the  reader,  along  near  the  chimney,  and  thus 
favor  the  little  lean  it  seemed  to  have,  would  be  the  means  of  saving  the  cabin.  He  was 
successful.  Part  of  the  stump  still  stands.  These,  and  all  other  dangerous  trees,  were  got 
down  without  other  damage  than  many  frights  and  frequent  desertions  of  the  premises,  by 


BELMONT  COUNTY.  65 

the  family  while  the  trees  were  being  cut.  The  ash  beyond  the  house  crossed  the  scarf 
and  fell  on  the  cabin,  but  without  damage 

The  monotony  of  the  time  for  several  of  the  first  years  was  broken  and  enlivened  by 
the  howl  of  wild  beasts.  The  wolves  howling  around  us  seemed  to  moan  their  inability  to 
drive  us  from  their  long  and  undisputed  domain.  The  bears,  panthers  and  deers  seemingly 
got  miffed  at  our  approach  or  the  partiality  of  the  hunters,  and  but  seldom  troubled  us. 
One  bag  of  meal  would  make  a  whole  family  rejoicingly  happy  and  thankful  then,  when 
a  loaded  East  Indiaman  will  fail  to  do  it  now,  and  is  passed  off  as  a  common  business 
transaction  without  ever  once  thinking  of  the  Giver,  so  independent  have  we  become  in  the 
short  space  of  forty  years !  Having  got  out  of  the  wilderness  in  less  time  than  the  children 
of  Israel,  we  seem  to  be  even  more  forgetful  and  unthankful  than  they.  When  spring  was 
fully  come  and  our  little  patch  of  corn,  three  acres,  put  in  among  the  beech  roots,  which 
at  every  step  contended  with  the  shovel-plough  for  the  right  of  soil,  and  held  it  too,  we 
enlarged  our  stock  of  conveniences.  As  soon  as  bark  would  run,  (peel  off,)  we  could 
make  ropes  and  bark  boxes.  These  we  stood  in  great  need  of,  as  such  things  as  bureaus, 
stands,  wardrobes,  or  even  barrels,  were  not  to  be  had.  The  manner  of  making  ropes  of 
linn  bark,  was  to  cut  the  bark  in  strips  of  convenient  length,  and  water-rot  it  in  the  same 
manner  as  rotting  flax  or  hemp.  When  this  was  done,  the  inside  bark  would  peel  off  and 
split  up  so  fine  as  to  make  a  pretty  considerably  rough  and  good-for-but-little  kind  of  a 
rope.  Of  this,  however,  we  were  very  glad,  and  let  no  ship  owner  with  his  grass  ropes 
laugh  at  us.  We  made  two  kinds  of  boxes  for  furniture.  One  kind  was  of  hickory  bark 
with  the  outside  shaved  off.  This  we  would  take  off  all  around  the  tree,  the  size  of  which 
would  determine  the  calibre  of  our  box.  Into  one  end  we  wquld  place  a  flat  piece  of 
bark  or  puncheon  cut  round  to  fit  in  the  bark,  which  stood  on  end  the  same  as  when  on 
the  tree.  There  was  little  need  of  hooping,  as  the  strength  of  the  bark  would  keep  that 
all  right  enough.  Its  shrinkage  would  make  the  top  unsightly  in  a  parlor  now-a-days,  but 
then  they  were  considered  quite  an  addition  to  the  furniture.  A  much  finer  article  was 
made  of  slippery-elm  bark,  shaved  smooth  and  with  the  inside  out,  bent  round  and  sewed 
together  where  the  ends  of  the  hoop  or  main  bark  lapped  over.  The  length  of  the  bark 
was  around  the  box,  and  inside  out.  A  bottom  was  made  of  a  piece  of  the  same  bark  dried 
flat,  and  a  lid  like  that  of  a  common  band  box,  made  in  the  same  way.  This  was  the 
finest  furniture  in  a  lady's  dressing  room,  and  then,  as  now,  with  the  finest  furniture,  the 
lapped  or  sewed  side  was  turned  to  the  wall  and  the  prettiest  part  to  the  spectator.  They 
were  usually  made  oval,  and  while  the  bark  was  green  were  easily  ornamented  with  draw- 
ings of  birds,  trees,  &c,  agreeably  to  the  taste  and  skill  of  the  fair  manufacturer.  As 
we  belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends,  it  may  be  fairly  presumed  that  our  band  boxes  were 
not  thus  ornamented 

We  settled  on  beech  land,  which  took  much  labor  to  clear.  We  could  do  no  better  than 
clear  out  the  smaller  stuff  and  burn  the  brush,  &c,  around  the  beeches  which,  in  spite  of 
the  girdling  and  burning  we  could  do  to  them,  would  leaf  out  the  first  year,  and  often  a  little 
the  second.  The  land,  however,  was  very  rich,  and  would  bring  better  corn  than  might 
be  expected.  We  had  to  tend  it  principally  with  the  hoe,  that  is,  to  chop  down  the  nettles, 
the  water-weed,  and  the  touch-me-not.  Grass,  careless,  lambs-quarter,  and  Spanish  nee- 
dles were  reserved  to  pester  the  better  prepared  farmer.  We  cleared  a  small  turnip  patch, 
which  we  got  in  about  the  10th  of  August.  We  sowed  in  timothy  seed,  which  took  well, 
and  next  year  we  had  a  little  hay  besides.  The  tops  and  blades  of  the  corn  were  also 
carefully  saved  for  our  horse,  cow,  and  the  two  sheep.  The  turnips  were  sweet  and  good, 
and  in  the  fall  we  took  care  to  gather  walnuts  and  hickory  nuts,  which  were  very  abun- 
dant. These,  with  the  turnips  which  we  scraped,  supplied  the  place  of  fruit.  I  have  al- 
ways been  partial  to  scraped  turnips,  and  could  now  beat  any  three  dandies  at  scraping 
them.  Johnny-cake,  also,  when  we  had  meal  to  make  it  of,  helped  to  make  up  our  eve- 
ning's repast.  The  Sunday  morning  biscuit  had  all  evaporated,  but  the  loss  was  partially 
supplied  by  the  nuts  and  turnips.  Our  regular  supper  was  mush  and  milk,  and  by  the 
time  we  had  shelled  our  corn,  stemmed  tobacco,  and  plaited  straw  to  make  hats,  &c,  &c, 
the  mush  and  milk  had  seemingly  decamped  from  the  neighborhood  of  our  ribs.  To  re- 
lieve this  difficulty,  my  brother  and  I  would  bake  a  thin  johnny-cake,  part  of  which  we 
would  eat,  and  leave  the  rest  till  morning.  At  daylight  we  would  eat  the  balance  as  we 
walked  from  the  house  to  work. 

The  methods  of  eating  mush  and  milk  were  various.  Some  would  sit  around  the  pot, 
and  every  one  take  therefrom  for  himself.  Some  would  set  a  table  and  each  have  his  tin 
cup  of  milk,  and  with  a  pewter  spoon  take  just  as  much  mush  from  the  dish  or  the  pot, 
if  it  was  on  the  table,  as  he  thought  would  fill  his  mouth  or  throat,  then  lowering  it  into 
the  milk,  would  take  some  to  wash  it  down.     This  method  kept  the  milk  cool,  and  by 


66  BROWN  COUNTY. 

frequent  repetitions  the  pioneer  would  contract  a  faculty  of  correctly  estimating  the  proper 
amount  of  each.     Others  would  mix  mush  and  milk  together.     ....'. 

To  get  grinding  done  was  often  a  great  difficulty,  by  reason  of  the  scarcity  of  mills,  the 
freezes  in  winter,  and  droughts  in  summer.  We  had  often  to  manufacture  meal  (when  we 
had  corn)  in  any  way  we  could  get  the  corn  to  pieces.  We  soaked  and  pounded  it,  we 
shaved  it,  we  planed  it,  and,  at  the  proper  season,  grated  it.  When  one  of  our  neighbors 
got  a  hand-mill,  it  was  thought  quite  an  acquisition  to  the  neighborhood.  In  after  years, 
when  in  time  of  freezing  or  drought,  we  could  get  grinding  by  waiting  for  our  turn  no 
more  than  one  day  and  a  night  at  a  horse  mill,  we  thought  ourselves  happy.  To  save 
meal  we  often  made  pumpkin  bread,  in  which  when  meal  was  scarce,  the  pumpkin  would 
so  predominate  as  to  render  it  next  to  impossible  to  tell  our  bread  from  that  article,  either 
by  taste,  looks,  or  the  amount  of  nutriment  it  contained.  Salt  was  five  dollars  per  bushel, 
and  we  used  none  in  our  corn  bread,  which  we  soon  liked  as  well  without  it.  Often  has 
sweat  ran  into  my  mouth,  which  tasted  as  fresh  and  flat  as  distilled  water.  What  meat 
we  had  at  first  was  fresh,  and  but  little  of  that,  for  had  we  been  hunters  we  had  no  time  to 
practice  it. 

We  had  no  candles,  and  cared  but  little  about  them  except  for  summer  use.  In  Carolina 
we  had  the  real  fat  light-wood,  not  merely  pine  knots,  but  the  fat  straight  pine.  This,  from 
the  brilliancy  of  our  parlor,  of  winter  evenings,  might  be  supposed  to  put,  not  only  can- 
dles, lamps,  camphine,  Greenough's  chemical  oil,  but  even  gas  itself,  to  the  blush.  In  the 
West  we  had  not  this,  but  my  business  was  to  ramble  the  woods  every  evening  for  sea- 
soned sticks,  or  the  bark  of  the  shelly  hickory,  for  light.  'Tis  true  that  our  light  was  not 
as  good  as  even  candles,  but  we  got  along  without  fretting,  for  we  depended  more  upon 
the  goodness  of  our  eyes  than  we  did  upon  the  brilliancy  of  the  light. 

Barnesville,  18  miles  wsw.  of  St.  Clairsville,  is  a  large  and  flour- 
ishing town,  containing  2  churches,  1  male  academy,  1  masonic  hall, 
and  a  population  of  about  750.  Martinsville,  2  miles  nw.  of  Wheel- 
ing city,  on  the  Ohio  river,  contains  3  churches,  3  stores,  and  a 
population  of  400.  Morristown,  10  miles  w.  of  St.  Clairsville,  on 
the  National  road,  has  5  stores,  2  churches,  and  350  people.  Flush- 
ing, 10  miles  nw.  of  St.  Clairsville,  has  3  stores  and  250  people. 
Bellaire,  Belmont,  Hendrysburg,  Jacobsburg,  Somerton,  Uniontown, 
West  Wheeling,  Burlington,  Centreville,  Farmington,  Loydsville, 
Shepperdstown,  and  Steinersvile,  are  also  small  villages. 


BROWN. 

Brown  was  formed  from  Adams  and  Clermont,  March  1,  1817, 
and  named  from  Gen.  Jacob  Brown,  an  officer  of  the  war  of  1812. 
Excepting  the  Ohio  river  hills,  the  surface  is  level  or  undulating, 
and  the  soil  generally  fertile  :  the  northern  part,  more  especially,  is 
adapted  to  grazing,  and  the  southern  to  grain.  The  staples  are 
wheat,  corn,  rye,  oats  and  pork.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Byrd,         2422         Huntington,    1957         Pleasant,         1485 
Clark,        1290         Jackson,  1253         Scott,  1101 

Eagle,         888         Lewis,  2044         Sterling,  608 

Franklin,  1199         Perry,  1869         Union,  2071 

Green,         358         Pike,  792         Washington,    848 

Population  of  Brown  county,  in  1820,  13,367;  in  1830,  17,866; 
in  1840,  22,715,  or  44  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

A  short  time  previous  to  the  settlement  of  this  county,  a  severe 


BROWN  COUNTY.  67 

•attle  was  fought  at  a  locality,  called  "  the  salt  lick,"  in  Perry  town- 
ship, in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  between  a  party  of  Ken- 
tuckians  and  some  Indians,  under  Tecumseh.  The  circumstances 
are  here  given  from  Drake's  life  of  that  celebrated  Indian  chief. 

"In  the  month  of  March,  1792,  some  horses  were  stolen  by  the 
Indians,  from  the  settlements  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky.  A  party 
of  whites,  to  the  number  of  thirty-six,  was  immediately  raised  for 
the  purpose  of  pursuing  them.  It  embraced  Kenton,  Whiteman, 
M'Intyre,  Downing,  Washburn,  Calvin  and  several  other  expe- 
rienced woodsmen.  The  first  named,  Simon  Kenton,  a  distinguished 
Indian  fighter,  was  placed  in  command.  The  trail  of  the  Indians 
being  taken,  it  was  found  they  had  crossed  the  Ohio,  just  below  the 
mouth  of  Lee's  creek,  which  was  reached  by  the  pursuing  party 
towards  evening.  Having  prepared  rafts,  they  crossed  the  Ohio 
that  night,  and  encamped.  Early  next  morning  the  trail  was  again 
taken  and  pursued,  on  a  north  course,  all  day,  the  weather  being  bad 
and  the  ground  wet.  On  the  ensuing  morning,  twelve  of  the  men 
were  unable  to  continue  the  pursuit,  and  were  permitted  to  return. 
The  remainder  followed  the  trail  until  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when 
a  bell  was  heard,  which  they  supposed  indicated  their  approach  to 
the  Indian  camp.  A  halt  was  called,  and  all  useless  baggage  and 
clothing  laid  aside.  Whiteman  and  two  others  were  sent  ahead  as 
spies,  in  different  directions,  each  being  followed  by  a  detachment 
of  the  party.  After  moving  forward  some  distance,  it  was  found 
that  the  bell  was  approaching  them.  They  halted,  and  soon  per- 
ceived a  solitary  Indian  riding  towards  them.  When  within  one 
hundred  and  fifty  yards,  he  was  fired  at  and  killed.  Kenton  directed 
the  spies  to  proceed,  being  now  satisfied  that  the  camp  of  the  In- 
dians was  near  at  hand.  They  pushed  on  rapidly,  and  after  going 
about  four  miles,  found  the  Indians  encamped  on  the  south-east  side 
of  the  east  fork  of  the  Little  Miami,  a  few  miles  above  the  place  where 
the  town  of  Williamsburg  has  since  been  built.  The  indications  of 
a  considerable  body  of  Indians  were  so  strong,  that  the  expediency 
of  an  attack  at  that  hour  of  the  day  was  doubted  by  Kenton.  A 
hurried  council  was  held,  in  which  it  was  determined  to  retire,  if  it 
could  be  done  without  discovery,  and  lie  concealed  until  night,  and 
then  assault  the  camp.  This  plan  was  carried  into  execution.  Two 
of  the  spies  were  left  to  watch  the  Indians,  and  ascertain  whether 
the  pursuing  party  had  been  discovered.  The  others  retreated  for 
some  distance,  and  took  a  commanding  position  on  a  ridge.  The 
spies  watched  until  night,  and  then  reported  to  their  commander, 
that  they  had  not  been  discovered  by  the  enemy.  The  men  being 
wet  and  cold,  they  were  now  marched  down  into  a  hollow,  where 
they  kindled  fires,  dried  their  clothes,  and  put  their  rifles  in  order. 
The  party  was  then  divided  into  three  detachments, — Kenton  com- 
manding the  right,  M'Intyre  the  centre,  and  Downing  the  left.  By 
agreement,  the  three  divisions  were  to  move  towards  the  camp, 
simultaneously,  and  when  they  had  approached  as  near  as  possible, 
without  giving  an  alarm,  were  to  be  guided  in  the  commencement 


68  BROWN  COUNTY. 

of  the  attack,  by  the  fire  from  Kenton's  party.  When  Downing  and 
his  detachment  had  approached  close  to  the  camp,  an  Indian  rose 
upon  his  feet,  and  began  to  stir  up  the  fire,  which  was  but  dimly 
burning.  Fearing  a  discovery,  Downing's  party  instantly  shot  him 
down.  This  was  followed  by  a  general  fire  from  the  three  detach- 
ments, upon  the  Indians  who  were  sleeping  under  some  marquees 
and  bark  tents,  close  upon  the  margin  of  the  stream.  But  un- 
fortunately, as  it  proved  in  the  sequel,  Kenton's  party  had  taken 
"  Boone,"  as  their  watch- word.  This  name  happening  to  be  as 
familiar  to  the  enemy  as  themselves,  led  to  some  confusion  in  the 
course  of  the  engagement.  When  fired  upon,  the  Indians,  instead 
of  retreating  across  the  stream,  as  had  been  anticipated,  boldly  stood 
to  their  arms,  returned  the  fire  of  the  assailants,  and  rushed  upon 
them.  They  were  reinforced,  moreover,  from  a  camp  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  river,  which,  until  then,  had  been  unperceived  by  the 
whites.  In  a  few  minutes,  the  Indians  and  the  Kentuckians  were 
blended  with  each  other,  and  the  cry  of  "  Boone,"  and  "  Che  Boone," 
arose  simultaneously  from  each  party. 

"It  was  after  midnight  when  the  attack  was  made,  and  there  being 
no  moon,  it  was  very  dark.  Kenton,  perceiving  that  his  men  were 
likely  to  be  overpowered,  ordered  a  retreat,  after  the  attack  had 
lasted  for  a  few  minutes  ;  this  was  continued  through  the  remaindei 
of  the  night  and  part  of  the  next  day,  the  Indians  pursuing  them, 
but  without  killing  more  than  one  of  the  retreating  party.  The 
Kentuckians  lost  but  two  men,  Alexander  M'Intyre  and  John  Barr. 
The  loss  of  the  Indians  was  much  greater,  according  to  the  state- 
ments of  some  prisoners,  who,  after  the  peace  of  1795,  were  re- 
leased and  returned  to  Kentucky.  They  related,  that  fourteen  In- 
dians were  killed,  and  seventeen  wounded.  They  stated  further, 
that  there  were  in  the  camp  about  one  hundred  warriors,  among 
them  several  chiefs  of  note,  including  Tecumseh,  Battise,  Black 
Snake,  Wolf  and  Chinskau ;  and  that  the  party  had  been  formed  for 
the  purpose  of  annoying  the  settlements  in  Kentucky,  and  attacking 
boats  descending  the  Ohio  river.  Kenton  and  his  party  were  three 
days  in  reaching  Limestone,  during  two  of  which  they  were  without 
food,  and  destitute  of  sufficient  clothing  to  protect  them  from  the 
cold  winds  and  rains  of  March.  The  foregoing  particulars  of  this 
expedition  are  taken  from  the  manuscript  narrative  of  Gen.  Benja- 
min Whiteman,  one  of  the  early  and  gallant  pioneers  to  Kentucky, 
now  a  resident  of  Green  county,  Ohio. 

"  The  statements  of  Anthony  Shane  and  of  Stephen  Ruddell,  touch- 
ing this  action,  vary  in  some  particulars  from  that  which  has  been 
given  above,  and  also  from  the  narrative  in  McDonald's  Sketches. 
The  principal  difference  relates  to  the  number  of  Indians  in  the 
engagement,  and  the  loss  sustained  by  them.  They  report  but  two 
killed,  and  that  the  Indian  force  was  less  than  that  of  the  whites. 
Ruddell  states,  that  at  the  commencement  of  the  attack,  Tecumseh 
was  lying  by  the  fire,  outside  of  the  tents.  When  the  first  gun  was 
heard,  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  calling  upon  Sinnamatha  to  follow 


BROWN  COUNTY.  69 

his  example,  and  charge,  he  rushed  forward  and  killed  one  of  the 
whites  [John  Barr]  with  his  war-club.  The  other  Indians,  raising 
the  war-whoop,  seized  their  arms,  and  rushing  upon  Kenton  and  his 
party,  compelled  them,  after  a  severe  contest  of  a  few  minutes,  to 
retreat.  One  of  the  Indians,  in  the  midst  of  the  engagement,  fell 
into  the  river,  and  in  the  effort  to  get  out  of  the  water,  made  so 
much  noise,  that  it  created  a  belief  on  the  minds  of  the  whites,  that 
a  reinforcement  was  crossing  the  stream  to  aid  Tecum seh.  This  is 
supposed  to  have  hastened  the  order  from  Kenton,  for  his  men  to 
retreat.  The  afternoon  prior  to  the  battle,  one  of  Kenton's  men,  by 
the  name  of  M'Intyre,  succeeded  in  catching  an  Indian  horse,  which 
he  tied  in  the  rear  of  the  camp  ;  and,  when  a  retreat  was  ordered, 
he  mounted  and  rode  off.  Early  in  the  morning,  Tecumseh  and  four 
of  his  men  set  off  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  party.  Having  fallen 
upon  the  trail  of  M'Intyre,  they  pursued  it  for  some  distance,  and  at 
length  overtook  him.  He  had  struck  a  fire,  and  was  cooking  some 
meat.  When  M'Intyre  discovered  his  pursuers,  he  instantly  fled  at 
full  speed.  Tecumseh  and  two  others  followed,  and  were  fast  gain- 
ing on  him,  when  he  turned  and  raised  his  gun.  Two  of  the  In- 
dians, who  happened  to  be  in  advance  of  Tecumseh,  sprung  behind 
trees,  but  he  rushed  upon  M'Intyre  and  made  him  prisoner.  He 
was  tied  and  taken  back  to  the  battle  ground.  Upon  reaching  it, 
Tecumseh  deemed  it  prudent  to  draw  off  his  men,  lest  the  whites 
should  rally  and  renew  the  attack.  He  requested  some  of  the  In- 
dians to  catch  the  horses,  but  they,  hesitating,  he  undertook  to  do  it 
himself,  assisted  by  one  of  the  party.  When  he  returned  to  camp 
with  the  horses,  he  found  that  his  men  had  killed  M'Intyre.  At  this 
act  of  cruelty  to  a  prisoner,  he  was  exceedingly  indignant ;  declar- 
ing that  it  wras  a  cowardly  act  to  kill  a  man  when  tied,  and  a  pris- 
oner. The  conduct  of  Tecumseh,  in  this  engagement,  and  in  the 
events  of  the  following  morning,  is  creditable  alike  to  his  courage 
and  humanity.  Resolutely  brave  in  battle,  his  arm  was  never  up- 
lifted against  a  prisoner,  nor  did  he  suffer  violence  to  be  inflicted 
upon  a  captive,  without  promptly  rebuking  it." 

McDonald,  in  speaking  of  this  action,  says : 

"  The  celebrated  Tecumseh  commanded  the  Indians.  His  cau- 
tious and  fearless  intrepidity  made  him  a  host  wherever  he  went. 
In  military  tactics,  night  attacks  are  not  allowable,  except  in  cases 
like  this,  when  the  assailing  party  are  far  inferior  in  numbers. 
Sometimes,  in  night  attacks,  panics  and  confusion  are  created  in  the 
attacked  party,  which  may  render  them  a  prey  to  inferior  numbers. 
Kenton  trusted  to  something  like  this  on  the  present  occasion,  but 
was  disappointed ;  for  when  Tecumseh  was  present,  his  influence 
over  the  minds  of  his  followers  infused  that  confidence  in  his  tact 
and  intrepidity,  that  they  could  only  be  defeated  by  force  of  num- 
bers." 

Georgetown,  the  county  seat,  is  107  miles  from  Columbus,  30 
from  Hillsboro,  46  from  Wilmington,  21  from  Batavia  and  West 
Union.     It  was  laid  off  in  the  year  1819,  and  its  original  propietors 


70 


BROWN  COUNTY. 


Avere  Allen  Woods  and  Henry  Newkirk.  It  is  a  smart  business 
town,  containing  1  Presbyterian,  1  Baptist,  1  Christian  Disciples,  and 
1  Methodist  church,  a  newspaper  printing  office,  and  about  800 
inhabitants.     The  view  shows  the  public  square,  with  the  old  court 


Public  Square,  Georgetown. 

house  on  the  left,  and  on  the  right,  in  the  distance,  a  new  and 
elegant  Methodist  church.  It  is  contemplated  to  erect,  shortly,  a 
new  court  house,  in  good  architectural  taste.  Georgetown  was  the 
residence  of  the  late  Gen.  Thomas  L.  Hamer,  who  died  in  Mexico. 

He  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law  in  Georgetown,  in  the 
year  1820,  which  he  continued  until  June,  1846,  at  which  time  he 
volunteered  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  elected  Major  of  the  1st 
Reg.  Ohio  Volunteers,  and  received  the  appointment  of  Brig.  Gen. 
from  the  President,  before  his  departure  for  the  seat  of  war.  In 
that  station,  he  acquitted  himself  with  great  ability  up  to  the  period 
of  his  death.  He  was  in  the  battle  at  Monterey,  and  on  Maj.  Gen. 
Butler's  being  wounded,  succeeded  him  in  the  command.  He  dis- 
tinguished himself  on  this  occasion,  by  his  coolness  and  courage. 

Gen.  Hamer  was  endowed  with  most  extraordinary  abilities  as 
an  orator,  advocate  and  lawyer.  He  represented  the  district  in 
which  he  resided,  six  years  in  congress,  and  distinguished  himself  as 
an  able  and  sagacious  statesman ;  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was 
a  member  elect  to  congress. 

The  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  professional  brethren, 
may  be  feebly  gathered  from  the  proceedings  of  the  members  of 
the  bar  of  his  county,  the  proceedings  of  which  meeting  were  pre- 
sented to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  for  Brown  county,  on  the  23d 
of  April,  and  the  court  requested  to  have  the  same  entered  upon  their 
journals ;  whereupon,  Judge  Read  expressed  the  views  of  the  court, 
as  follows : 

"  It  is  with  pleasure  that  the  court  direct  the  proceedings  of  the 
bar  to  be  entered  of  record,  as  the  customary  tribute  to  distinguished 
worth.     It  is  proper  to  add,  that  the  court  sympathize  deeply  with 


BROWN  COUNTY. 


71 


the  family  of  Gen.  Hamer,  and  the  bar,  and  the  community,  in  the 
loss  we  have  sustained.  Gen.  Hamer  was  an  ornament  to  the  bar, 
and  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  counsels  of  the  nation,  and  won 
to  himself  renown  upon  her  battle  fields.  It  is  proper  that  one 
should  cherish  his  memory,  and  keep  his  virtues  and  example  before 
us.  We,  therefore,  direct  the  clerk  to  enter  these  proceedings  of 
record,  as  a  testimonial  of  the  high  estimation  entertained  for  the 
deceased  by  the  court  and  the  bar,  and  as  a  slight  expression  of  the 
deep  regret  felt  for  his  loss." 

In  the  county,  there  are  two  large  settlements  of  colored  persons, 
numbering  about  500  each.  One  of  these  is  3  miles  north  of  George- 
town ;  the  other  is  in  the  ne.  part  of  the  county,  about  16  miles 
distant.  They  emigrated  from  Virginia,  in  the  year  1818,  and  were 
originally  the  slaves  of  Samuel  Gist,  who  manumitted  and  settled 
them  here,  upon  two  large  surveys  of  land.  Their  situation,  unfor- 
tunately, is  not  prosperous. 


Ripley,  from  the  Kentucky  side  of  the  Ohio. 

Ripley  is  upon  the  Ohio,  10  miles  from  Georgetown,  9  below 
Maysville,  and  50  above  Cincinnati.  The  town  was  laid  out  about 
the  period  of  the  war  of  1812,  by  Col.  James  Poage,  a  native  of 
Virginia,  and  first  named  Staunton,  from  Staunton,  Va. ;  it  was 
afterwards  changed  to  Ripley,  from  Gen.  Ripley,  an  officer  of  dis- 
tinction in  the  war.  When  the  county  was  first  formed,  the  courts 
were  directed  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Alex.  Campbell,  in  this 
town,  until  a  permanent  seat  of  justice  should  be  established.  For 
a  time,  it  was  supposed  that  this  would  be  the  county  seat ;  a  court 
house  was  begun,  but  before  it  was  finished,  the  county  seat  was 
permanently  established  at  Georgetown.  The  courts  were,  for  a 
time,  held  in  the  1st  Presbyterian  church,  which  was  the  first  public 


72  BUTLER  COUNTY. 

house  of  worship  erected.  Ripley  is  the  largest  and  most  business 
place  in  the  county,  and  one  of  the  most  flourishing  villages  on  the 
Ohio  liver,  within  the  limits  of  the  state.  The  view  shows  the 
central  part  of  the  town  only ;  it  extends  about  a  mile  on  the  river. 
Ripley  contains  2  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist,  1  Associate  Reformed, 
1  New  Light,  and  1  Catholic  church,  20  stores,  1  newspaper  print- 
ing office,  1  iron  foundery,  1  carding  machine,  3  flouring  mills,  and 
had,  in  1840,  1245  inhabitants ;  since,  it  has  considerably  increased. 
The  Ripley  female  seminary,  under  the  charge  of  Wm.  C.  Bissell 
and  lady,  has  about  forty  pupils.  The  "  Ripley  College"  was  char- 
tered by  the  state,  but  not  endowed :  it  is  now  a  high  school,  under 
the  care  of  the  Rev.  John  Rankin,  and  an  assistant,  and  has  about 
forty  pupils,  of  both  sexes.  This  institution  admits  colored  children 
within  its  walls ;  and  there  are  quite  a  number  of  people,  in  this 
region,  who  hold  to  the  doctrine  of  equal  rights,  politically  and  so- 
cially, to  all,  irrespective  of  color. 

Aberdeen,  opposite  Maysville,  Ky.,  was  founded  by  Nathan  Ellis, 
who  was  either  from  Scotland  or  of  Scotch  extraction.  It  contains 
several  stores  and  churches,  and  had,  in  1840,  405  inhabitants.  Hig- 
ginsport,  on  the  river,  7  miles  from  Georgetown,  is  a  considerable 
village,  and  has  3  churches,  4  stores,  and,  in  1840,  had  393  inhab- 
itants. Russelville  is  also  a  village  of  note,  7  miles  e.  of  George- 
town, and  is  famous  for  its  churches,  of  which  it  has  seven,  together 
with  as  many  stores,  and  about  350  inhabitants.  In  the  Perry  town- 
ship, in  the  extreme  north  part  of  the  county,  are  many  Catholics. 
They  have  a  cathedral  of  much  splendor,  and  a  nunnery.  Decatur, 
Hamersville,  Arnheim,  Sardinia,  Fincastle,  Carlisle,  New  Hope, 
Fayetteville  and  Greenbush  are  small  villages  in  the  county. 


BUTLER. 

Butler  was  formed  in  1803,  from  Hamilton,  and  named  in  honor 
of  Gen.  Richard  Butler,  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  revolution, 
who  fell  in  St.  Clair's  defeat.  The  surface  is  level.  It  is  all  within 
the  blue  limestone  formation,  and  is  one  of  the  richest  agricultural 
tracts  in  Ohio.  Its  staples  are  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  pork.  It  pro- 
duces more  corn  than  any  county  of  the  state,  the  annual  crop  being 
over  two  millions  of  bushels !  A  large  proportion  of  its  population 
are  of  German  descent.  The  following  are  the  names  of  its  town- 
ships, in  1840,  with  their  population. 


Fairfield, 

3580 

Milford, 

1868 

Ross, 

1524 

Hanover, 

1680 

Morgan, 

1726 

St.  Clair, 

2307 

Lemon, 

3065 

Oxford, 

3422 

Union, 

2118 

Liberty, 

1479 

Reily, 

1758 

Wayne, 

1562 

Madison, 

2208 

In   1820,  its  population  was  21,755;  in   1830,  27,143;  in   1840 

28,207,  or  59  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 


BUTLER  COUNTT. 


T5 


The  large  and  flourishing  town  of  Hamilton,  the  county  seat,  i« 
22  miles  n.  of  Cincinnati,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Great  Miami.  U 
contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  1  German  Lu 
theran,  1  Associate  Reformed,  1  Baptist,  and  1  Catholic  church,  a 


Public  Square,  Hamilton. 

flourishing  female  academy,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  3  flouring 
mills,  3  cotton  factories,  3  saw  mills,  2  foundries,  2  machine  shops, 
and  about  16  mercantile  stores  ;  in  1840,  its  population  was  1409, 
since  which  it  has  considerably  increased.  Hamilton  is  destined  to 
be  an  important  manufacturing  town.  The  hydraulic  works,  lately 
built  here,  rank  among  the  best  water  powers  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies.  This  work  is  formed  by  a  canal,  commencing  at  the  Big 
Miami,  four  miles  above  the  town,  and  emptying  into  the  river  near 
the  bridge,  at  Hamilton.  By  it  a  very  great  amount  of  never  fail- 
ing water  power  has  been  created,  sufficient,  with  a  small  additional 
investment,  to  propel  200  runs  of  4^  mill  stones.  It  is  durably  con- 
structed, and  is  adding  much  to  the  business  of  the  community. 


View  of  Eossville,from  Hamilton. 

Hamilton  is  neatly  built,  and  has  an  elegant  public  square,  on  which 
stand  the  county  buildings ;  it  is  enclosed  by  an  iron  fence,  hand 
somely  covered  with  green  turf,  and  shaded  by  locusts  and  other 

10 


74 


BUTLER  COUNTY. 


ornamental  trees.  A  noble  bridge,  erected  at  the  expense  of  about 
$ 25,000,  connects  this  town  with  its  neighbor,  Rossville,  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  Miami,  which  the  engraving  shows  as  it  ap- 
pears from  the  market,  in  Hamilton.  Rossville  is  also  a  flourishing 
place,  superior  to  Hamilton,  as  a  mercantile  town,  as  that  is  as  a 
manufacturing  one.  This  arises  from  the  circumstance,  that  it  is 
more  convenient  to  the  greater  proportion  of  the  farmers  of  the 
county,  who  reside  on  that  side  of  the  Miami.  It  contains  1  Pres- 
byterian and  1  Baptist  church,  1  flouring  mill,  about  18  mercantile 
stores,  and  had,  in  1840,  1140  inhabitants;  its  population  has  since 
increased. 

The  route  of  St.  Clair,  in  his  disastrous  campaign,  in  1791,  passed 
through  this  county.  In  September,  of  that  year,  Fort  Hamilton 
was  built  at  the  crossing  of  the  Great  Miami,  on  the  site  of  Hamil- 
ton. It  was  intended  as  a  place  of  deposit  for  provisions,  and  to  form 
the  first  link  in  the  communication  between  Fort  Washington  and  the 

object  of  the  campaign.  It 
wyas  a  stockade  of  fifty  yards 
square,  with  four  good  bastions, 
and  platforms  for  cannon  in  two 
of  them,  with  barracks.  In  the 
summer  succeeding,  an  addi- 
tion was  made  to  the  fort,  by 
order  of  Gen.  Wilkinson,  which 
consisted  in  enclosing,  with 
pickets,  an  area  of  ground  on 
the  north  part,  so  that  it  ex- 
tended up  the  river  to  about 
the  north  line  of  the  present 
Stable  street.  The  southern 
point  of  the  work  extended  to 
the  site  of  the  Associate  Re- 
formed church. 

The  plan  given  of  the  fort, 
is  from  the  survey  of  Mr.  Jas. 
M'Bride,*  of  Hamilton,  made 
by  him  several  years  after. 

References. — A.  The  old  fort 
built"  by  St.  Clair.  B.  Addi- 
tion, a.  Officers  quarters,  b. 
Mess  room.  c.  Magazine,  d. 
Artificers  shop.  e,f,  g.  Block 
houses.       C.     Present    bridge 


Fort  Hamilton. 


across  the  Miami,  shown  m  the  view  of  Rossville. 


*  This  gentleman  has  written  a  large  volume — as  yet  unpublished — filled  with  valuable 
facts  and  anecdotes  connected  with  the  history  of  the  Miami  valley.  For  the  historical 
sketch  of  Hamilton,  and  several  incidents  in  various  parts  of  our  work,  we  are  indebted  to 
these  mss. 


BUTLER  COUNTY.  75 

Late  in  the  fall  oi  1792,  an  advance  corps  of  troops,  under  the  command  of  Major  Ru- 
dolph, arrived  at  Fort  Hamilton,  where  they  wintered.  They  consisted  of  three  companies 
of  light  dragoons,  one  of  rifle,  and  one  of  infantry.  Rudolph  was  a  Major  of  dragoons, 
from  lower  Virginia.  His  reputation  was  that  of  an  arbitrary  and  tyrannical  officer. 
Sometime  in  the  spring,  seven  soldiers  deserted  to  the  Ohio  river,  where,  procuring  a  canoe, 
they  started  for  New  Orleans.  Ten  or  fifteen  miles  below  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  they  were 
met  by  Lieut,  (since  Gen.)  Clark,  and  sent  back  to  Fort  Hamilton,  where  a  court  martial 
sentenced  three  of  them  to  be  hung,  two  to  run  the  gauntlet,  and  the  remaining  two  to 

lie  in  irons,  in  the  guard  house,  for  a  stipulated  period.     John  Brown,  Seth  Blin  and 

Gallaher,  were  the  three  sentenced  to  be  hung.  The  execution  took  place  the  next  day, 
on  a  gallows  erected  below  the  fort,  just  south  of  the  site  of  the  present  Associate  Reformed 
church,  and  near  the  residence  of  James  B.  Thomas. 

Five  hundred  soldiers  were  drawn  up  in  arms  around  the  fatal  spot,  to  witness  the  exit 
of  their  unfortunate  comrades.  The  appearance  of  the  sufferers,  at  the  gallows,  is  said  to 
have  been  most  prepossessing.  They  were  all  young  men  of  spirit,  and  handsome  appear- 
ance, in  the  opening  bloom  of  life,  with  their  long  hair  floating  over  their  shoulders.  John 
Brown  was  said  to  have  been  a  young  man,  of  very  respectable  connections,  who  lived 
near  Albany,  New  York.  Early  in  life,  he  had  formed  an  attachment  for  a  young  woman 
in  his  neighborhood,  of  unimpeachable  character,  but  whose  social  standing  did  not  com- 
port with  the  pride  of  his  parents.  He  was  forbidden  to  associate  with  her,  and  required 
to  pay  his  addresses  to  another.  Broken-hearted  and  desponding,  he  left  his  home,  en- 
listed in  a  company  of  dragoons,  and  came  to  the  west.  His  commanding  officer  treated 
him  so  unjustly,  that  he  was  led  to  desert.  When  under  the  gallows,  the  sergeant,  acting 
as  executioner,  inquired  why  the  sentence  of  the  law  should  not  be  enforced  upon  him,  he 
replied,  with  emphasis — pointing  to  Major  Rudolph — "  that  he  had  rather  die  nine  hun- 
dred deaths,  than  be  subject  to  the  command  of  such  a  man  ;"  and  was  swung  off,  without 
a  murmur.  Seth  Blin  was  the  son  of  a  respectable  widow,  residing  in  the  state  of  New 
York.  The  rope  being  awkwardly  fastened  around  his  neck,  he  struggled  greatly.  Three 
times  he  raised  his  feet,  until  they  came  in  contact  with  the  upper  part  of  the  gallows, 
when  the  exertion  broke  his  neck. 

Immediately  after  the  sentence  had  been  pronounced  on  these  men,  a  friend  hastened  to 
Fort  Washington,  where  he  obtained  a  pardon  from  Gen.  Wilkinson.  But  he  was  too  late. 
The  execution  had  been  hastened  by  Major  Rudolph,  and  he  arrived  at  Hamilton  fifteen 
minutes  after  the  spirits  of  these  unfortunate  men  had  taken  their  flight  to  another  world. 
Their  bodies  were  immediately  committed  to  the  grave,  under  the  gallows.  There,  in  the 
dark  and  narrow  house,  in  silence,  lies  the  only  son  of  a  widowed  mother,  the  last  of  his 
family.  A  vegetable  garden  is  now  cultivated  over  the  spot,  by  those  who  think  not  nor 
know  not  of  the  once  warm  heart  that  lies  cold  below. 

The  two  other  deserters  were  sentenced  to  run  the  gauntlet  sixteen  times,  between  two 
ranks  of  soldiers,  which  was  carried  forthwith  into  execution.  The  lines  were  formed  in 
the  rising  ground,  east  of  the  fort,  where  now  lies  Front  street,  and  extended  from  Smith- 
man's  corner  to  the  intersection  of  Ludlow  street.  One  of  them,  named  Roberts,  having 
passed  eight  times  through  the  ranks,  fell,  and  was  unable  to  proceed.  The  attendant  phy- 
sician stated  that  he  could  stand  it  no  longer,  as  his  life  had  already  been  endangered. 

Sometime  after  Gen.  Wayne  arrived  at  the  post,  and  although  frequently  represented  as 
an  arbitrary  man,  he  was  so  much  displeased  with  the  cruelty  of  Major  Rudolph,  that  he 
gave  him  his  choice,  to  resign  or  be  cashiered.  He  chose  the  former,  returned  to  Virginia, 
and  subsequently,  in  company  with  another  gentleman,  purchased  a  ship,  and  went  on  a 
trading  voyage  to  Europe.  They  were  captured  (it  is  stated)  by  an  Algerine  cruiser,  and 
Rudolph  was  hung  at  the  yard  arm  of  his  own  vessel.  I  have  heard  some  of  those  who 
were  under  his  command,  in  Wayne's  army,  express  satisfaction  at  the  fate  of  this  unfor- 
tunate man. 

In  the  summer  of  1792,  two  wagoners  were  watching  some  oxen,  which  had  been  turned 
out  to  graze  on  the  common  below  the  fort ;  a  shower  of  rain  coming  on,  they  retired  for 
Fhelter  under  a  tree,  which  stood  near  where  the  sycamore  grove  now  is.  Some  Indians, 
who  had  been  watching  from  under  the  covert  of  the  adjoining  underbrush,  rushed  sud- 
denly upon  them,  killed  one  and  took  the  other  prisoner.  The  latter  was  Henry  Shafor, 
who,  after  his  return,,  lived,  until  a  few  years  past,  two  or  three  miles  below  Rossville,  on 
the  river. 

In  September,  1793,  the  army  of  Wayne  marched  from  Cincinnati  to  Fort  Hamilton,  and 
encamped  in  the  upper  part  of  the  prairie,  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  present  town, 
nearly  on  the  same  ground  on  which  Gen.  St.  Clair  had  encamped  in  1791.  Here  they 
threw  up  a  breastwork,  the  remains  of  which  may  yet  be  traced  at  the  point  where  the 


76  BUTLER  COUNTY. 

present  road  strikes  the  Miami  river,  above  Traber's  mill.  A  few  days  after,  they  con- 
tinued their  march  toward  the  Indian  country. 

Gen.  Wayne  detailed  a  strong  guard  of  men  for  the  defence  of  the  fort,  the  command  of 
which  was  given  to  Major  Jonathan  Cass,  of  the  army  of  the  revolution,  and  father  of  the 
Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  of  the  U.  S.  Senate.  Major  Cass  continued  in  command  until  the 
treaty  of  Greenville. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  1794,  Israel  Ludlow  laid  out,  within  Symmes's  purchase,  the 
original  plot  of  the  town  of  Hamilton,  which  he,  at  first,  for  a  short  time  only,  called  Fair- 
field. Shortly  after,  a  few  settlers  came  in.  The  first  settlers  were  Darius  C.  Orcut,  John 
Green,  Wm.  M'Clennan,  John  Sutherland,  John  Torrence,  Benj.  F.  Randolph,  Benj.  Davis, 
Isaac  Wiles,  Andrew  Christy  and  Wm.  Hubbert. 

Previous  to  1801,  all  the  lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  Great  Miami  were  owned  by  the 
United  States,  consequently  there  were  no  improvements  made  on  that  side  of  the  river, 
except  by  a  few  squatters.  There  was  one  log  house  built  at  an  early  period,  near  the 
west  end  of  the  bridge,  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Lewis  P.  Sayre.  On  the  first  Mon- 
day in  April,  1801, — at  the  first  sale  of  the  United  States  lands  west  of  the  Miami,  held  at 
Cincinnati, — a  company  purchased  the  site  of  Rossville,  on  which,  March  14th,  1804,  they 
laid  out  the  town.     Mr.  John  Reily  was  the  agent  of  the  proprietors. 

The  first  settlers  of  Hamilton  suffered  much  from  the  fever  and  ague,  and  being  princi- 
pally disbanded  soldiers,  without  energy,  and  many  of  them  dissipated,  but  little  improve- 
ment was  made  for  the  first  few  years.  In  those  early  times,  horse-racing  was  a  favorite 
amusement,  and  an  affair  of  all  engrossing  interest.  On  public  days,  indeed  on  almost  every 
other  Saturday,  the  streets  and  commons  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town  were  converted 
into  race  paths.  The  race  course  comprehended  the  common  from  2d  to  4th  street.  At 
2d  street,  a  short  distance  north  of  the  site  of  the  Catholic  church,  was  an  elevated  scaffold 
on  which  stood  the  judges  of  the  race.  On  grand  occasiotis,  the  plain  within  the  course  and 
near  it,  were  occupied  with  booths,  erected  with  forks  and  covered  with  boughs.  Here 
every  thing  was  said,  done,  eaten,  sold  and  drank.  Here  was  Black  Jack  with  his  fiddle, 
and  his  votaries  making  the  dust  fly,  with  a  four-handed,  or  rather  four-footed  reel ;  and 
every  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  was  a  rush  to  some  part  to  see  a  "  Jisty  cvff."  Among 
the  bustling  crowd  of  jockies  were  assembled  all  classes.  Even  Judges  of  the  court  min- 
gled with  the  crowd,  and  sometimes  presided  at  the  contests  of  speed  between  the  ponies 
of  the  neighborhood. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  Butler  county,  Hamilton  was  made  the  county  seat.  The 
first  sessions  of  the  court  were  held  in  the  tavern  of  Mr.  Torrence,  now  the  residence  of 
Henry  S.  Earhart.  The  sessions  of  the  court  after  this  were  held  in  the  former  mess  room 
of  the  fort.  It  was  a  rough  one  story  frame  building,  about  40  by  20  feet,  weather-board- 
ed, without  either  filling  or  plastering,  and  stood  about  where  the  market  now  is.  It  was 
elevated  from  the  ground  about  three  feet  by  wooden  blocks  affording  a  favorite  shelter  for 
the  hogs  and  sheep  of  the  village.  The  Judges  seat  was  a  rough  platform  of  unplaned 
boards,  and  a  long  table  in  front,  like  a  carpenter's  work  bench,  was  used  by  the  bar.  Ii 
1810,  the  court  was  removed  to  a  room  over  the  stone  jail,  and  in  1817,  transferred  to 
the  present  court  house. 

The  court,  at  their  July  term, in  1803,  selected  the  old  magazine  within  the  fort  as  a  county 
jail.  It  was  a  heavy  built  log  building,  about  12  feet  square,  with  a  hipped  roof  coming  to 
a  common  center  and  surmounted  by  a  ball.  The  door  had  a  hole  in  the  center  shaped 
like  a  half-moon,  through  which  air,  light  and  food  were  conveyed,  while  on  the  outside  it 
was  secured  by  a  pad-lock  and  hasp.  It  was  very  insecure,  and  escapes  were  almost  as  fre- 
quent as  committals.  It  was  the  only  jail  for  Butler  county,  from  1803  to  1809.  A 
small  log  house  formerly  a  sutlers  store,  was  used  as  a  clerk's  office.  It  has  since  been  al- 
tered into  a  private  dwelling,  at  present  occupied  by  Dutch  Jacob.  The  house  erected 
by  Gen.  Wilkinson,  in  '92,  for  officer's  quarters,  (see  a  plan  of  fort,)  was  converted  into 
a  tavern  kept  by  the  county  sheriff,  Wm.  M'Clellan,  while  the  barracks  and  artificers 
shops  were  used  as  stables. 

John  Cleves  Symmes,  the 
^^^^./t^- author  of  the  "Theory  of 
-^ZJ^r     Concentric  Spheres,  demon- 
strating that  the  Earth  is  hoi- 


0 

/.  C.  Symmes's  Signature.  low,  habitable   within,   and 

widely  open  about  the  Poles,"  died  at  Hamilton,  May  28th,  1829. 
He  was  born  in  New  Jersey  about  the  year  1780.     His  father, 


BUTLEB   COUNTY.  77 

Timothy  Symmes,  was  the  brother  of  John  Cleves  Symmes,  well- 
known  as  the  founder  of  the  first  settlements  of  the  Miami  valley. 
In  the  early  part  of  his  life  he  received  a  common  school  education, 
and  in  1802  was  commissioned  an  ensign  in  the  army.  In  1813,  he 
was  promoted  to  a  captaincy,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war  with  honor.  He  was  in  the  hard-fought  battle  of 
Bridgewater,  and  at  the  sortie  of  Fort  Erie,  where  with  his  com- 
mand he  captured  a  battery,  and  personally  spiked  the  cannon.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  retired  from  the  army,  and  for  about  three 
years  was  engaged  in  furnishing  supplies  to  the  troops  stationed  on 
the  Upper  Mississippi.  After  this,  he  resided  for  a  number  of  years 
at  Newport,  Ky.,  and  devoted  himself  to  philosophical  researches 
connected  with  his  favorite  theory.  In  a  short  circular,  dated  at  St. 
Louis,  in  1818,  Capt.  Symmes  first  promulgated  the  fundamental 
principles  of  his  theory  to  the  world.  From  time  to  time,  he  pub- 
lished various  articles  in  the  public  prints  upon  the  subject.  He 
also  delivered  lectures,  first  at  Cincinnati  in  1820,  and  afterwards 
in  various  places  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio. 

"  In  the  year  1822,  Capt.  Symmes  petitioned  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  setting 
forth,  in  the  first  place,  his  belief  of  the  existence  of  a  habitable  and  accessible  concave  to 
this  globe  ;  his  desire  to  embark  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  to  one  or  other  of  the  polar  re- 
gions ;  his  belief  in  the  great  profit  and  honor  his  country  would  derive  from  such  a  dis- 
covery ;  and  prayed  that  Congress  would  equip  and  fit  out  for  the  expedition,  two  vessels 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty,  or  three  hundred,  tons  burthen  ;  and  grant  such  other  aid  as  gov- 
ernment might  deem  necessary  to  promote  the  object.  This  petition  was  presented  in  the 
Senate  by  Col.  Richard  M.  Johnson,  a  member  from  Kentucky,  on  the  7th  day  of  March, 
1822,  when,  (a  motion  to  refer  it  to  the  committee  of  Foreign  Relations  having  failed,)  after 
a  few  remarks  it  was  laid  on  the  table. — Ayes,  25.  In  December,  1823,  he  forwarded  sim- 
ilar petitions  to  both  houses  of  Congress,  which  met  with  a  similar  fate.  In  January,  1824, 
he  petitioned  the  General  Assembly  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  praying  that  body  to  pass  a  reso- 
lution approbatory  of  his  theory ;  and  to  recommend  him  to  Congress  for  an  outfit  suitable 
to  the  enterprise.  This  memorial  was  presented  by  Micajah  T.  Williams ;  and,  on  mo- 
tion, the  further  consideration  thereof  was  indefinitely  postponed." 

His  theory  was  met  with  ridicule,  both  in  this  country  and  Eu- 
rope, and  became  a  fruitful  source  of  jest  and  levity,  to  the  public 
prints  of  the  day.      Notwithstanding,  he  advanced    many   plausi- 
ble and   ingenious   arguments,   and 
won  quite  a   number  of  converts 
among  those  who  attended  his  lec- 
tures, one  of  whom,  a  gentleman 
now  residing  at   Hamilton,   wrote 
a  work  in  its  support,  published  in 
Cincinnati  in  182G,  in  which  he  states 
his  readiness  to  embark  on  a  voy- 
age of  discovery,  for  the  purpose  of 
testing  its  truth.     Captain  Symmes 
met  with  the  usual  fate  of  projec- 
tors, in  living  and  dying  in  great 
flggis^  pecuniary  embarrassment.     In  per- 
"~  son,  he  was  of  the  medium  stature, 
J.  C.  Symmes'  Monument.  and    simple   in    his   manners.     He 

bore  the  character  of  an  honest,  exemplary  man,  and  was  respected 


78 


BUTLER  COUNTY. 


by  all  his  associates.  He  was  buried  at  Hamilton.  Trie  monument 
represented  by  the  cut,  has  been  built,  but  is  not  yet  placed  over  his 
remains.     It  is  surmounted  by  a  globe,  "open  at  the  poles." 

Mr.  John  Reily,  of  this  county,  is  one  of  the  five  members  living 
of  the  convention  which  framed  the  Constitution  of  Ohio.  His 
friend,  Judge  Burnet,  in  his  late  work,  has  given  an  eloquent  tribute 
to  his  character  and  services. 

Middletown  is  12  miles  ne.  of  Hamilton,  and  20  below  Dayton,  in 
a  rich  and  beautiful  country.  The  Miami  canal  runs  east  of  the  cen- 
tral part  of  the  town,  and  the  Miami  river  bounds  it  on  the  west. 


Lebanon  Street,  Middletown. 

It  is  connected  with  Dayton  and  Cincinnati,  and  with  West  Alex- 
andria, in  Preble  county,  by  turnpikes.  The  Warren  county  canal 
enters  the  main  canal  at  this  town.  Two  or  three  miles  above,  a 
dam  is  thrown  across  the  Miami,  from  which  a  connecting  feeder 
supplies  the  Miami  canal.  This  work  furnishes  much  water  power, 
which,  with  a  little  expense,  can  be  increased  and  used  to  great 
advantage.  There  are  within  three  miles  of  Middletown,  8  flour- 
ing mills  on  the  river  and  canal.  Middletown  was  laid  out  in  1802, 
by  Stephen  Vail  and  James  Sutton.  Calvin  Morrell,  James  Brady, 
Cyrus  Osbourn,  Daniel  Doty,  Elisha  Wade  and  Richard  Watts  were 
among  its  early  settlers.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Baptist,  and 
1  Methodist  church,  a  classical  academy,  16  mercantile  stores,  2  for- 
warding houses,  1  grist  mill  and  1  woolen  factory,  and  in  1840,  had 
809  inhabitants.  The  view  of  Lebanon  street,  was  taken  at  its  in- 
tersection with  Broadway.  Liebee's  block  is  shown  on  the  right, 
Deardorf 's  mill  and  the  bridge  over  the  Miami  partly  appear  in  the 
distance. 

In  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county,  12  miles  from  Hamilton,  on 
a  high  and  beautiful  elevation,  is  the  handsome  town  of  Oxford,  the 
seat  of  the  Miami  University.  It  contains  9  mercantile  stores,  1 
woolen  factory,  2  Presbyterian,  1  Associate  Reformed,  and  1  Meth- 
odist church,  and  in  1840,  had  1179  inhabitants.  The  Associate 
church  have  established  a  theological  school  here,  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Claybaugh  ;  it  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  promises  well,  and 
has  a  valuable  collection  of  books. 


CARROL  COUNTY. 


79 


The  Miami  University  buildings   are  in   the    east     part  of  the 
town,  in  a  large  enclosure  of  fifty  acres,  part  of  which  is  in  the 


Miami  University  at  Oxford. 

original  forest,  and  the  remainder  covered  with  a  green  sward,  and 
ornamented  with  scattering  shade  trees.  Including  the  preparatory 
department,  there  are  about  150  students  in  the  institution,  which  is 
under  the  charge  of  a  President — the  Rev.  E.  D.  MacMaster — and 
4  professors,  beside  the  principal  of  the  preparatory  department. 
"  The  course  of  studies  are  not  less  extensive  than  those  of  the  best 
colleges  in  the  Union,  and  its  faculty  are  earnestly  endeavoring  to 
establish  the  institution  on  a  solid  foundation."  It  was  chartered  in 
1809,  by  the  legislature  of  Ohio,  and  a  township  of  land  given  by 
Congress  for  its  support.  The  University  was  not  regularly  opened 
for  the  reception  of  students,  until  Nov.  15th,  1824.  From  that  pe- 
riod until  1841,  it  had  308  graduates. 

Somerville,  14  miles  nnw.  from  Hamilton,  had  in  1840,  318  inhabi- 
tants ;  Millville,  7  w.  from  Hamilton,  Monroe,  12  ne.,  Chester,  10 
SB.,  and  Darrtown,  10  nw.,  had  each  about  200  inhabitants.  Jack- 
sonburg,  Miltonville,  Reily  and  Trenton  are  also  small  villages.  In 
this  county  are  numerous  ancient  works,  mounds,  fortifications,  &c. 


CARROL. 


Carrol  was  formed  in  the  session  of  1832-3,  from  Columbiana, 
Stark,  Tuscarawas,  Harrison  and  Jefferson,  and  named  from  Chas. 
Carrol,  of  Carrolton,  Md.,  the  last  survivor  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  American  Independence.  The  surface  is  hilly,  and 
the  staples  are  wheat,  oats  and  corn;  coal  and  iron  abound."  The 
population  mainly  originated  from  Pennsylvania,  Virginia  and  Ma- 
ryland, with  some  Germans  and  Irish.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 


80 


CHAMPAIGN 

COUNTY. 

Augusta, 

1234 

Harrison, 

1308 

Perry, 

1344 

Brown, 

2165 

Lee, 

1372 

Ross, 

1593 

Centre, 

1139 

Loudon, 

966 

Union, 

889 

East, 

995 

Monroe, 

1060 

Washington, 

1014 

Fox, 

1491 

Orange, 

1528 

The  population  of  Carrol  in  1840,  was  18,108,  or  45  inhabitants 
to  a  square  mile. 


View  in  Carrolton. 

Carrolton,  the  county  seat,  is  125  miles  ene.  from  Columbus.  It 
was  originally  called  Centreton,  but  on  the  organization  of  the 
county,  changed  to  its  present  name.  It  is  rather  compactly  built, 
with  a  public  square  in  the  centre — shown  in  the  above  view — on 
which  stand  the  county  buildings.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1 
Lutheran,  1  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  1  Associate  Reformed  church, 
6  mercantile   stores,  2  printing  offices,  and  800  inhabitants. 

Leesburg,  12  miles  s\v.  of  Carrolton,  has  2  churches,  3  stores,  and 
about  60  dwellings.  It  is  on  One  Leg,  a  stream  so  named  from  a 
one  legged  Indian  who  anciently  dwelt  upon  its  margin.  The  Indian 
name  of  this  water  course  is  the  "  Kannolen"  The  "  Dining  Fork  of 
the  Kannoten"  derived  its  appellation,  from  the  first  explorers  in  this 
region  dining  upon  its  banks.  Hagerstown,  1^  miles  east  of  Lees- 
burg, is  a  somewhat  smaller  village,  having  a  church,  3  stores,  and 
a  classical  academy.  New  Harrisburg,  Malvern,  Magnolia,  Pekin, 
Augusta,  Norristown,  Lodi,  Minerva,  Mechanicstown  and  Harlem, 
are  small  places;  at  the  last  of  which  is  a  chalybeate  spring,  said  to 
possess  excellent  medicinal  qualities. 


CHAMPAIGN. 

Champaign  was  formed  from  Greene  and  Franklin,  March  1st, 
1805,  and  the  temporary  seat  of  justice  fixed  in  Springfield,  at  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY.  81 

house  of  George  Fithian  :  it  derived  its  name  from  the  character  of 
its  surface.  About  half  of  it  is  level  or  slightly  undulating,  one 
quarter  rolling,  one  fifth  rather  hilly,  and  about  five  per  cent,  wet 
prairie,  and  best  adapted  for  grazing.  The  county  is  drained  by 
Mad  river  and  its  tributaries.  The  stream  flows  through  a  beauti- 
ful country,  and  with  its  tributaries  furnishes  extensive  mill  privi- 
leges. The  soil  is  generally  rich,  and  the  principal  crops  are  wheat, 
corn,  oats,  barley  and  hay :  wool  and  beef  cattle  are  also  important 
staples.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 


Adams, 

970 

Jackson, 

1431 

Salem, 

1402 

Concord, 

935 

Johnson, 

1213 

Union, 

1249 

Goshen, 

1406 

Mad  River, 

1894 

Urbana, 

2456 

Harrison, 

790 

Rush, 

1226 

Wayne, 

1300 

The  population  of  Champaign  in  1820,  was  8,479 ;  in  1830, 
12,137  ;  and  in  1840,  16,720,  or  44  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Urbana,  the  county  seat,  is  42  miles  wnw.  from  Columbus.  It  was 
laid  out  in  1805,  by  Col.  Wm.  Ward,  originally  from  Greenbriar, 
Va.  He  was  proprietor  of  the  soil,  and  gave  a  large  number  of  the 
lots  to  the  county,  with  the  provision  that  their  sales  should  be  ap- 
propriated for  public  objects.  He  also  named  the  place,  from  the 
word  urbanity.  The  two  first  settlers  were  the  clerk  of  the  court, 
Joseph  C.  Vance,  father  of  Ex-Gov.  Vance,  and  George  Fithian, 
who  opened  the  first  tavern  in  a  cabin,  now  forming  a  part  of  the 
dwelling  of  Wm.  Thomas,  on  South  Main  street.  Samuel  M'Cord 
opened  the  first  store,  in  the  same  cabin,  in  March,  1806,  and  built, 
the  same  year,  the  first  shingled  house,  now  the  store  of  Wm.  & 
Duncan  M'Donald.  In  1807,  a  temporary  court  house  was  erected, 
now  the  residence  of  Duncan  M'Donald.  A  brick  court  house  was 
subsequently  built  on  the  public  square,  which  stood  many  years, 
and  then  gave  place  to  the  present  substantial  and  handsome  build- 
ing. In  1807,  the  Methodists — those  religious  pioneers — built  the 
first  church,  a  log  structure,  which  stood  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
town,  on  the  lot  on  which  Mr.  Ganson  resides.  Some  years  later, 
this  denomination  erected  a  brick  church,  now  devoted  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  carriages  and  wagons  by  Mr.  Childs,  in  the  central  part 
of  the  town.  The  first  settlers  in  the  village  were  Joseph  C.  Vance, 
Thos.  and  Ed.  W.  Pearce,  George  Fithian,  Samuel  M'Cord,  Zeph. 
Luse,  Benj.  Doolittle,  Geo.  and  Andrew  Ward,  Wm.  H.  FyfFe,  Wm. 
and  John  Glenn,  Fred.  Ambrose,  John  Reynolds  and  Samuel  Gibbs. 
Of  those  living  in  the  county  at  that  time,  our  informant  recollects 
the  names  of  Jacob  Minturn,  Henry  and  Jacob  Vanmetre,  Nathan- 
iel Cartmell,  Justice  Jones,  Felix  Rock,  Thomas  Anderson,  Abner 
Barret,  Thomas  Pearce,  Benj.  and  Wm.  Cheney,  Matthew  and  Chas. 
Stuart,  Parker  Sullivan,  John  Logan,  John  Thomas,  John  Runyon, 
John  LafFerty,  John  Owens,  John  Taylor,  John  Guttridge,  John 
Cartmell,  John  Dawson,  John  Pence,  Jonathan  Long,  Bennet  Taber, 
Nathan  Fitch,  Robt.  Nowce,  Jacob   Pence   and  Arthur  Thomas. 

11 


82 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


The  last  named,  Capt.  Arthur  Thomas,  lived  on  King's  creek,  three 
miles  from  Urbana.  He  was  ordered,  in  the  war  of  1812,  with  his 
company,  to  guard  the  public  stores  at  Fort  Findlay.     On  his  return, 


Public  Square,  Urbana. 

himself  and  son  lost  their  horses,  and  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
company  to  hunt  for  them.  They  encamped  at  the  Big  Spring, 
near  Solomonstown,  about  5  miles  north  of  Bellfontaine,  and  the 
next  morning  were  found  killed  and  scalped.  Their  bodies  were 
brought  into  Urbana,  by  a  deputation  of  citizens.  On  the  4th  of 
July,  two  months  previous  to  this  event,  "  The  Watch  Tower,"  the 
first  newspaper  in  the  county  was  commenced  at  Urbana ;  its  pub- 
lishers were  Corwin  &  Blackburn. 

Urbana  was  a  point  where  the  main  army  of  Hull  concentrated, 
ere  leaving  for  Detroit.  They  encamped  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
town,  on  the  home-lot  of  Judge  Elisha  C.  Berry.  In  the  last  war 
it  was  a  general  rendezvous  for  troops,  before  starting  for  the  north. 
They  encamped  in  various  parts  of  the  town.  Quite  a  number  of 
sick  and  disabled  soldiers  were  sent  here,  some  of  whom  died :  the 
old  court  house  was  used  as  a  hospital. 

The  celebrated  Simon  Kenton  was  here  at  an  early  day.  Judge  Burnet  in  his  letters,, 
states,  that  when  the  troops  were  stationed  at  Urbana,  a  mutinous  plan  was  formed  by 
part  of  them  to  attack  and  destroy  a  settlement  of  friendly  Indians,  who  had  removed 
with  their  families  within  the  settlement  under  assurance  of  protection.  Kenton  remon- 
strated against  the  measure,  as  being  not  only  mutinous,  but  treacherous  and  cowardly. 
He  contrasted  his  knowledge  and  experience  of  the  Indian  character  with  their  ignorance 
of  it.  He  vindicated  them  against  the  charge  of  treachery,  which  was  alledged  as  a  justifi- 
cation of  the  act  they  were  about  to  perpetrate,  and  reminded  them  of  the  infamy  they  would 
incur  by  destroying  a  defenceless  band  of  men,  women  and  children,  who  had  placed  them- 
selves in  their  power,  relying  on  a  solemn  promise  of  protection.  He  appealed  to  their  hu- 
manity, their  honor  and  their  duty  as  soldiers.  Having  exhausted  all  the  means  of  per- 
suasion in  his  power,  and  finding  them  resolved  to  execute  their  purpose,  he  took  a  rifle 
and  declared  with  great  firmness  that  he  would  accompany  them  to  the  Indian  encamp- 
ment, and  shoot  down  the  first  man  who  dared  to  molest  them  ;  that  if  they  entered  his 
camp  they  should  do  it  by  passing  over  his  corpse.  Knowing  that  the  old  veteran  would 
redeem  his  pledge,  they  abandoned  their  purpose,  and  the  poor  Indians  were  saved.  Though 
he  was  as  brave  as  Cesar,  and  reckless  of  danger  when  it  was  his  duty  to  expose  his  per- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY.  83 

son  ;  yet  he  was  mild,  even  tempered,  and  had  a  heart  that  could  bleed  at  the  distresses  01 
others. 

There  were  several  Indian  councils  in  Urbana,  at  an  early  day, 
which  were  usually  held  in  a  grove  near  the  burying  ground :  dis- 
tinguished Shawnee  and  Wyandot  chiefs  were  generally  present. 
Before  the  settlement  of  the  town,  in  the  spring  of  1795,  Tecumseh 
was  established  on  Deer  creek,  near  the  site  of  Urbana,  where  he 
engaged  in  his  favorite  amusement  of  hunting,  and  remained  until 
the  succeeding  spring.  His  biographer  gives  some  anecdotes  of 
him,  which  occurred  within  the  present  limits  of  the  county. 

While  residing  on  Deer  creek,  an  incident  occurred,  which  greatly  enhanced  his  reputa- 
tion as  a  hunter.  One  of  his  brothers,  and  several  other  Shawanoes  of  his  own  age,  pro- 
posed to  bet  with  him,  that  they  could  each  kill  as  many  deer,  in  the  space  of  three  days, 
as  he  could.  Tecumseh  promptly  accep-ted  the  overture.  The  parties  took  to  the  woods, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  stipulated  time,  returned  with  the  evidences  of  their  success.  None 
of  the  party,  except  Tecumseh,  had  more  than  twelve  deer  skins ;  he  brought  in  upwards 
of  thirty — near  three  times  as  many  as  any  of  his  competitors.  From  this  time  he  was. 
generally  conceded  to  be  the  greatest  hunter  in  the  Shawanoe  nation. 

In  1799,  there  was  a  council  held  about  six  miles  north  of  the  place  where  Urbana  now 
stands,  between  the  Indians  and  some  of  the  principal  settlers  on  Mad  river,  for  the  adjust- 
ment of  difficulties  which  had  grown  up  between  these  parties.  Tecumseh,  with  other 
Shawanoe  chiefs,  attended  this  council.  He  appears  to  have  been  the  most  conspicuous 
orator  of  the  conference,  and  made  a  speech  on  the  occasion,  which  was  much  admired  for 
its  force  and  eloquence.  The  interpreter,  Dechouset,  said  that  he  found  it  very  difficult  to 
translate  the  lofty  flights  of  Tecumseh,  although  he  was  as  well  acquainted  with  the 
Shawanoe  language,  as  with  the  French,  which  was  his  mother  tongue. 

Some  time  during  the  year  1803,  a  stout  Kentuckian  came  to  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of 
exploring  the  lands  on  Mad  river,  and  lodged  one  night  at  the  house  of  Capt.  Abner  Barrett, 
residing  on  the  head  waters  of  Buck  creek.  In  the  course  of  the  evening,  he  learned,  with 
apparent  alarm,  that  there  were  some  Indians  encamped  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
house.  Shortly  after  hearing  this  unwelcome  intelligence,  the  door  of  Captain  Barrett's 
dwelling  was  suddenly  opened,  and  Tecumseh  entered  with  his  usual  stately  air :  he  paused 
in  silence,  and  looked  around,  until  at  length  his  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  stranger,  who  was 
manifesting  symptoms  of  alarm,  and  did  not  venture  to  look  the  stern  savage  in  the  face. 
Tecumseh  turned  to  his  host,  and  pointing  to  the  agitated  Kentuckian,  exclaimed,  "a  big 
baby  !  a  big  baby  !"  He  then  stepped  up  to  him,  and  gently  slapping  him  on  the  shoulder 
several  times,  repeated,  with  a  contemptuous  manner,  the  phrase,  "  big  baby  1  big  baby  !" 
to  the  great  alarm  of  the  astonished  man,  and  to  the  amusement  of  all  present. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  1830,  a  severe  tornado,  proceeding  from 
the  sw.  to  the  ne.,  passed  over  the  northern  part  of  Urbana.  It 
demolished  the  Presbyterian  church  and  several  dwellings,  and 
materially  injured  the  Methodist  church.  Two  or  three  children 
were  carried  high  in  air,  and  killed ;  boards,  books  and  various 
fragments  were  conveyed  many  miles. 

Urbana  is  a  beautiful  town,  and  has,  in  its  outskirts,  some  elegant 
private  residences.  The  engraving  is  a  view  in  its  central  part, 
taken  from  near  Reynold's  store.  The  court  house  and  Methodist 
church  are  seen  in  the  distance.  The  building  on  the  left,  now 
occupied  as  a  store  by  Wm.  M'Donald,  was,  in  the  late  war,  Doo- 
little's  tavern,  the  head  quarters  of  Governor  Meigs.  The  one  in 
front,  with  the  date  "1811,"  upon  it,  and  now  the  store  of  D.  &  T. 
M'Gwynne,  was  then  a  commissaries  office,  and  the  building  where 
Col.  Richard  M.  Johnson  was  brought  wounded  from  the  battle  of 
the  Thames,  and  in  which  he  remained  several  days,  under  a  sur- 
geon's care.    Urbana  contains  1  Associate  Reformed,  1  Presbyterian, 


84  CLARKE  COUNTY. 

1  Baptist,  and  1  Methodist  church,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1 
woollen  factory,  1  foundery,  2  machine  shops  and  20  mercantile 
stores.  In  1840,  Urbana  had  1070  inhabitants,  which  is  far  below 
its  present  population. 

Mechanicsburg,  10  miles  e.  of  Urbana,  on  the  Columbus  road 
and  head  waters  of  Little  Darby,  is  a  flourishing  village,  containing 
5  or  6  stores,  2  churches,  1  saw  and  2  flour  mills,  a  woollen  fac- 
tory, and  had,  in  1840,  258  inhabitants.  Addison,  16  sw.,  St.  Paris, 
10  w.,  Westville,  4  w.  of  Urbana,  and  Woodstock  and  Lewisburg, 
in  the  ne.  part  of  the  county,  are  villages  containing  each  from  36 
to  60  dwellings.  Middletown,  Carysville,  Millerstown,  Middleburp 
and  Texas  are  small  places. 


CLARK. 

Clark,  was  formed  March  1,  1817,  from  Champaign,  Madison 
and  Greene,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke. 
The  first  settlement  in  Clarke,  was  at  Chribb's  station,  in  the  forks 
of  Mad  river,  in  the  spring  of  1796.  The  inhabitants  of  Moore- 
field,  Pleasant,  Madison,  German  and  Pike  are  principally  of  Vir- 
ginia extraction ;  Mad  river,  of  New  Jersey  ;  Harmony,  of  New 
England  and  English ;  and  Greene,  of  Pennsylvania  origin.  This 
county  is  very  fertile  and  highly  cultivated,  and  is  well  watered 
by  Mad  river,  Buck  and  Beaver  creeks,  and  their  tributaries,  which 
furnish  a  large  amount  of  water  power.  Its  principal  products  are 
wheat,  corn  and  oats.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Bethel,        2033         Madison,         1115         Pike,  1437 

German,      1667         Mad  river,      1339         Pleasant,       1092 
Greene,       1059         Moorefield,     1073         Springfield,  4443 
Harmony,  1645 
The  population  of  the  county,  in  1820,  was  9,553  ;  in  1830, 13,074  , 
and  in  1840,  16,882,  or  43  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  old  Indian  town  of  Piqua,  the  ancient  Piqua  of  the  Shaw- 
nees,  and  the  birth  place  of  Tecumseii,  was  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  Mad  river,  about  five  miles  west  of  Springfield,  and  occu- 
pied the  site  on  which  a  small  town,  called  West  Boston,  has  since 
been  built.     Drake'e  life  of  Tecumseh,  says. 

The  principal  part  of  Piqua  stood  upon  a  plain,  rising  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  above  the 
river.  On  the  south,  between  the  village  and  head  river,  there  was  an  extensive  prairie — 
on  the  northeast,  some  bold  cliffs,  terminating  near  the  river — on  the  west  and  northwest, 
level  timbered  land  ;  while  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  another  prairie,  of  varying 
width,  stretched  back  to  the  high  grounds.  The  river  sweeping  by  in  a  graceful  bend — 
the  precipitous,  rocky  cliffs — the  undulating  hills,  with  their  towering  trees — the  prairies, 
garnished  with  tall  grass  and  brilliant  flowers — combined  to  render  the  situation  of  Piqua 
both  beautiful  and  picturesque.  At  the  period  of  its  destruction,  Piqua  was  quite  populous. 
There  was  a  rude  log  hut  within  its  limits,  surrounded  by  pickets.    It  was,  however,  sacked 


CLARKE  COUNTY.  85 

and  burnt  on  the  8th  of  August,  by  an  army  of  one  thousand  men,  from  Kentucky,  after  a 
severe  and  well-conducted  battle  with  the  Indians  who  inhabited  it.  All  the  improvements 
of  the  Indians,  including  more  than  two  hundred  acres  of  corn  and  other  vegetables  then 
growing  in  their  fields,  were  laid  waste  and  destroyed.  The  town  was  never  after  re-built 
by  the  Shawnees.  Its  inhabitants  removed  to  the  Great  Miami  river,  and  erected  another 
town,  which  they  called  Piqua,  after  the  one  that  had  just  been  destroyed  ;  and  in  defence 
of  which  they  had  fought  with  the  skill  and  valor  characteristic  of  their  nation. 

The  account  appended  of  the  destruction  of  Piqua  by  General 
George  Rogers  Clarke,  was  published  twenty  years  since,  in  Brad- 
ford's notes  on  Kentucky. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  1780,  Gen.  Clarke  took  up  the  line  of  march  from  where  Cin- 
cinnati now  stands,  for  the  Indian  towns.  The  line  of  march  was  as  follows : — the  first 
division,  commanded  by  Clarke,  took  the  front  position  ;  the  centre  was  occupied  by  ar- 
tillery, military  stores  and  baggage  ;  the  second,  commanded  by  Col.  Logan,  was  placed 
in  the  rear.  The  men  were  ordered  to  march  in  four  lines,  at  about  forty  yards  distant 
from  each  other,  and  a  line  of  flankers  on  each  side,  about  the  same  distance  from  the  right 
and  left  line.  There  was  also  a  front  and  a  rear  guard,  who  only  kept  in  sight  of  the  main 
army.  In  order  to  prevent  confusion,  in  case  of  an  attack  of  the  enemy,  on  the  march  of 
the  army,  a  general  order  was  issued,  that  in  the  event  of  an  attack  in  front,  the  front  was 
to  stand  fast,  and  the  two  right  lines  to  wheel  to  the  right,  and  the  two  left  hand  lines  to 
the  left,  and  form  a  complete  line,  while  the  artillery  was  to  advance  forwards  to  the  centre 
of  the  line.  In  case  of  an  attack  on  either  of  the  flanks  or  side  lines,  these  lines  were  to 
stand  fast,  and  likewise  the  artillery,  while  the  opposite  lines  wheeled  and  formed  on  the 
two  extremes  of  those  lines.  In  the  event  of  an  attack  being  made  on  the  rear,  similar 
order  was  to  be  observed  as  in  an  attack  in  front. 

In  this  manner,  the  army  moved  on  without  encountering  any  thing  worthy  of  notice 
until  they  arrived  at  Chillicothe,  (situated  on  the  little  Miami  river,  in  Greene  county,) 
about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  6th  day  of  August.  They  found  the  town  not 
only  abandoned,  but  most  of  the  houses  burnt  down  and  burning,  having  been  set  on  fire 
that  morning.  The  army  encamped  on  the  ground  that  night,  and  on  the  following  day 
cut  down  several  hundred  acres  of  corn  ;  and  about  4  o'clock  in  the  evening,  took  up  their 
line  of  march  for  the  Piqua  towns,  which  were  about  twelve  miles  from  Chillicothe,  [in 
Clarke  county.]  They  had  not  marched  more  than  a  mile  from  Chillicothe,  before  there 
came  on  a  very  heavy  rain,  with  thunder  and  lightning  and  considerable  wind.  Without 
tents  or  any  other  shelter  from  the  rain,  which  fell  in  torrents,  the  men  were  as  wet  as  if 
they  had  been  plunged  into  the  river,  nor  had  they  it  in  their  power  to  keep  their  guns  dry. 
It  was  nearly  dark  before  the  rain  ceased,  when  they  were  ordered  to  encamp  in  a  hollow 
square,  with  the  baggage  and  horses  in  the  centre — and  as  soon  as  fires  could  be  made,  to 
dry  their  clothes,  &c.  They  were  ordered  to  examine  their  guns,  and  be  sure  they  were 
in  good  order,  to  discharge  them  in  the  following  manner.  One  company  was  to  fire,  and 
time  given  to  re-load,  when  a  company  at  the  most  remote  part  of  the  camp  from  that 
which  had  fired,  was  to  discharge  theirs,  and  so  on  alternately,  until  all  the  guns  were  fired. 
On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  the  army  marched  by  sunrise,  and  having  a  level,  open  way, 
arrived  in  sight  of  Piqua,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mad  river, about  2  o'clock,  P.  M. 
The  Indian  road  from  Chillicothe  to  Piqua,  which  the  army  followed,  crossed  the  Mad 
river  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  town,  and  as  soon  as  the  advanced  guard  crossed 
into  a  prairie  of  high  weeds,  they  were  attacked  by  the  Indians,  who  had  concealed 
themselves  in  the  weeds.  The  ground  on  which  this  attack,  as  well  as  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  done,  left  no  doubt  but  that  a  general  engagement  was  intended.  Col.  Logan 
was  therefore  ordered,  with  about  four  hundred  men,  to  file  off  to  the  right,  and  march  up 
the  river  on  the  east  side,  and  to  continue  to  the  upper  end  of  the  town,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  Indians  from  escaping  in  that  direction,  while  the  remainder  of  the  men,  under  Cols. 
Lynn,  Floyd  and  Harrod,  were  ordered  to  cross  the  river  and  encompass  the  town  on  the 
west  side,  while  Gen.  Clarke,  with  the  troops  under  Col.  Shaughter,  and  such  as  were 
attached  to  the  artillery,  marched  directly  towards  the  town.  The  prairie  in  which  the 
Indians  were  concealed,  who  commenced  the  attack,  was  only  about  two  hundred  yards 
across  to  the  timbered  land,  and  the  division  of  the  army  destined  to  encompass  the  town 
on  the  west  side,  found  it  necessary  to  cross  the  prairie,  to  avoid  the  fire  of  a  concealed 
enemy.  The  Indians  evinced  great  military  skill  and  judgment,  and  to  prevent  the  west- 
ern division  from  executing  the  duties  assigned  them,  they  made  a  powerful  effort  to  turn 
their  left  wing.    This  was  discovered  by  Lloyd  and  Flynn,  and  to  prevent  being  outflanked. 


86  CLARKE  COUNTY. 

extended  the  line  of  battle  west,  more  than  a  mile  from  the  town,  and  which  continued 
warmly  contested  on  both  sides  until  about  5  o'clock,  when  the  Indians  disappeared  every 
where  unperceived,  except  a  few  in  the  town.  The  field  piece,  which  had  been  entirely 
useless  before,  was  now  brought  to  bear  upon  the  houses,  when  a  few  shot  dislodged  the 
Indians  which  were  in  them. 

A  nephew  of  Gen.  Clarke,  who  had  been  many  years  a  prisoner  among  the  Indians, 
and  who  attempted  to  come  to  the  whites  just  before  the  close  of  the  action,  was  supposed 
to  be  an  Indian,  and  received  a  mortal  wound  ;  but  he  lived  several  hours  after  he  arrived 
among  them. 

The  morning  after  the  battle,  a  Frenchman,  who  had  been  taken  by  the  Indians  a  short 
time  before,  on  the  Wabash,  and  who  had  stolen  away  from  them  during  the  action,  was 
found  in  the  loft  of  one  of  the  Indian  cabins.  He  gave  the  information,  that  the  Indians 
did  not  expect  that  the  Kentuckians  would  reach  their  town  on  that  day,  and  if  they  did 
not,  it  was  their  intention  to  have  attacked  them  in  the  night,  in  their  camp,  with  the 
tomahawk  and  knife,  and  not  to  fire  a  gun.  They  had  intended  to  have  made  an  attack 
the  night  before,  but  were  prevented  by  the  rain,  and  also  the  vigilance  evinced  by  the 
Kentuckians,  in  firing  off  their  guns  and  re-loading  them,  the  reasons  for  which  they  com- 
prehended, when  they  heard  the  firing.  Another  circumstance  showed  that  the  Indians 
were  disappointed  in  the  time  of  their  arriving  ;  they  had  not  dined.  When  the  men  got 
into  the  town,  they  found  a  considerable  quantity  of  provisions  ready  cooked,  in  large 
kettles  and  other  vessels,  almost  untouched.  The  loss  on  each  side  was  about  equal — each 
having  about  20  killed. 

The  Piqua  town  was  built  in  the  manner  of  the  French  villages.  It  extended  along  the 
margin  of  the  river  for  more  than  three  miles  ;  the  houses,  in  many  places,  were  more 
than  twenty  poles  apart.  Col.  Logan,  therefore,  in  order  to  surround  the  town  on  the  east, 
as  was  his  orders,  marched  fully  three  miles,  while  the  Indians  turned  their  whole  force 
against  those  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  town  ;  and  Logan's  party  never  saw  an  Indian 
during  the  whole  action.  The  action  was  so  severe  a  short  time  before  the  close,  that 
Simon  Girty,  a  white  man,  who  had  joined  the  Indians,  and  who  was  made  a  chief  among 
the  Mingoes,  drew  off  three  hundred  of  his  men,  declaring  to  them,  it  was  folly  in  the 
extreme  to  continue  the  action  against  men  who  acted  so  much  like  madmen,  as  General 
Clarke's  men,  for  they  rushed  in  the  extreme  of  danger,  with  a  seeming  disregard  of  the 
consequences.  This  opinion  of  Girty,  and  the  withdrawal  of  the  three  hundred  Mingoes, 
so  disconcerted  the  rest,  that  the  whole  body  soon  after  dispersed. 

It  is  a  maxim  among  the  Indians,  never  to  encounter  a  fool  or  a  madman,  (in  which 
terms  they  include  a  desperate  man,)  for  they  say,  with  a  man  who  has  not  sense  enough 
to  take  a  prudent  care  of  his  own  life,  the  life  of  his  antagonist  is  in  much  greater  danger 
than  with  a  prudent  man. 

It  was  estimated  that  at  the  two  Indian  towns,  Chillicothe  and  Piqua,  more  than  five 
hundred  acres  of  corn  was  destroyed,  as  well  as  every  species  of  eatable  vegetables.  In 
consequence  of  this,  the  Indians  were  obliged,  for  the  support  of  their  women  and  children, 
lo  employ  their  whole  time  in  hunting,  which  gave  quiet  to  Kentucky  for  a  considerable 
time. 

The  day  after  the  battle,  the  9th,  was  occupied  in  cutting  down  the  growing  corn,  and 
destroying  the  cabins  and  fort,  &c,  and  collecting  horses.  On  the  10th  of  August,  the 
army  began  their  march  homeward,  and  encamped  in  Chillicothe  that  night,  and  on  the 
11th,  cut  a  field  of  corn,  which  had  been  left  for  the  benefit  of  the  men  and  horses,  on 
their  return.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Licking,  the  army  dispersed,  and  each  individual  made 
his  best  way  home. 

Thus  ended  a  campaign,  in  which  most  of  the  men  had  no  other  provisions  for  twenty- 
t;ve  days,  than  six  quarts  of  Indian  corn  each,  except  the  green  corn  and  vegetables  found 
nt  the  Indian  towns,  and  one  gill  of  salt ;  and  yet  not  a  single  complaint  was  heard  to 
escape  the  lips  of  a  solitary  individual.  All  appeared  to  be  impressed  with  the  belief,  that 
if  this  army  should  be  defeated,  that  few  would  be  able  to  escape,  and  that  the  Indians 
'hen  would  fall  on  the  defenceless  women  and  children  in  Kentucky,  and  destroy  the 
whole.     From  this  view  of  the  subject,  every  man  was  determined  to  conquer  or  die. 

The  late  Abraham  Thomas,  of  Miami  county,  was  in  this  cam- 
paign against  Piqua.  His  reminiscences,  published  in  1839,  in  the 
Troy  Times,  give  some  interesting  facts  omitted  in  the  preceding. 
It  also  differs,  in  some  respects,  from  the  other,  and  is  probably  the 
most  accurate. 


CLARKE  COUNTY.  87 

In  the  summer  of  1780,  Gen.  Clarke  was  getting  up  an  expedition,  with  the  object  of 
destroying  some  Indian  villages  on  Mad  river.  One  division  of  the  expedition,  under  Col. 
Logan,  was  to  approach  the  Ohio  by  the  way  of  Licking  river ;  the  other,  to  which  I  was 
attached,  ascended  the  Ohio  from  the  falls  in  boats,  with  provisions  and  a  six-pound  can- 
non. The  plan  of  the  expedition  was  for  the  two  divisions  to  meet  at  a  point  in  the 
Indian  country,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  thence  march  in  a  body  to  the  interior. 
In  ascending  the  Ohio,  Daniel  Boone  and  myself  acted  as  spies  on  the  Kentucky  side  of 
the  river,  and  a  large  party,  on  the  Indian  side,  was  on  the  same  duty  ;  the  latter  were 
surprised  by  the  Indians,  and  several  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  then  a  toilsome  task  to 
get  the  boats  up  the  river,  under  constant  expectation  of  attacks  from  the  savages,  and  we 
were  much  rejoiced  in  making  our  destination.  Before  the  boats  crossed  over  to  the  Indian 
side,  Boone  and  myself  were  taken  into  the  foremost  boat,  and  landed  above  a  small  cut 
in  the  bank,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking.  We  were  desired  to  spy  through  the  woods 
for  Indian  signs.  I  was  much  younger  than  Boone,  ran  up  the  bank  in  great  glee,  and  cut 
into  a  beech  tree  with  my  tomahawk,  which  I  verily  believe  was  the  first  tree  cut  into  by 
a  white  man,  on  the  present  site  of  Cincinnati.  We  were  soon  joined  by  other  rangers,  and 
hunted  over  the  other  bottom :  the  forest  every  where  was  thick  set  with  heavy  beech  and 
scattering  underbrush  of  spice-wood  and  pawpaw.  We  started  several  deer,  but  seeing  no 
sign  of  Indians,  returned  to  the  landing.  By  this  time  the  men  had  all  landed,  and  were 
busy  in  cutting  timber  for  stockades  and  cabins.  The  division,  under  Col.  Logan,  shortly 
crossed  over  from  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  after  erecting  a  stockade,  fort  and  cabin,  for  a 
small  garrison  and  stores,  the  army  started  for  Mad  river.  Our  way  lay  over  the  uplands 
of  an  untracked,  primitive  forest,  through  which,  with  great  labor,  we  cut  and  bridged  a 
road  for  the  accommodation  of  our  pack  horses  and  cannon.  My  duty,  in  the  march,  was  to 
spy  some  two  miles  in  advance  of  the  main  body.  Our  progress  was  slow,  but  the  weather 
was  pleasant,  the  country  abounded  in  game  ;  and  we  saw  no  Indians,  that  I  recollect,  until 
we  approached  the  waters  of  Mad  river.  In  the  campaigns  of  these  days,  none  but  the 
officers  thought  of  tents — each  man  had  to  provide  for  his  own  comfort.  Our  meat  was 
cooked  upon  sticks  set  up  before  the  fire  ;  our  beds  were  sought  upon  the  ground,  and  he 
was  the  most  fortunate  man,  that  could  gather  small  branches,  leaves  and  bark  to  shield 
him  from  the  ground,  in  moist  places.  After  the  lapse  of  so  many  years,  it  is  difficult  to 
recollect  the  details  or  dates,  so  as  to  mark  the  precise  time  or  duration  of  our  movements. 
But  in  gaining  the  open  country  of  Mad  river,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Indian  villages. 
We  had  been  kept  all  the  night  before  on  the  march,  and  pushed  rapidly  towards  the 
points  of  attack,  and  surprised  three  hundred  Indian  warriors,  that  had  collected  at  the 
town,  with  the  view  of  surprising  and  attacking  us  the  next  morning.  At  this  place,  a 
stockade  fort  had  been  reared  near  the  village,  on  the  side  we  were  approaching  it,  but  the 
Indians  feared  to  enter  it,  and  took  post  in  their  houses. 

The  village  was  situated  on  a  low  prairie  bottom  of  Mad  river,  between  these  cond  bank 
and  a  bushy  swamp  piece  of  ground,  on  the  margin  of  the  river:  it  could  be  approached 
only  from  three  points.  The  one  our  troops  occupied,  and  from  up  and  down  the  river. 
Gen.  Clarke  detached  two  divisions  to  secure  the  two  last  named  points,  while  he  extended 
his  line  to  cover  the  first.  By  this  arrangement,  the  whole  body  of  Indians  would  have 
been  surrounded  and  captured,  but  Col.  Logan,  who  had  charge  of  the  lower  division,  be- 
came entangled  in  the  swamp,  and  did  not  reach  his  assigned  position  before  the  attack 
commenced.  The  party  I  had  joined  was  about  entering  the  town,  with  great  impetuosity, 
when  Gen.  Clarke  sent  orders  for  us  to  stop,  as  the  Indians  were  making  port  holes  in  their 
cabins,  and  we  should  be  in  great  danger,  but  added,  he  would  soon  make  port  holes  for  us 
both  ;  on  that,  he  brought  his  six-pounder  to  bear  on  the  village,  and  a  discharge  of  grape 
shot  scattered  the  materials  of  their  frail  dwellings  in  every  direction.  The  Indians  poured 
out  of  their  cabins  in  great  consternation,  while  our  party,  and  those  on  the  bank,  rushed 
into  the  village,  took  possession  of  all  the  squaws  and  papooses,  and  killed  a  great  many 
warriors,  but  most  of  them  at  the  lower  part  of  the  bottom.  In  this  skirmish,  a  nephew 
°f  Gen.  Clarke,  who  had  some  time  before  run  away  from  the  Monongahela  settlements, 
and  joined  the  Indians,  was  severely  wounded.  He  was  a  great  reprobate,  and,  as  said, 
was  to  have  led  the  Indians  in  the  next  morning's  attack ;  before  he  expired,  he  asked 
forgiveness  of  his  uncle  and  countrymen.  During  the  day,  the  village  was  burned,  the 
growing  corn  cut  down  ;  and  the  next  morning  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  the  Ohio. 
This  was  a  bloodless  victory  to  our  expedition,  and  the  return  march  was  attended  with  no 
unpleasant  occurrence,  save  a  great  scarcity  of  provisions.  On  reaching  the  fort,  on  the 
Ohio,  a  party  of  us  immediately  crossed  the  river  for  our  homes,  for  which  we  felt  an  ex- 
treme anxiety.  We  depended  chiefly  on  our  rifles  for  sustenance  ;  but  game  not  being 
within  reach,  without  giving  to  it  more  time  than  our  anxiety  and  rapid  progress  permitted, 


88  CLARKE  COUNTY. 

we  tried  every  expedient  to  hasten  our  journey  without  nunting,  even  to  boiling  green 
plums  and  nettles.  These,  at  first,  under  sharp  appetites,  were  quite  palatable,  but  soon 
became  bitter  and  offensive.  At  iast,  in  traversing  the  head  waters  of  Licking,  we  espied 
several  buffalo,  directly  in  our  track.  We  killed  one,  which  supplied  us  bountifully  with 
meat  until  we  reached  our  homes. 


View  at  Piqua,  the  birth-place  of  Tecumseh. 

The  view  given  was  taken  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  John  Keifer. 
The  hill,  shown  on  the  left  in  the  engraving,  was  the  one  upon 
which  stood  the  fort,  previously  mentioned.  About  twenty-five  years 
since,  when  the  hill  was  first  cleared  and  cultivated  by  Mr.  Keifer, 
charred  stumps  were  found  around  its  edge,  indicating  the  line  of 
the  stockade,  which  included  a  space  of  about  two  acres ;  the  plow 
of  Mr.  Keifer  brought  up  various  relics,  as  skeletons,  beads,  gun- 
barrels,  tomahawks,  camp  kettles,  &c.  Other  relics  led  to  the  sup- 
position that  there  was  a  store  of  a  French  trader  destroyed  at  the 
time  of  the  action  at  the  south-western  base  of  the  hill.  When 
the  country  was  first  settled,  there  were  two  white  oak  trees  in  the 
village  of  Boston,  which  had  been  shot  off  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
feet  from  the  ground,  by  the  cannon  balls  of  Clarke ;  their  tops 
showed  plainly  the  curved  lines  of  the  balls,  around  which  they  had 
sprouted  bush-like ;  these  trees  were  felled  many  years  since  by  the 
Bostonians  for  fuel.  There  is  a  tradition  here,  that  during  the  ac- 
tion, the  Indians  secreted  their  squaws  and  children  in  "  the  cliffs" 
about  a  mile  up  the  stream  from  the  fort.  The  village  of  Boston, 
we  will  observe  in  digression,  was  once  the  competitor  with  Spring- 
field for  the  county  seat ;  it  never  had  but  a  few  houses,  and  now 
has  three  or  four  only :  one  of  them  is  shown  on  the  right  of  the 
view,  beyond  which,  a  few  rods  only,  is  Mad  river. 

We  subjoin  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  Tecumseh,  derived  from  Drake's 
memoir  of  this  celebrated  chief: 

Puckeshinwa,  the  father  of  Tecumseh,  was  a  member  of  the  Kiscopoke,  and  Methoa- 
taske,  the  mother,  of  the  Turtle  tribe  of  the  Shawanoe  nation  ;  they  removed  from  Florida 
to  Ohio  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  The  father  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  chief,  and 
fell  at  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  in  1774.  After  his  death,  his  wife  returned  to  the 
south,  where  she  died,  at  an  advanced  age.  Tecumseh  was  born  at  Piqua,  about  the  year 
1768,  and  like  Napoleon,  in  his  boyish  pastimes,  showed  a  passion  for  war  ;  he  was 
the  acknowledged  leader  among  his  companions,  by  whom  he  was  loved  and  respected, 
and  over  whom  he  exercised  an  unbounded  influence  ;  it  is  stated  that  the  first  battle  in 
which  he  was,  occurred  on  the  site  of  Dayton,  between  a  party  of  Kentuckians  under  Col. 


CLARKE    COUNTY.  89 

Benjamin  Logan,  and  some  Shawanoes.  When  about  17  years  of  age,  he  manifested  sig- 
nal prowess,  in  an  attack  on  some  boats  on  the  Ohio,  near  Limestone,  Ky.  The  boats 
were  all  captured,  and  all  in  them  killed,  except  one  person,  who  was  burnt  alive.  Te- 
cumseh was  a  silent  spectator,  never  having  before  witnessed  the  burning  of  a  prisoner ; 
after  it  was  over,  he  expressed  his  strong  abhorrence  of  the  act,  and  by  his  eloquence  per- 
suaded his  party  never  to  burn  any  more  prisoners. 

From  this  time  his  reputation  as  a  brave,  and  his  influence  over 
other  minds,  increased,  and  he  rose  rapidly  in  popularity  among  his 
tribe ;  he  was  in  several  actions  with  the  whites  prior  to  Wayne's 
treaty,  among  which  was  the  attack  on  Fort  Recovery,  and  the  bat- 
tle of  the  Fallen  Timbers.  In  the  summer  of  1795,  Tecumseh  be- 
came a  chief;  from  the  spring  of  this  year  until  that  of  1796,  he 
resided  on  Deer  Creek,  near  the  site  of  Urbana,  and  from  whence 
he  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Piqua,  on  the  Great  Miami.  In  1798, 
he  accepted  the  invitation  of  the  Delawares,  then  residing  in  part 
on  White  river,  Indiana,  to  remove  to  that  neighborhood  with  his 
followers.  He  continued  in  that  vicinity  a  number  of  years,  and 
gradually  extended  his  influence  among  the  Indians. 

In  1805,  through  the  influence  of  Laulewasikaw,  the  brother  of 
Tecumseh,  a  large  number  of  Shawanoes  established  themselves 
at  Greenville.  V ery  soon  after,  Laulewasikaw  assumed  the  office 
of  a  prophet ;  and  forthwith  commenced  that  career  of  cunning 
and  pretended  sorcery,  which  enabled  him  to  sway  the  Indian 
mind  in  a  wonderful  degree. 

Throughout  the  year  1806,  the  brothers  remained  at  Greenville,  and  were  visited  by 
many  Indians  from  different  tribes,  not  a  few  of  whom  became  their  followers.  The  Pro- 
phet dreamed  many  wonderful  dreams,  and  claimed  to  have  had  many  supernatural  revela- 
tions made  to  him  ;  the  great  eclipse  of  the  sun  which  occurred  in  the  summer  of  this 
year,  a  knowledge  of  which  he  had  by  some  means  attained,  enabled  him  to  carry  convic- 
tion to  the  minds  of  many  of  his  ignorant  followers,  that  he  was  really  the  earthly  agent 
of  the  Great  Spirit.  He  boldly  announced  to  the  unbelievers,  that  on  a  certain  day,  he 
would  give  them  proof  of  his  supernatural  powers,  by  bringing  darkness  over  the  sun  ; 
when  the  day  and  hour  of  the  eclipse  arrived,  and  the  earth,  even  at  mid-day,  was  shrouded 
in  the  gloom  of  twilight,  the  Prophet,  standing  in  the  midst  of  his  party,  significantly  pointed 
to  the  heavens,  and  cried  out,  "  did  I  not  prophecy  truly '?  Behold  !  darkness  has  shrouded 
the  sun  !"  It  may  readily  be  supposed  that  this  striking  phenomenon,  thus  adroitly  used, 
produced  a  strong  impression  on  the  Indians,  and  greatly  increased  their  belief  in  the  sa- 
cred character  of  their  Prophet. 

The  alarm  caused  by  the  assembling  of  the  Indians  still  continu- 
ing, Gov.  Harrison,  in  the  autumn  of  1807,  sent  to  the  head  chiefs 
of  the  Shawanoe  tribe,  an  address,  in  which  he  exhorted  them  to 
send  away  the  people  at  Greenville,  whose  conduct  was  foreshadow- 
ing evil  to  the  whites.  To  the  appeal  of  the  governor,  the  prophet 
made  a  cunning  and  evasive  answer  ;  it  made  no  change  in  the 
measures  of  this  artful  man,  nor  did  it  arrest  the  spread  of  fanati- 
cism among  the  Indians,  which  his  incantations  had  produced. 

In  the  spring  of  1808,  Tecumseh  and  the  prophet  removed  to  a 
tract  of  land  on  the  Tippecanoe,  a  tributary  of  the  Wabash,  where 
the  latter  continued  his  efforts  to  induce  the  Indians  to  forsake  their 
vicious  habits,  while  Tecumseh  was  visiting  the  neighboring  tribes 
and  quietly  strengthening  his  own  and  the  prophet's  influence  over 
them.  The  events  of  the  early  part  of  the  year  1810,  were  such  as 
to  leave  but  little  doubt  of  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  brothers 

12 


90  CLARKE    COUNTY 

the  Prophet  was  apparently  the  most  prominent  actor,  while  Tecum 
seh  was  in  reality  the  main  spring  of  all  the  movements,  backed,  it 
is  supposed,  by  the  insidious  influence  of  British  agents,  who  sup- 
plied the  Indians  gratis  with  powder  and  ball,  in  anticipation,  per- 
haps, of  hostilities  between  the  two  countries,  in  which  event  an 
union  of  all  the  tribes  against  the  Americans  was  desirable.  By 
various  acts  the  feelings  of  Tecumseh  became  more  and  more  evi- 
dent ;  in  August,  he  having  visited  Vincennes  to  see  the  governor, 
a  council  was  held,  at  which,  and  a  subsequent  interview,  the  real 
position  of  affairs  was  ascertained. 

Governor  Harrison  had  made  arrangements  for  holding  the  council  on  the  portico  of 
his  own  house,  which  had  been  fitted  up  with  seats  for  the  occasion.  Here,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  fifteenth,  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  chief,  being  attended  by  the  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  some  officers  of  the  army,  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men,  from  Fort 
Knox,  and  a  large  number  of  citizens.  At  the  appointed  hour,  Tecumseh,  supported  by 
forty  of  his  principal  warriors,  made  his  appearance,  the  remainder  of  his  followers  being 
encamped  in  the  village  and  its  environs.  When  the  chief  had  approached  within  thirty 
or  forty  yards  of  the  house,  he  suddenly  stopped,  as  if  awaiting  some  advances  from  the 
governor  ;  an  interpreter  was  sent,  requesting  him  and  his  followers  to  take  seats  on  the 
portico.  To  this  Tecumseh  objected — he  did  not  think  the  place  a  suitable  one  for  holding 
the  conference,  but  preferred  that  it  should  take  place  in  a  grove  of  trees — to  which  he 
pointed — standing  a  short  distance  from  the  house.  The  governor  said  he  had  no  objec- 
tion to  the  grove,  except  that  there  were  no  seats  in  it  for  their  accommodation.  Tecum- 
seh replied,  that  constituted  no  objection  to  the  grove,  the  earth  being  the  most  suitable 
place  for  the  Indians,  who  loved  to  repose  upon  the  bosom  of  their  mother.  The  governor 
yielded  the  poin',  and  the  benches  and  chairs  having  been  removed  to  the  spot,  the  confer- 
ence was  begun,  the  Indians  being  seated  on  the  grass. 

Tecumseh  opened  the  meeting  by  stating,  at  length,  his  objections  to  the  treaty  of  Fort 
Wayne,  made  by  Governor  Harrison,  in  the  previous  year  ;  and  in  the  course  of  his  speech 
boldly  avowed  the  principle  of  his  party  to  be  that  of  resistance  to  every  cession  of  land, 
unless  made  by  all  the  tribes,  who,  he  contended,  formed  but  one  nation.  He  admitted 
that  he  had  threatened  to  kill  the  chiefs  who  signed  the  treaty  of  Fort  Wayne,  and  that  it 
was  his  fixed  determination  not  to  permit  the  village  chiefs,  in  future,  to  manage  their  af- 
fairs, but  to  place  the  power  with  which  they  had  been  heretofore  invested,  in  the  hands  ol 
the  war  chiefs.  The  Americans,  he  said,  had  driven  the  Indians  from  the  sea-coast,  and 
would  soon  push  them  into  the  lakes  ;  and,  while  he  disclaimed  all  intention  of  making 
war  upon  the  United  States,  he  declared  it  to  be  his  unalterable  resolution  to  take  a  stand, 
and  resolutely  oppose  the  further  intrusion  of  the  whites  upon  the  Indian  lands.  He  con- 
cluded, by  making  a  brief  but  impassioned  recital  of  the  various  wrongs  and  aggressions 
inflicted  by  the  white  men  upon  the  Indians,  from  the  commencement  of  the  revolution- 
ary war  down  to  the  period  of  that  council  ;  all  of  which  was  calculated  to  arouse  and 
inflame  the  minds  of  such  of  his  followers  as  were  present. 

The  governor  rose  in  reply,  and  in  examining  the  right  of  Tecumseh  and  his  party  to 
make  objections  to  the  treaty  of  Fort  Wayne,  took  occasion  to  say  that  the  Indians  were 
not  one  nation,  having  a  common  property  in  the  lands.  The  Miamis,  he  contended,  were 
the  real  owners  of  the  tract  on  the  Wabash,  ceded  by  the  late  treaty,  and  the  Shawanoes 
had  no  right  to  interfere  in  the  case  ;  that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  whites  on  this  continent, 
they  had  found  the  Miamis  in  possession  of  this  land,  the  Shawanoes  being  then  residents 
of  Georgia,  from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the  Creeks,  and  that  it  was  ridiculous  to 
assert  that  the  red  men  constituted  but  one  nation  ;  for,  if. such  had  been  the  intention  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  he  would  not  have  put  different  tongues  in  their  heads,  but  have  taught 
them  all  to  speak  the  same  language. 

The  governor  having  taken  his  seat,  the  interpreter  commenced  explaining  the  speech 
to  Tecumseh,  who,  after  listening  to  a  portion  of  it,  sprung  to  his  feet  and  began  to  speak 
with  great  vehemence  of  manner. 

The  governor  was  surprised  at  his  violent  gestures,  but  as  he  did  not  understand  him, 
thought  he  was  making  some  explanation,  and  suffered  his  attention  to  be  drawn  towards 
Winnemac,  a  friendly  Indian  lying  on  the  grass  before  him,  who  was  renewing  the  priming 
of  his  pistol,  which  he  had  kept  concealed  from  the  other  Indians,  but  in  full  view  of  the 
governor.     His  attention,  however,  was  again  directed  towards  Tecumseh,  by  hearing 


CLARKE    COUNTY.  91 

General  Gibson,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  the  Shawanoe  language,  say  to  lieu- 
tenant Jennings,  "  those  fellows  intend  mischief;  you  had  better  bring  up  the  guard."  At 
that  moment,  the  followers  of  Tecumseh  seized  their  tomahaws  and  war  clubs,  and  sprung 
upon  their  feet,  their  eyes  turned  upon  the  governor.  As  soon  as  he  could  disengage  him- 
self from  the  armed  chair  in  which  he  sat,  he  rose,  drew  a  small  sword  which  he  had  by 
his  side,  and  stood  on  the  defensive.  Captain  G.  R.  Floyd,  of  the  army,  who  stood  near 
him,  drew  a  dirk,  and  the  chief  Winnemac  cocked  his  pistol.  The  citizens  present  were 
more  numerous  than  the  Indians,  but  were  unarmed  ;  some  of  them  procured  clubs  and 
brick-bats,  and  also  stood  on  the  defensive.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Winans,  of  the  Methodist 
church,  ran  to  the  governor's  house,  got  a  gun,  and  posted  himself  at  the  door  to  defend 
the  family.  During  this  singular  scene,  no  one  spoke,  until  the  guard  came  running  up, 
and  appearing  to  be  in  the  act  of  firing,  the  governor  ordered  them  not  to  do  so.  He  then 
demanded  of  the  interpreter  an  explanation  of  what  had  happened,  who  replied  that  Te- 
cumseh had  interrupted  him,  declaring  that  all  the  governor  had  said  was  false,  and  that 
he  and  the  Seventeen  Fires  had  cheated  and  imposed  on  the  Indians.  The  governor  then 
told  Tecumseh  that  he  was  a  bad  man,  and  that  he  would  hold  no  further  communication 
with  him  ;  that  as  he  had  come  to  Vincennes  under  the  protection  of  a  council-fire,  he 
might  return  in  safety,  but  that  he  must  immediately  leave  the  village.  Here  the  council 
terminated. 

The  undoubted  purpose  of  the  brothers  now  being  known,  Gov. 
Harrison  proceeded  to  prepare  for  the  contest  he  knew  must  ensue. 
In  June  of  the  year  following,  (1811,)  he  sent  a  message  to  the 
Shawanoes,  bidding  them  beware  of  hostilities,  to  which  Tecumseh 
gave  a  brief  reply,  promising  to  visit  the  governor.  This  visit  he 
paid^i  July,  accompanied  by  300  followers,  but  as  the  Americans 
were  prepared  and  determined,  nothing  resulted,  and  Tecumseh 
proceeded  to  the  south,  as  it  was  supposed,  to  enlist  the  Creeks  in 
the  cause. 

Tn  the  meanwhile,  Harrison  took  measures  to  increase  his  regular 
force ;  his  plan  was  to  again  warn  the  Indians  to  obey  the  treaty  of 
Greenville,  but  at  the  same  time  to  prepare  to  break  up  the  prophet's 
establishment,  if  necessary.  On  the  5th  of  October,  having  received 
his  reinforcements,  he  was  on  the  Wabash,  about  60  miles  above 
Vincennes,  where  he  built  Fort  Harrison.  On  the  7th  of  Novem- 
ber following,  he  was  attacked  by  the  Indians  at  Tippecanoe,  and 
defeated  them.  Peace  on  the  frontiers  was  one  of  the  happy  results 
of  this  severe  and  brilliant  action. 

With  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  the  prophet  lost  his  popularity 
and  power  among  the  Indians,  he  having,  previously  to  the  battle, 
promised  them  certain  victory. 

On  the  first  commencement  of  the  war  of  1812,  Tecumseh  was 
in  the  field,  prepared  for  the  conflict.  In  July,  there  was  an  assem- 
blage at  Brownstown  of  those  Indians  who  were  inclined  to  neu- 
trality. A  deputation  was  sent  to  Maiden  to  Tecumseh  to  attend 
this  council.  "  No,"  said  he  indignantly,  "  I  have  taken  sides  with 
the  king,  my  father,  and  I  will  suffer  my  bones  to  bleach  upon  this 
shore,  before  I  will  recross  that  stream  to  join  in  any  council  of  neu- 
trality." He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Brownstown,  and  com- 
manded the  Indians  in  the  action  near  Maguaga.  In  the  last  he 
was  wounded,  and  it  is  supposed  that  his  bravery  and  good  conduct 
led  to  his  being  shortly  after  appointed  Brigadier  General  in  the 
service  of  the  British  King.  In  the  seige  of  Fort  Meigs,  Tecumseh 
behaved  with  great  bravery  and  humanity.     (See  Wood  co.) 


92  CLARKE  COUNTY. 

Immediately  after  the  signal  defeat  of  Proctor,  at  Fort  Stephen- 
son, he  returned  with  the  British  troops  to  Maiden  by  water,  while 
Tecumseh,  with  his  followers,  passed  over  by  land,  round  the  head 
of  Lake  Erie,  and  joined  him  at  that  point.  Discouraged  by  the 
want  of  success,  and  having  lost  all  confidence  in  Gen.  Proctor,  Te- 
cumseh seriously  meditated  a  withdrawal  from  the  contest,  but  was 
induced  to  remain. 

When  Perry's  battle  was  fought,  it  was  witnessed  by  the  Indians  from  the  distant  shore. 
On  the  day  succeeding  the  engagement,  Gen.  Proctor  said  to  Tecumseh,  "  my  fleet  has 
whipped  the  Americans,  but  the  vessels  being  much  injured,  have  gone  into  Put-in  Bay  to 
refit,  and  will  be  here  in  a  few  days."  This  deception,  however,  upon  the  Indians  was  not 
of  long  duration.  The  sagacious  eye  of  Tecumseh  soon  perceived  indications  of  a  retreat 
from  Maiden,  and  he  promptly  inquired  into  the  matter.  Gen.  Proctor  informed  him  that 
he  was  only  going  to  send  their  valuable  property  up  the  Thames,  where  it  would  meet  a 
reinforcement,  and  be  safe.  Tecumseh,  however,  was  not  to  be  deceived  by  this  shallow 
device  ;  and  remonstrated  most  urgently  against  a  retreat.  He  finally  demanded,  in  the 
name  of  all  the  Indians  under  his  command,  to  be  heard  by  the  general,  and,  on  the  18th 
of  September,  delivered  to  him,  as  the  representative  of  their  great  father,  the  king,  the 
following  speech : — 

"  Father,  listen  to  your  children  !  you  have  them  now  all  before  you. 

"  The  war  before  this,  our  British  father  gave  the  hatchet  to  his  red  children,  when  our  old 
chiefs  were  alive.  They  are  now  dead.  In  that  war  our  father  was  thrown  upon  his  back 
by  the  Americans ;  and  our  father  took  them  by  the  hand  without  our  knowledge  ;  and  we 
are  afraid  that  our  father  will  do  so  again  at  this  time. 

"  Summer  before  last,  when  I  came  forward  with  my  red  brethren  and  was  ready  to  take 
up  the  hatchet  in  favor  of  our  British  father,  we  were  told  nvt  to  be  in  a  hurry,  that  he  had 
not  yet  determined  to  fight  the  Americans. 

"  Listen  !  when  war  was  declared,  our  father  stood  up  and  gave  us  the  tomahawk,  and 
told  us  that  he  was  then  ready  to  strike  the  Americans;  that  he  wanted  our  assistance,  and 
that  he  would  certainly  get  our  lands  back,  which  the  Americans  had  taken  from  us. 

"  Listen !  you  told  us  at  that  time,  to  bring  forward  our  families  to  this  place,  and  we 
did  so ;  and  you  promised  to  take  care  of  them,  and  they  should  want  for  nothing,  while 
the  men  would  go  and  fight  the  enemy  ;  that  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  about  the  ene- 
my's garrisons  ;  that  we  knew  nothing  about  them,  and  that  our  father  would  attend  to 
that  part  of  the  business.  You  also  told  your  red  children  that  you  would  take  good  care 
of  your  garrison  here,  which  made  our  hearts  glad. 

"  Listen  !  when  we  were  last  at  the  Rapids,  it  is  true  we  gave  you  little  assistance.  It 
is  hard  to  fight  people  who  live  like  ground-hogs. 

"  Father,  listen  !  our  fleet  has  gone  out  ;  we  know  they  have  fought ;  we  have  heard  the 
great  guns  ;  but  we  know  nothing  of  what  has  happened  to  our  father  with  one  arm.  Our 
ships  have  gone  one  way,  and  we  are  much  astonished  to  see  our  father  tying  up  every 
thing  and  preparing  to  run  away  the  other,  without  letting  his  red  children  know  what  his 
intentions  are.  You  always  told  us  to  remain  here  and  take  care  of  our  lands  ;  it  made 
our  hearts  glad  to  hear  that  was  your  wish.  Our  great  father,  the  king,  is  the  head,  and 
you  represent  him.  You  always  told  us  you  would  never  draw  your  foot  off  British  ground ; 
but  now,  father,  we  see  that  you  are  drawing  back,  and  we  are  sorry  to  see  our  father  do- 
ing so  without  seeing  the  enemy.  We  must  compare  our  father's  conduct  to  a  fat  dog, 
that  carries  his  tail  on  its  back,  and  when  affrighted,  drops  it  between  its  legs  and  runs  off. 

"  Father,  listen !  the  Americans  have  not  yet  defeated  us  by  land  ;  neither  are  we  sure 
that  they  have  done  so  by  water  ;  we,  therefore,  wish  to  remain  here  and  fight  our  enemy, 
should  they  make  their  appearance.     If  they  defeat  us,  we  will  then  retreat  with  our  father. 

"  At  the  battle  of  the  Rapids,  last  war,  the  Americans  certainly  defeated  us  ;  and  when 
we  returned  to  our  father's  fort  at  that  place,  the  gates  were  shut  against  us.  We  were 
afraid  that  it  would  now  be  the  case  ;  but  instead  of  that,  we  now  see  our  British  father 
preparing  to  march  out  of  his  garrison. 

"  Father,  you  have  got  the  arms  and  ammunition  which  our  great  father  sent  for  his  red 
children,  if  you  have  an  idea  of  going  away,  give  them  to  us,  and  you  may  go  and  wel- 
come, for  us.  Our  lives  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Spirit.  We  are  determined  to  de- 
fend our  lands,  and  if  it  be  his  will,  we  wish  to  leave  our  bones  upon  them." 

Tecumseh  entered  the  battle  of  the  Thames  with  a  strong  conviction  that  he  should  not 
survive  it.     Further  flight  he  deemed  disgraceful,  while  the  hope  of  victory  in  the  impending 


CLARKE    COUNTY.  93 

action,  was  feeble  and  distant.  He,  however,  heroically  resolved  to  achieve  the  latter  or 
die  in  the  effort.  With  this  determination  he  took  his  stand  among  his  followers,  raised  the 
war-cry  and  boldly  met  the  enemy.  From  the  commencement  of  the  attack  on  the  Indian 
line,  his  voice  was  distinctly  heard  by  his  followers,  animating  them  to  deeds  worthy  of  the 
race  to  which  they  belonged.  When  that  well-known  voice  was  heard  no  longer  above  the 
din  of  arms,  the  battle  ceased.  The  British  troops  having  already  surrendered,  and  the  gallant 
leader  of  the  Indians  having  fallen,  they  gave  up  the  contest  and  fled.  A  short  distance 
from  where  Tecumseh  fell,  the  body  of  his  friend  and  brother-in-law,  Wasegoboah,  was 
found.  They  had  often  fought  side  by  side,  and  now,  in  front  of  their  men,  bravely  bat- 
tling the  enemy,  they  side  by  side  closed  their  mortal  career. 

"  Thus  fell  the  Indian  warrior  Tecumseh,  in  the  44th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  of  the 
Shawanoe  tribe,  five  feet  ten  inches  high,  and  with  more  than  the  usual  stoutness,  possessed 
all  the  agility  and  perseverance  of  the  Indian  character.  His  carriage  was  dignified,  his  eye 
penetrating,  his  countenance,  which  even  in  death,  betrayed  the  indications  of  a  lofty 
spirit,  rather  of  the  sterner  cast.  Had  he  not  possessed  a  certain  austerity  of  manners,  he 
could  never  have  controlled  the  wayward  passions  of  those  who  followed  him  to  battle. 
He  was  of  a  silent  habit ;  but  when  his  eloquence  became  roused  into  action  by  the  reiterated 
encroachments  of  the  Americans,  his  strong  intellect  could  supply  him  with  a  flow  of  ora- 
tory that  enabled  him,  as  he  governed  in  the  field,  so  to  prescribe  in  the  council.  Those 
who  consider  that  in  all  territorial  questions,  the  ablest  diplomatists  of  the  United  States 
are  sent  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians,  will  readily  appreciate  the  loss  sustained  by  the>  lat- 
ter in  the  death  of  their  champion Such  a  man  was  the  unlettered  sav- 
age, Tecumseh,  and  such  a  man  have  the  Indians  lost  forever.  He  has  left  a  son,  who, 
when  his  father  fell,  was  about  seventeen  years  old,  and  fought  by  his  side.  The  prince 
regent,  in  1814,  out  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  old,  sent  out  as  a  present  to  the  young 
Tecumseh,  a  handsome  sword.  Unfortunately,  however,  for  the  Indian  cause  and  country, 
faint  are  the  prospects  that  Tecumseh  the  son,  will  ever  equal,  in  wisdom  or  prowess,  Te- 
cumseh the  father." 

It  is  stated  by  Mr.  James,  a  British  historian,  that  Tecumseh,  after 
he  fell,  was  not  only  scalped,  but  that  his  body  was  actually  flayed, 
and  the  skin  converted  into  razor-straps  by  the  Kentuckians.  Amid 
the  great  amount  of  conflicting  testimony  relating  to  the  circum- 
stances of  Tecumseh's  death,  it  is  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossi- 
ble, to  ascertain  the  precise  facts.  It  is,  however,  generally  be- 
lieved that  he  fell  by  a  pistol-shot,  fired  by  Col.  Richard  M.  Johnson 
of  Kentucky,  who  acted  a  most  prominent  part  in  this  battle. 

Springfield,  the  county  seat,  is  43  miles  w.  of  Columbus,  on  the 
National  road,  and  on  the  line  of  the  railroads  connecting  Cincinnati 
with  Sandusky  city.  It  was  laid  out  in  1803,  by  James  Demint. 
It  is  surrounded  by  a  handsome  and  fertile  country,  is  noted  for  the 
morality  and  intelligence  of  its  inhabitants,  and,  by  many,  is  consid- 
ered the  most  beautiful  village  within  the  limits  of  Ohio.  The  east- 
ern fork  of  Mad  river  washes  it  on  the  north,  a  stream  described  "  as 
unequalled  for  fine  mill  seats,  its  current  very  rapid,  and  the  water 
never  so  low  in  the  driest  season  as  to  interfere  with  the  mills  now 
upon  it."  Through  the  place  runs  the  Lagonda,  or  Buck  creek,  a 
swift  and  unfailing  mill  stream.  Within  a  range  of .three  miles  of  the 
town  are  upwards  of  twenty  mill  seats.  Springfield  suffered  much 
during  the  era  of  speculation,  but  is  now  prospering,  and  from  its  nat- 
ural advantages,  is  destined  to  hold  a  prominent  place  among  the 
manufacturing  towns  of  the  state.  The  engraving  shows  its  appear- 
ance as  viewed  from  the  National  road,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east ; 
the  main  street  appears  in  front,  on  the  left  the  academy,  and  on  the 
right  the  court  house,  and  one  of  the  churches.  The  view  is  from 
a  familiar  position,  but  the  village,  like  many  other  beautiful  towns, 


94 


CLARKE  COUNTY. 


is  so  situated  that  no  drawing  from  any  one  point   can  show  it  to 
advantage. 


East  View  of  Springfield. 

Several  of  the  first  settlers  of  Springfield  still  remain  in  and 
around  it ;  among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  names  of  John 
Humphreys,  David  Lowry  and  Griffeth  Foos,  the  last  of  whom  oc- 
cupied the  first  house  built  in  the  town  as  a  tavern. 

The  Ohio  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  has  a 
flourishing  high  school  at  Springfield,  for  both  sexes.  A  lyceum 
has  been  in  successful  operation  about  fourteen  years,  and  the  pub- 
lic libraries  of  the  town  comprise  about  4000  volumes.  Spring- 
field contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  Episcopal,  1  Methodist 
Protestant,  1  Episcopal,  1  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterian,  1  Bap- 
tist, 1  Lutheran,  1  Universalist,  and  1  African  Methodist  church ;  2 
or  3  printing  offices  ;  3  drug,  1  book,  1  hardware,  and  15  dry  good 
stores ;  1  paper,  1  oil,  and  3  flouring  mills  ;  1  cotton,  1  woolen,  and 
1  sash  factory  ;  1  foundery  and  machine  shop  ;  and  in  1830,  had  a 
population  of  1080;  in  1840,  2094;  in  1846,  2952;  and  in  1847, 
about  3500. 

Springfield  was  the  scene  of  an  interesting  incident  in  the  life  of 
Tecumseh,  which  is  given  at  length  by  his  biographer. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  [1807,]  a  white  man  by  the  name  of  Myers,  was  killed  a 
few  miles  west  of  where  the  town  of  Urbana  now  stands,  by  some  straggling  Indians. 
This  murder,  taken  in  connection  with  the  assemblage  of  the  Indians  under  Tecumseh  and 
the  prophet,  created  a  great  alarm  on  the  frontier,  and  actually  induced  many  families  to 
remove  back  to  Kentucky,  from  whence  they  had  emigrated.  A  demand  was  made  by 
the  whites  upon  these  two  brothers  for  the  Indians  who  had  committed  the  murder. 
They  denied  that  it  was  done  by  their  party,  or  with  their  knowledge,  and  declared 
that  they  did  not  even  know  who  the  murderers  were.  The  alarm  continued,  and  some 
companies  of  militia  were  called  out.  It  was  finally  agreed,  that  a  council  should  be 
held  on  the  subject  in  Springfield,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the  settlements.  Gen.  White- 
man,  Maj.  Moore,  Capt.  Ward,  and  one  or  two  others,  acted  as  commissioners  on  the  part 
of  the  whites.  Two  parties  of  Indians  attended  the  council  ;  one  from  the  north,  in  charge 
of  McPherson ;  the  other,  consisting  of  sixty  or  seventy,  came  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Fort  Wayne,  under  the  charge  of  Tecumseh.  Roundhead,  Blackfish,  and  several  other 
chiefs,  were  also  present.  There  was  no  friendly  feeling  between  these  two  parties,  and 
each  was  willing  that  the  blame  of  the  murder  should  be  rixed  upon  the  other.  The  party 
under  McPherson,  in  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  the  commissioners,  left  their  arms  a 


CLARKE  COUNTY. 


95 


few  miles  from  Springfield.  Tecumseh  and  his  party  refused  to  attend  the  council,  unless 
permitted  to  retain  their  arms.  After  the  conference  was  opened,  it  being  held  in  a  maple 
grove,  a  little  north  of  where  Werden's  hotel  now  stands,  the  commissioners,  fearing  some 
violence,  made  another  effort  to  induce  Tecumseh  to  lay  aside  his  amis.  This  he  again 
refused,  saying,  in  reply,  that  his  tomahawk  was  also  his  pipe,  and  that  he  might  wish  to 
use  it  in  that  capacity  before  their  business  was  closed.  At  this  moment,  a  tall,  lank-si&ed 
Pennsylvanian,  who  was  standing  among  the  spectators,  and  who,  perhaps,  had  no  love 
for  the  shining  tomahawk  of  the  self-willed  chief,  cautiously  approached,  and  handed  him 
an  old,  long  stemmed,  dirty  looking  earthen  pipe,  intimating,  that  if  Tecumseh  would  de- 
liver up  the  fearful  tomahawk,  he  might  smoke  the  aforesaid  pipe.  The  chief  took  it  be- 
tween his  thumb  and  finger,  held  it  up,  looked  at  it  for  a  moment,  then  at  the  owner,  who 
was  gradually  receding  from  the  point  of  danger,  and  immediately  threw  it,  with  an  in- 
dignant sneer,  over  his  head,  into  the  bushes.  The  commissioners  yielded  the  point,  and 
proceeded  to  business. 

After  a  full  and  patient  inquiry  into  the  facts  of  the  case,  it  appeared  that  the  murder  of 
Myers  was  the  act  of  an  individual,  and  not  justly  chargeable  upon  either  party  of  the  In- 
dians. Several  speeches  were  made  by  the  chiefs,  but  Tecumseh  was  the  principal  speaker. 
He  gave  a  full  explanation  of  the  views  of  the  prophet  and  himself,  in  calling  around  them 
a  band  of  Indians — disavowed  all  hostile  intentions  towards  the  United  States,  and  denied 
that  he  or  those  under  his  control  had  committed  any  aggressions  upon  the  whites.  His 
manner,  when  speaking,  was  animated,  fluent  and  rapid,  and  made  a  strong  impression 
upon  those  present.  The  council  terminated.  In  the  course  of  it,  the  two  hostile  parties 
became  reconciled  to  each  other,  and  quiet  was  restored  to  the  frontier. 

The  Indians  remained  in  Springfield  for  three  days,  and  on  several  occasions  amused 
themselves  by  engaging  in  various  games  and  other  athletic  exercises,  in  which  Tecumseh 
generally  proved  himself  victorious.  His  strength,  and  power  of  muscular  action  were 
remarkably  great,  and  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  attended  the  council,  corresponded  with 
the  high  order  of  his  moral  and  intellectual  character. 


Wittemberg  College. 

"  Wittemberg  College  is  organized  on  a  large,  and  liberal  pros- 
pective scale,  and  on  the  same  basis  as  Yale  College,  Ct.,  having 
both  a  collegiate  and  theological  department,  under  the  same  Board 
and  Faculty.  It  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and 
was  chartered  in  1845.  Arrangements  are  made  for  six  professor- 
ships. It  is  located  about  a  third  of  a  mile  from  Springfield,  on 
beautiful  forest  grounds,  containing  24  acres,  surrounded  with  springs 
of  the  best  water,  and  with  the  most  charming  scenery.  The  town, 
railroad,  Buck  creek,  and  Mad  river  are  in  view  from  the  building. 
The  institution  is  under  the  superintendence  of  Rev.  Ezra  Keller, 
D.  D.,  assisted  by  competent  instructors.  It  has  now  been  in  opera- 
tion for  one  year,  and  has  had  72  students  connected  with  it.     A 


96  CLERMONT  COUNTY. 

freshman  and  sophomore  class  has  been  formed.  An  Athaeneum,  and 
two  literary  societies  have  also  been  established.  A  general  library, 
philosophical  apparatus,  and  cabinet  of  natural  and  artificial  curi- 
osities have  been  begun.  The  German  is  taught  as  a  living  lan- 
guage. Tuition  and  boarding  are  furnished  on  very  moderate 
terms.  The  government  of  the  institution  is  made  as  nearly  as 
possible  to  that  of  a  well-regulated  family." 

New  Carlisle,  12  miles  west  of  Springfield,  is  a  flourishing  village, 
in  a  beautiful  and  fertile  country.  It  contains  2  Presbyterian,  1 
Methodist,  and  1  Free  or  Union  church,  6  stores,  an  extensive  coach 
factory,  a  fine  brick  school  house,  and  by  the  census  of  1840,  has 
452  inhabitants.  South  Charleston,  12  miles  se.  from  Springfield, 
on  the  Xenia  and  Jefferson  turnpike,  has  2  churches,  several  stores, 
and  had  in  1840,  240  inhabitants,  since  which  it  has  much  increased. 
Enon,  on  the  Dayton  turnpike,  7  miles  from  Springfield,  has  2 
churches,  several  stores,  and  about  60  dwellings  :  on  the  outskirts 
of  this  town  is  a  beautiful  mound,  30  or  40  feet  in  height.  North 
Hampton,  Tremont,  Vienna,  Donaldsville,  Brighton,  Harmony,  No- 
blesville,  Catawba,  and  Cortsville,  are  small  villages.    (See  Addenda.) 


CLERMONT. 

Clermont,  the  8th  county,  created  in  the  North-west  Territory, 
was  formed  Dec.  9th,  1800,  by  proclamation  of  Gov.  St.  Clair. 
The  name  was  probably  derived  from  Clermont,  in  France.  The 
surface  is  generally  rolling  and  quite  broken  near  the  Ohio :  in 
the  northeast,  there  is  much  "  wet  land."  A  large  portion  of  the 
soil  is  rich.  The  geological  formation'  is  the  blue  fossiliferous  lime- 
stone, interstratified  with  clay  marl,  and  covered,  in  most  places, 
with  a  rich  vegetable  mould.  The  principal  crops  are  corn,  wheat, 
oats,  hay,  potatoes,  tobacco,  barley,  buckwheat  and  rye  ;  the  prin- 
cipal exports  are  beef,  pork,  flour,  hay  and  whiskey.  It  is  well 
watered,  and  the  streams  furnish  considerable  water  power.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Batavia,     2197         Monroe,      1617         Union,  1421 

Franklin,  2219         Ohio,  2894         Washington,       2102 

Goshen,     1445         Stonelick,   1478         Wayne,  976 

Jackson,      883         Tate,  2292         Wil'liamsburgh,  1459 

Miami,      2061 

The  population  of  Clermont,  m  1820,  was  15,820  ;  in  1830, 20,466 ; 
and  in  1840,  23,106,  or  40  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  communication  below,  from  Mr.  Benjamin  Morris,  gives  some 
facts  respecting  the  history  of  the  county  and  its  early  settlers. 

In  June,  1804,  and  in  the  19th  year  of  my  age,  I  came  to  Bethel,  which,  with  Williams- 
burgh,  were  the  only  towns  in  the  county.  They  were  laid  out  about  1798  or  '99,  and 
were  competitors  for  the  county  seat.  When  I  came,  Clermont  was  an  almost  unbroken 
wilderness,  and  the  settlers  few  and  far  between.     In  the  language  of  the  day,  there  was 


CLERMONT    COUNTY.  97 

Denham's  town,  now  Bethel;  Lytlestown,  now  Williamsburgh ;  Witham's  settlement, 
now  Williamsville  ;  Apples',  Collins',  and  Buchanan's  settlements.  The  following  are 
names  of  part  of  the  settlers  in  and  about  Williamsburgh,  in  1804: — Wm.  Lytle,  R.  W. 
Waring,  David  C.  Bryan,  James  and  Daniel  Kain,  Nicholas  Sinks,  Jasper  Shotwell,  and 
Peter  Light.  Wm.  Lytle  was  the  first  clerk  of  the  county,  and  was  succeeded  by  R.  W. 
Waring  and  David  C.  Bryan.  Peter  Light  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  under  the  territorial 
and  state  governments,  and  county  surveyor.  Daniel  Kain  was  sheriff,  and  later  justice  of 
the  peace  under  the  state  government.  David  C.  Bryan  represented  the  county  several 
years  in  the  state  legislature,  before  he  was  appointed  clerk.  I  was  at  Williamsburgh  at 
the  sitting  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  in  June,  1804.  Francis  Dunleavy  was  the  presi- 
ding judge,  and  Philip  Gatch,  Ambrose  Ransom,  and  John  Wood,  associates,  while  the 
attendant  lawyers  were  Jacob  Burnet,  Arthur  St.  Clair — son  of  Gov.  St.  Clair — Joshua 
Collet,  Martin  Marshall  and  Thomas  Morris. 

The  following  are  part  of  the  settlers  in  and  about  Bethel,  in  1804 :  Obed  Denham — 
proprietor  of  the  town — James  Denham,  Houton  Clark,  John  Baggess,  Dr.  Loofborough, 
John  and  Thomas  Morris,  Jeremiah  Beck,  Henry  Willis  and  James  South.  John  Bag- 
gess for  many  years  was  a  representative  in  the  legislature,  justice  of  the  peace  and  county 
surveyor.  John  Morris  was  appointed  associate  judge  after  the  death  of  Judge  Wood,  in 
1807  ;  he  was  also  justice  of  the  peace,  and  one  of  the  first  settlers  at  Columbia.  Houton 
Clark  was  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  very  first,  justice  of  the  peace  in  Clermont.  Thomas 
Morris  practised  law  in  the  county  about  forty  years,  was  a  representative  in  the  legisla- 
ture, and  once  appointed  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court.  In  the  winter  of  1832-33,  he 
was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate,  where  he  acted  a  conspicueus  part  in  the  anti- 
slavery  movements  of  the  day.  The  most  prominent  political  act  of  his  life,  was  his  reply 
to  a  speech  of  Mr.  Clay.  He  died  suddenly,  Dec.  7th,  1844:  posterity  only  can  judge 
of  the  correctness  or  incorrectness  of  his  course.  A  neat  marble  monument  marks  his 
resting  place,  near  Bethel.  Jeremiah  Beck  and  Henry  Willis  were  farmers  and  justices  of 
the  peace.  Ulrey's  Run  takes  its  name  from  Jacob  Ulrey,  who  settled  on  its  west  side  in 
1798,  and  was  the  earliest  settler  upon  it.  The  place  is  now  known  as  "  the  Ulrey  farm." 
Bred  in  the  wilds  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  a  genuine  backwoodsman,  and  a  terror  to  the 
horse  thieves,  who  infested  the  county  at  an  early  day.  Deer  and  bear  were  plenty  around 
him,  and  a  large  portion  of  his  time  was  passed  in  hunting  them,  for  their  skins.  The 
early  settlers  around  him  received  substantial  tokens  of  his  generosity,  by  his  supplying 
them  with  meat. 

The  first  newspaper  in  Clermont, "  The  Political  Censor,"  was  printed  at  Williamsburg, 
in  1813  :  it  was  edited  by  Thos.  S.  Foot,  Esq. ;  the  second,  called  "  The  Western  Amer- 
ican," was  printed  in  the  same  town,  in  1814:  David  Morris,  Esq.,  editor. 

A  considerable  number  of  the  early  settlers  in  Clermont,  were  from  Kentucky.  Of  those 
before  named,  the  following  were  from  that  state  : — R.  W.  Waring,  Jasper  Shotwell,  Peter 
Light,  Obed  and  James  Denham,  Houton  Clark,  John  Boggess,  Jeremiah  Beck,  Henry 
Willis  and  James  South.  Nicholas  Sinks  was  from  Va.  ;  David  C.  Bryan,  from  New  Jer- 
sey, and  John  and  Thomas  Morris  and  the  Kain  family,  (I  believe,)  from  Pa.  After  1804, 
the  county  increased  rapidly  by  settlers  from  New  Jersey,  Kentucky  and  Pennsylvania, 
with  some  from  Maryland,  New  England,  and  a  few  from  North  Carolina. 

Neville  was  laid  out  in  1811,  Gen.  Neville,  proprietor.  Point  Pleasant  and  New  Rich- 
mond were  laid  out  about  1814;  Jacob  Light,  proprietor  of  the  latter.  George  Ely  laid 
out  Batavia  afterwards.  The  early  settlers  about  that  place,  as  well  as  I  remember,  were 
George  Ely,  Ezekiel  Dimmit,  Lewis  Duckwall,  Henry  Miley,  Robert  and  James  Townsley, 
Titus  Everhart  and  Wm.  Patterson.  Before  Milford  was  laid  out,  Philip  Gatch,  Ambrose 
Ransom  and  John  Pollock  settled  in  its  vicinity.  Philip  Gatch  was  a  member  from  Cler- 
mont, of  the  convention  which  formed  the  state  constitution,  and  for  years  after  was  asso- 
ciate judge.  Ransom,  as  before  stated,  was  associate  judge  ;  and  John  Pollock,  for  many 
years  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  later,  associate  judge.  Philip  Gatch  was 
a  Virginian.  He  freed  his  slaves  before  emigrating,  which  circumstance  led  to  his  being 
selected  as  a  member  of  the  convention  to  form  the  state  constitution. 

The  most  prominent  settlers  in  the  south  part  of  Clermont,  were  the  Sargeant,  Pigman, 
Prather,  Buchanan  and  Fee  families.  The  oldest  members  of  the  Sargeant  family,  were 
the  brothers  James,  John  and  Elijah.  They  were  from  Maryland.  James,  who  had  freed 
his  slaves  there,  was,  in  consequence,  chosen  a  member  of  the  convention  which  formed 
the  state  constitution.  The  Sargeants,  who  are  now  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  county, 
are  uncompromising  opponents  of  slavery.  The  Pigman  family  were  Joshua,  sen.,  Joshua, 
jr.,  and  Levi.  The  Buchanan  family  were  William,  Alexander,  Robert,  Andrew,  James, 
John,  &c.     James  Buchanan,  the  son  of  John,  was  at  one  time  speaker  of  the  Ohio  house 

13 


98 


CLERMONT  COUNTY. 


of  representatives.  The  Buchanans  were  from  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Pigmansfrom  Mary- 
land. There  were  several  brothers  of  the  Fee  family,  from  Pennsylvania.  William,  the 
most  prominent,  was  the  proprietor  of  Felicity,  and  a  member  of  the  legislature.  His 
brothers  were  Thomas,  Elisha  and  Elijah  ;  other  early  settlers  were  Samuel  Walrioen, 
James  Daughters  and  Elijah  Larkin,  who  has  been  postmaster  at  Neville,  for  more  than 
a  quarter  of  a  century.  In  the  vicinity  of  Withamsville,  the  early  settlers  were  Nathaniel 
and  Gideon  Witham,  James  Ward,  Shadrach,  Robert  and  Samuel  Lane.  The  Methodists 
were  the  most  numerous  in  early  times,  and  next,  the  Baptists  ;  there  were  but  a  few  Pres- 
byterians among  the  first  settlers. 

When  I  first  came  into  the  county,  the  "  wet  land,"  of  which  there  is  such  a  large  pro- 
portion in  the  middle  and  northern  part,  was  considered  almost  worthless ;  but  a  great 
change  has  taken  place  in  public  opinion  in  relation  to  its  value.  It  is  ascertained,  that  by 
judicious  cultivation,  it  rapidly  improves  in  fertility.  At  that  time,  these  kinds  were  cov- 
ered by  water  more  than  half  the  summer,  and  we  called  them  slashes :  now  the  water 
leaves  the  surface  in  the  woods,  early  in  the  spring.  Forty  years  ago,  the  evenings  were 
cool  as  soon  as  the  sun  went  down.  I  have  no  recollection  of  warm  nights,  for  many 
years  after  I  came,  and  their  coolness  was  a  matter  of  general  remark  among  the  emi- 
grants from  the  old  states.  I  believe  it  was  owing  to  the  immense  forests  that  ciovered  the 
country,  and  shut  out  the  rays  and  hent  of  the  sun  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  for  after 
sunset  there  was  no  warm  earth  to  impart  heat  to  the  atmosphere. 

Batavia,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  east 
fork  of  the  Little  Miami  river,  21  miles  easterly  from  Cincinnati, 
and  103  svv.  of  Columbus.     This  town  was  laid  out  about  the  year 


County  Buildings,  Batavia. 

1820,  by  George  Ely.  About  that  time,  the  county  seat  was  tem- 
porarily removed  from  Williamsburg  to  New  Richmond,  and  Feb. 
21st,  1824,  permanently  transferred  to  Batavia.  It  contains  1  Pres- 
byterian and  1  Methodist  church,  4  stores,  2  newspaper  printing 
offices,  and  had,  by  the  census  of  1840,  537  inhabitants. 

Williamsburg  is  on  the  east  fork  of  the  Miami,  7  miles  east  of 
Batavia,  and  had,  in  1840,  385  inhabitants.  As  previously  men- 
tioned, it  was  laid  out  by  Gen.  William  Lytle,  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Clermont.  His  life  was  one  of  much  incident.  We  de- 
rive the  annexed  facts  respecting  him,  from  Cist's  Advertiser. 

Gen.  Wji.  Lytle  was  born  in  Cumberland,  Pa. ;  and  in  1779,  his  family  emigrated  to 
Kentucky.  Previous  to  the  settlement  of  Ohio,  young  Lytle  was  in  several  desperate  en- 
gagements with  the  Indians,  where  his  cool,  heroic  bravery  won  general  admiration. 
Before  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  while  making  surveys  in  the  Virginia  military  district,  in 
Ohio,  he  was  exposed  to  incessant  dangers,  suffered  great  privations,  and  was  frequently 
attacked  by  the  Indians.     This  business  he  followed  for  the  greater  portion  of  his  life.     la 


CLERMONT  COUNTY.  99 

the  war  of  1812,  he  was  appointed  Major  General  of  Ohio  militia,  and,  in  1829,  surveyor 
general  of  the  public  lands  of  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Michigan.  In  1810,  Gen.  Lytle  removed 
from  Williamsburg  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  died,  in  1831.  As  a  citizen,  he  was  distin- 
guished for  public  spirit  and  benevolence,  and  in  his  personal  appearance  and  character, 
strikingly  resembled  President  Jackson.  Beside  the  facts  given  under  the  head  of  Logan 
county,  we  have  space  for  but  a  single  anecdote,  exhibiting  his  Spartan-like  conduct  at 
Grant's  defeat,  in  Indiana.  In  that  desperate  action,  the  Kentuckians,  overpowered  by 
nearly  four  times  their  number,  performed  feats  of  bravery  scarcely  equalled  even  in  early 
border  warfare. 

In  this  struggle,  Lytle,  then  hardly  17  years  of  age,  had  both  his  arms  shattered,  his  face 
•powder  burnt,  his  hair  singed  to  the  roots,  and  nineteen  bullets  passed  through  his  body 
and  clothing.  In  this  condition,  a  retreat  being  ordered,  he  succeeded  in  bringing  off  the 
field  several  of  his  friends,  generously  aiding  the  wounded  and  the  exhausted,  by  placing 
them  on  horses,  while  he  himself  ran  forward  in  advance  of  the  last  remnant  of  the  re- 
treating party,  to  stop  the  only  boat  on  the  Ohio  at  that  time,  which  could  take  them  over 
and  save  them  from  the  overwhelming  force  of  their  savage  adversaries. 

On  reaching  the  river,  he  found  the  boat  in  the  act  of  putting  off  for  the  Kentucky  shore. 
The  men  were  reluctant  to  obey  his  demand  for  a  delay,  until  those  still  in  the  rear  should 
come  up — one  of  them  declaring  that  "  it  was  better1  that  a  few  should  perish,  than  that  all 
should  be  sacrificed."  He  threw  the  rifle,  which  he  still  carried  on  his  shoulder,  over  the 
root  of  a  fallen  tree,  and  swore  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  who  pulled  an  oar  until  his 
friends  were  aboard.  In  this  way  the  boat  was  detained  until  they  came  up,  and  were 
safely  lodged  from  the  pursuing  foe.  Disdaining  personally  to  take  advantage  of  this 
result,  die  boat  being  crowded  almost  to  dipping,  he  ran  up  the  river  to  where  some 
horses  stood  panting  under  the  willows,  after  their  escape  from  the  battle  field,  and  mount- 
ing one  of  the  strongest,  forced  him  into  the  river,  holding  on  to  the  mane  by  his  teeth, 
until  he  was  taken,  in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  into  the  boat,  bleeding,  and  almost  faint- 
ing from  his  wounds,  by  the  order  of  his  gallant  captain,  the  lamented  Stucker,  who  had 
observed  his  conduct  with  admiration  throughout,  and  was  resolved  that  such  a  spirit 
should  not  perish  ;  for  by  this  time  the  balls  of  the  enemy  were  rattling  like  hail  about 
their  ears. 

There  was  living  many  years  since,  near  Williamsburg,  Cornelius 
Washburn,  or,  as  he  was  commonly  called,  Neil  Washburn,  who, 
in  the  early  difficulties  with  the  Indians,  was  distinguished  for  his 
sagacity  and  courage.  Of  his  ultimate  fate,  we  are  somewhat  un- 
certain :  it  is  said,  however,  that  the  progress  of  civilization  was  too. 
rapid  for  him,  and  that  he  long  since  left  for  the  wild's  of  the.  far; 
west,  to  pass  his  time  in  the  congenial  employment  of  hunting  the 
bear  and  trapping  the  beaver.  We  have  derived  some  facts  from 
the  lips  of  one  who  knew  him  well,  Mr.  Thomas  M'Donald,  the 
brother  of  the  author  of  the  sketches  and  the  first  person  who 
erected  a  cabin  in  Scioto  county. 

In  the  year  '90,  I  first  became  acquainted  with  Neil  Washburn,  then  a  lad  of  sixteen, 
living  on  the  Kentucky  side  of  the  Ohio,  six  miles  below  Maysville.  From  his  early 
years,  he  showed  a  disposition  to  follow  the  woods.  When  only  nine  or  ten,  he  passed 
his  time  in  setting  snares  for  pheasants  and  wild  animals.  Shortly  after,  his  father  pur- 
chased for  him  a  shot  gun,  in  the  use  of  which  he  soon  became  unexcelled.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  '90,  his  father  being  out  of  fresh  provisions,  crossed  the  Ohio  with  him  in  a  canoe, 
to  shoot  deer,  at  a  lick  near  the  mouth  of  Eagle  creek.  On  entering  the  creek,  their 
attention  was  arrested  by  a  singular  hacking  noise,  some  distance  up  the  bank.  Neil  landed, 
and  with  gun  in  hand,  cautiously  crawling  up  the  river  bank,  discovered  an  Indian,  about 
twenty  feet  up  a  hickory  tree,  busily  engaged  in  cutting  around  the  bark,  to  make  a  canoe, 
in  which  he  probably  anticipated  the  gratification  of  crossing  the  river  and  committing  dep- 
redations upon  the  Kentuckians.  However  this  may  have  been,  his  meditations  and  work 
were  soon  brought  to  a  close,  for  the  intrepid  boy  no  sooner  saw  the  dusky  form  of  the 
savage,  than  he  brought  his  gun  to  a  level  with  his  eye,  and  fired:  the  Indian  fell  dead  to 
the  earth,  with  a  heavy  sound.  He  hastily  retreated  to  the  canoe,  from  fear  of  the  presence 
of  other  Indians,  and  re-crossed  the  Ohio.  Early  the  next  morning,  a  party  of  men,  guided 
by  Neil,  visited  the  spot,  and  found  the  body  of  the  Indian  at  the  foot  of  the  tree.     Neil 


100  CLINTON   COUNTY. 

secured  the  scalp,  and  the  same  day  showed  it,  much  elated,  to  myself  and  others,  in  the 
town  of  Washington,  in  Mason.  Several  persons  in  the  village  made  him  presents,  as 
testimonials  of  their  opinion  of  his  bravery. 

In  the  next  year,  he  was  employed  as  a  spy  between  Maysville  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Little  Miami,  to  watch  for  Indians,  who  were  accustomed  to  cross  the  Ohio  into  Kentucky, 
to  steal  and  murder.  While  so  engaged,  he  had  some  encounters  with  them,  in  which  his 
unerring  rifle  dealt  death  to  several  of  their  number.  One  of  these  was  at  the  mouth  of 
Bullskin,  on  the  Ohio  side. 

In  '92,  the  Indians  committed  such  great  depredations  upon  the  Ohio, between  the  Great 
Kanawha  and  Maysville,  that  Gen.  Lee,  the  povernmen!  agent,  in  employing  spies,  en- 
deavored to  get  some  of  them  to  go  up  the  Ohio,  above  the  Kanawha,  and  warn  all  single" 
boats  not  to  descend  the  river.  None  were  found  sufficiently  daring  to  go,  but  Neil. 
Furnished  with  an  elegant  horse,  and  well  armed,  he  started  on  his  perilous  mission.  He 
met  with  no  adventures  until  after  crossing  the  Big  Sandy.  This  he  swam  on  his  horse, 
and  had  reached  about  half  a  mile  beyond,  when  he  was  suddenly  fired  upon  by  a  party  of 
Indians,  in  ambush.  His  horse  fell  dead,  and  the  Indians  gave  a  yell  of  triumph  ;  but  Neil 
was  unhurt.  Springing  to  his  feet,  he  bounded  back  like  a  deer,  and  swam  across  the 
Big  Sandy,  holding  his  rifle  and  ammunition  ab<  ve  his  head.  Panting  from  exertion,  he 
rested  upon  the  opposite  bank  to  regain  his  strength,  when  the  Indians,  whooping  and  yell- 
ing, appeared  on  the  other  side,  in  full  pursuit.  Neil  drew  up,  shot  one  of  their  number, 
and  then  continued  his  retreat  down  the  Ohio,  but  meeting  and  exchanging  shots  with 
others,  he  saw  it  was  impossible  to  keep  the  river  valley  in  safety,  and  striking  his  course 
more  inland,  to  evade  his  enemies,  arrived  safely  at  Maysville. 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  he  was  in  the  action  with  Kenton  and  others,  against  Te- 
cumseh,  in  what  is  now  Brown  county,  for  the  particulars,  of  which,  see  page  67.  Wash- 
burn continued  as  a  spy  throughout  the  war,  adding  "  the  sagacity  of  lion  to  the  cunning 
of  the  fox."  He  was  with  Wayne  in  his  campaign,  and  at  the  battle  of  the  Fallen  Tim- 
bers, manifested  his  usual  prowess. 

Neil  Washburn  was  in  person  near  six  feet  in  height,  with  broad  shoulders,  small  feet, 
and  tapered  beautifully  from  his  chest  down.  He  was  both  powerful  and  active.  His 
eyes  were  blue,  his  hair  light,  and  complexion  fair.  A  prominent  Roman  nose  alone 
marred  the  symmetry  of  his  personal  appearance. 

In  this  county  are  several  quite  populous  towns.  New  Richmond, 
which  had,  in  1840,  a  population  of  772,  Moscow,  which  had  228, 
Point  Pleasant  150,  Neville  228,  and  Chilo  102,  are  all  upon  the 
Ohio  river.  Near  the  first  is  a  Fourierite  association,  but  not  in  a 
thriving  condition.  Bethel,  12  miles  se.  of  Batavia,  had,  in  1840, 
J30G  inhabitants ;  Felicity,  21  southerly,  had  442,  and  Milford,  10 
nw.,  had  460  inhabitants.  Felicity  and  Milford  have  much  im- 
proved within  the  last  few  years.  The  last  named  is  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Little  Miami  river,  over  which  is  a  bridge,  connecting 
it  with  the  Little  Miami  railroad,  on  the  opposite  bank.  There  are 
other  small  villages  in  the  county,  but  none  of  much  note. 


CLINTON. 

Clinton,  was  organized  in  1810,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gov. 
Geo.  Clinton,  Vice  Pres.  of  United  States.  The  surface  is  generally 
level ;  on  the  west  undulating,  and  the  soil  is  fertile.  It  is  particu- 
larly adapted  to  Indian  corn  and  grass.  It  has  some  prairie  land, 
and  its  streams  furnish  good  water  power.  The  principal  staples 
are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  wool  and  pork.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 


CLINTON    COUNTY.  101 

Chester,     1784         Liberty,      1050         Vernon,  1434 

Clarke,       1297         Marion,         643         Washington,  1170 
Green,        1842         Richland,    1385         Wavne,  1366 

Jefferson,     474         Union,         3284 

The  population  of  Clinton  in  1820,  was  8,085  ;  in  1830,  11,406  ; 
and  in  1840,  15,729,  or  39  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  was  settled  about  the  year  1803,  principally  by  emi- 
grants from  Kentucky,  Pennsylvania  and  North  Carolina.  The  first 
settlement,  however,  was  made  in  1797,  by  Wm.  Smally.  Most 
of  the  first  emigrants  were  backswoodmen,  and  well  fitted  to  en- 
dure the  privations  incident  upon  settling  a  new  country.  They 
lived  principally  upon  game,  and  gave  little  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits  As  the  country  grew  older,  game  became  scarce,  emi- 
grants flocked  from  different  parts  of  the  Union,  and  the  primitive 
manner  of  living  gave  place  to  that  more  conformable  to  the  cus- 
toms of  older  states. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  most  noted  of 
the  early  settlers :  Thos.  Hinkson,  Aaron  Burr  and  Jesse  Hughes, 
the  first  associate  judges  ;  Nathan  Linton,  the  first  land  surveyor ; 
Abraham  Ellis  and  Thomas  Hardin,  who  had  been  soldiers  of  the 
revolution  ;  Joseph  Doan,  James  Mills  and  Henry  Babb,  who  served 
as  commissioners  ;  Morgan  Mendican,  who  erected  the  first  mill  in 
the  county,  on  Todd's  Fork ;  and  Capt.  James  Spencer,  who  was 
distinguished  in  various  conflicts  with  the  Indians. 

The  first  house  for  divine  worship  was  erected  by  Friends,  at 
Center,  in  1806.  The  first  court  was  held  in  a  barn,  belonging  to 
Judge  Hughes,  and  for  a  number  of  years  subsequent,  in  a  small 
house  belonging  to  John  M'Gres;or. 

There  are  some  of  the  ancient  works  so  common  throughout  the 
west  on  Todd's  Fork,  near  Springfield  meeting  house.  The  "  De- 
serted Camp,"  situated  about  three  miles  northeast  of  Wilmington,  is 
a  point  of  notoriety  with  the  surveyors  of  land.  It  was  so  called 
from  the  circumstance,  that  a  body  of  Kentuckians,  on  their  way 
to  attack  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Little  Miami,  encamping  over 
night  lost  one  of  their  number,  who  deserted  to  the  enemy,  and 
giving  warning  of  their  approach,  frustrated  the  object  of  the  expe- 
dition. 

Wilmington,  the  county  seat,  is  in  the  township  of  Union,  on 
Todd's  Fork,  72  miles  sw.  from  Columbus.  It  is  regularly  laid  out 
on  undulating  ground,  and  contains  5  houses  lor  divine  worship,  1 
newspaper  printing  office,  1  high  school,  19  mercantile  stores,  and  a 
population  estimated  at  1500.  The  engraving  lepresents  one  of  the 
principal  streets  of  the  village,  as  it  appears  from  the  store  of  Jo- 
seph Hale  ;  the  building  with  a  spire  is  the  court  house,  a  structure 
of  considerable  elegance.  Wilmington  was  laid  out  in  1810,  prin- 
cipally settled  by  emigrants  from  North  Carolina,  and  named  from 
Wilmington  in  that  state.  The  first  log  house  was  built  by  Wm. 
Hobsin,  and  Warren  Sabin's  was  the  first  tavern.  The  first  church, 
a  small   brick  edifice,  was  erected  by  the   Baptists.     In   1812,  the 


102 


CLINTON  COUNTY. 


first  court  was  held.  The  earliest  settlers  were  Warren  Sabin, 
Samuel  T.  Londen,  Wm.  Hobsin,  Larkin  Reynolds,  John  Swane, 
Jas.  Montgomery,  John  M'Gregor,  sen.,  and  Isaiah  Morris.     This 


View  in  Wilmington. 

last  named  gentleman,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  descended  the 
Ohio  river  with  his  uncle,  in  a  flat-bottomed  boat,  in  the  spring  of 
1803,  and  landed  first  at  Columbia,  where  his  uncle  opened  a  store, 
from  a  small  stock  of  goods  he  had  brought.  After  remaining  at  that 
place  about  three  months,  he  removed  his  goods  to  Lebanon,  and  not 
long  after  died,  leaving  his  nephew,  then  a  lad  of  seventeen  years  of 
age,  without  any  means  of  support.  He  however  made  friends, 
and  eventually  moved  to  Wilmington,  where,  on  the  8th  of  July, 
1811,  he  opened  the  first  store  in  the  town,  in  company  with  Wm. 
Ferguson.  He  was  obliged,  in  moving  from  Lebanon,  to  make  his 
way  through  the  forest,  cutting  a  wagon  road  part  of  the  distance : 
the  town  having  been  laid  out  in  the  woods,  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty that  he  could  get  through  to  the  little  one  story  frame  house, 
erected  in  the  midst  of  trees,  logs  and  brush,  on  which  he  then  set- 
tled and  has  since  resided.  Mr.  Morris  was  the  first  postmaster  in 
the  town,  the  first  representative  from  the  county,  to  the  legislature, 
and  has  since  held  various  public  offices.* 

William  Smally  was  born  in  western  Pennsylvania,  in  1764.  At  the  age  of  six  years 
ho  was  stolen  by  the  Indians,  carried  into  the  interior  of  Ohio,  and  remained  with  them 
until  twenty  years  of  age.  While  with  them,  he  witnessed  the  burning  of  several  white 
prisoners.  On  one  occasion,  he  saw  an  infant  snatched  from  its  mother's  arms  and  thrown 
into  the  flames.  In  1784,  he  left  the  Indians,  rejoined  his  parents  near  Pittsburg,  and  a  few 
years  after,  moved  with  them  to  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati.  He  was  in  Harmar's  cam- 
paign, and  at  St.  Clair's  defeat,  in  the  last  of  which,  he  discharged  his  rifle  thirty  five  times, 
twenty  one  of  which,  it  is  said,  took  effect.     He  likewise  accompanied  Wayne's  army 


*  From  the  communication  of  Wm.  H.  Spencer,  to  whose  researches  we  are  mainly  in- 
debted for  the  historical  and  biographical  materials  embraced  under  the  head  of  Clinton 
county. 


CLINTON  COUNTY.  103 

Being  on  one  occasion  sent  forward  with  others,  on  some  mission  to  the  Indians,  they  were 
fired  upon  on  their  approach  to  the  camp,  and  his  two  companions  killed.  He  evaded  th» 
danger  by  springing  behind  a  tree,  and  calling  to  one  of  the  chiefs,  whom  he  knew,  telling 
him  that  he  had  deserted  the  whites,  and  had  come  to  join  them.  This  not  only  sayed  his 
life,  but  caused  him  to  be  treated  with  great  kindness.  He,  however,  took  an  early  oppor- 
tunity, escaped  to  the  army,  and  at  the  battle  of  the  Fallen  Timbers,  showed  his  usual  cool 
courage. 

In  1797,  he  settled  on  Todd's  Fork  in  this  county,  and  resided  there  for  a  number  of  years, 
depending  principally  upon  hunting  for  a  subsistence.  His  personal  appearance  was  good, 
but  his  address  resembled  that  of  a  savage.  A  little  anecdote  illustrates  his  determined 
character.  He  purchased  land  on  which  he  resided  from  a  lawyer  of  Cincinnati,  who  re- 
fused to  make  him  a  deed.  Smally  armed  himself,  called  upon  him  and  demanded  a  bond 
for  his  land,  with  the  threat  that  if  not  furnished  in  three  days,  he  would  take  his  scalp. 
This  positive  language  soon  brought  the  lawyer  to  a  sense  of  his  dangerous  situation,  and 
before  the  expiration  of  the  time,  he  gave  Smally  the  desired  paper.  Mr.  Smally  passed 
the  latter  part  of  his  life  in  poverty.  In  1836,  he  emigrated  to  Illinois,  where  he  died  in 
1840. 

Col.  Thomas  Hinkson  was  born  in  1772,  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pa.  His  father  had  em- 
igrated from  Ireland  in  early  life,  had  become  an  excellent  woodsman,  and  visited  Kentucky 
at  a  very  early  period.  He  established  a  station  near  the  junction  of  Hinkson  and  Stoner, 
which  form  the  south  fork  of  Licking  river.  Here  the  subject  of  this  notice  was  raised, 
until  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  when  in  the  autumn  of  1790,  as  a  volunteer  in  the  Ken- 
tucky militia,  he  accompanied  the  expedition  of  Gen.  Harmar.  He  was  in  the  battle  near 
the  Miami  villages,  under  Col.  Hardin's  command  in  front  of  the  town,  and  witnessed  the 
total  overthrow  and  massacre  of  the  detachment  of  Maj.  Wyllis.  In  this  battle  he  received 
a  slight  wound  in  the  left  arm,  and  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life.  He  was  afterwards  in 
the  disastrous  defeat  of  Gen.  St.  Clair,  but  amidst  the  general  slaughter,  escaped  unhurt. 
Hitherto  he  had  served  as  a  private,  but  was  subsequently  selected  as  a  lieutenant  in  the 
mounted  volunteers  from  Kentucky,  who  formed  a  part  of  the  forces  of  Gen.  Wayne 
against  the  same  Indians  in  1794.  He  was  in  the  battle  near  the  Rapids  of  the  Maumee, 
but  never  pretended  that  he  had  done  any  thing  worthy  of  distinction  on  that  memorable 
day.  During  these  several  campaigns,  however,  he  had  formed  the  acquaintance  of  most 
of  the  leading  men  of  Kentucky,  and  others  of  the  N.  W.  Territory,  which  was  highly 
advantageous  to  him  in  after  life.  Shortly  after  Wayne's  battle,  he  returned  to  Kentucky, 
married  and  settled  on  a  farm  inherited  from  his  father,  situated  in  Harrison  county,  where 
he  lived  until  the  spring  of  1806,  when  he  emigrated  to  Ohio,  and  in  1807,  settled  on  a 
farm  about  eight  miles  east  of  Wilmington,  but  then  in  the  county  of  Highland.  He  was 
soon  afterwards  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  latter  county,  and  captain  of  the  mili- 
tia company  to  which  he  belonged,  in  which  several  capacities  he  served  until  the  erection 
of  Clinton  county,  in  1810,  when,  without  his  knowledge,  he  was  elected  by  the  legislature 
one  of  the  associate  judges  for  the  new  county.  He  made  no  pretentions  to  legal  know- 
ledge, nor  will  the  writer  claim  anything  for  him  in  this  respect,  further  than  good  common 
sense,  which  generally  prevents  a  man  from  making  a  very  foolish  decision. 

After  this  appointment,  he  remained  quietly  at  home  in  the  occupations  common  to  far- 
mers, until  the  declaration  of  war  in  1812,  nor  did  he  manifest  any  disposition  for  actual 
service,  until  after  Hull's  surrender.  That  event  cast  a  gloom  over  the  west.  All  of  Mich- 
igan, Northern  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois  were  exposed  to  savage  depredations.  Some 
troops  had  been  hastily  assembled  at  Urbana  and  other  points,  to  repel  invasion.  Captain 
Hinkson  was  then  in  the  prime  of  life,  possessing  a  robust  and  manly  frame  seldom 
equalled,  even  among  pioneers.  He  was  a  man  of  few  words,  and  they  to  the  purpose 
intended.  He  briefly  explained  to  his  family  that  he  believed  the  time  had  come  to  serve 
his  country.  He  immediately  set  out  for  head-quarters,  and  tendered  his  services  to  Gov. 
Meigs,  then  at  Urbana.  The  president  having  previously  made  a  requisition  on  the  gov- 
ernor of  Ohio,  for  two  companies  of  rangers,  to  scour  the  country  between  the  settlements 
and  the  enemy,  Capt.  H.  was  appointed  to  command  one  of  those  companies,  with  liberty 
to  choose  his  own  followers.  This  was  soon  done,  and  a  company  presented  to  the  gov- 
ernor ready  for  duty.  By  this  time  the  Indians  had  actual  possession  of  the  exposed  ter- 
ritory, and  it  was  the  duty  of  these  companies  to  hold  them  in  check,  and  keep  the  army 
advised  of  their  numbers  and  position.  In  performing  this  duty,  many  incidents  might  be 
related  in  the  life  of  Capt.  Hinkson,  but  one  or  two  must  suffice.  Having  at  one  time  ven- 
tured to  the  Miami  of  the  Lake,  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  enemy,  they  found  them 
encamped  near  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  that  river,  with  a  select  company  of  rangers,  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Clark,  from  Canada,  numbering  in  all  from   three  to  five  hundred,  and 


104  CLINTON  COUNTY. 

under  the  command  of  the  celebrated  Tecumseh.  The  ground  on  the  hill  was  for  miles 
covered  with  a  thick  undergrowth,  which  enabled  Capt.  Hinkson  and  company  to  ap- 
proach nearly  within  gun-shot  of  the  enemy,  without  being  seen.  It  was  late  in  the  af- 
ternoon, and  while  waiting  for  the  approach  of  night,  to  enable  them  to  withdraw  more 
successfully,  the  company  was  secretly  drawn  up  near  the  brink  of  the  hill,  and  directed  in 
whispers  to  merely  take  aim  at  the  enemy.  This  was  rather  a  hazardous  display  of  humor, 
but  as  many  of  his  men  had  never  been  in  battle,  Capt.  H.  told  the  writer  it  was  merely  to  try 
their  nerves.  While  engaged  in  this  sport,  they  discovered  Capt.  Clark  in  the  adjacent 
cornfield  below,  in  hot  pursuit  after  a  flock  of  wild  turkeys,  which  were  running  toward 
the  place  of  concealment.  Here  was  a  crisis.  He  must  be  slain  in  cold  blood,  or  made 
a  prisoner.  The  latter  alternative  was  adopted.  The  company  was  disposed  so  as  to  flank 
the  captain  and  his  turkeys.  They  were  alarmed  and  flew  into  the  tree  tops,  and  while 
the  captain  was  gazing  up  for  his  prey,  Capt.  Hinkson  approached  and  politely  requested 
him  to  ground  arms,  upon  pain  of  instant  death,  in  case  he  gave  the  least  alarm.  He  at 
first  indicated  signs  of  resistance,  but  soon  found  "  discretion  the  better  part  of  valor,"  and 
surrendered  himself  a  prisoner  of  war.  Being  at  least  one  hundred  miles  from  the  army, 
in  sight  n  such  a  force,  Capt.  Hinkson  and  company  were  in  a  very  delicate  condition. 
No  time  was  to  be  lost.  A  retreat  was  commenced  in  the  most  secret  manner,  in  a  south- 
erly direction,  at  right  angles  from  the  river.  By  travelling  all  night  they  eluded  pursuit, 
and  brought  their  prize  safely  to  camp. 

Shortly  afterwards,  Gen.  Tupper's  brigade  arrived  near  the  rapids  and  encamped  for  the 
night,  during  which,  Capt.  H.  and  company  acted  as  piquet  guard,  and  in  the  morning  a 
few  were  selected  to  accompany  him  on  a  secret  reconnaisance  down  the  river.  Un- 
luckily they  were  met  at  the  summit  of  a  hill,  by  a  detachment  of  the  same  kind  from  the 
enemy.  Shots  were  exchanged,  and  the  alarm  now  fairly  given  to  both  parties.  This 
brought  on  the  skirmish  which  ensued  between  that  brigade  and  the  Indians.  While  fight- 
ing in  the  Indian  mode,  near  Wm.  Venard,  Esq.,  (one  of  Capt.  Hinkson's  men,  who  had 
been  severely  wounded,)  Capt.  H.  saw  a  dusky  figure  suddenly  rise  from  the  grass.  He 
had  a  rifle  never  before  known  to  miss  fire.  They  both  presented  their  pieces,  which 
simultaneously  snapped  without  effect.  In  preparing  for  a  second  trial,  it  is  supposed  the 
Indian  was  a  little  ahead  of  the  captain,  when  a  shot  from  Daniel  Workman,  (another 
ranger,)  sent  the  Indian  to  his  long  home. 

After  this  skirmish,  the  Indians  withdrew  to  Frenchtown,  and  block  houses  were  hastily 
thrown  up  near  the  spot  where  Fort  Meigs  was  afterwards  erected,  and  where  the  Ohio 
troops  were  encamped,  when  the  fatal  disaster  befel  Gen.  Winchester,  at  Raisin,  Jan.  22d, 
1813.  The  news  was  carried  by  express,  and  the  main  body  retreated,  leaving  Capt.  H. 
and  company  to  perform  the  sorrowful  duty  of  picking  up  some  poor  stragglers  from  that 
bloody  defeat,  and  burning  the  block  houses  and  provisions  within  twenty  four  hours,  which 
was  done  before  it  was  known  that  the  enemy  had  retired  to  Maiden.  The  Ohio  brigade, 
and  others  from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  soon  rallied  again,  and  formed  a  junction  at 
the  rapids,  where  they  commenced  building  the  fort,  so  renowned  for  withstanding  two 
sieges  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1813.  During  its  erection,  Capt.  Hinkson  was  at- 
tacked with  a  peculiar  fever,  then  raging  in  the  army,  from  which  he  did  not  recover  fit  for 
duty,  until  late  in  the  spring.  With  a  shattered  constitution  he  returned  to  his  home,  and 
was  immediately  elected  colonel  of  the  3d  regiment  of  the  2d  brigade  and  1st  division 
Ohio  militia,  which  was  then  a  post  of  honor,  requiring  much  patience  and  discretion,  in  a 
region  rather  backward  in  supporting  the  war. 

The  reader  will,  in  this  narrative,  see  nothing  beyond  a  simple  memorial  of  facts,  which 
is  all  that  the  unassuming  character  requires.  He  was  a  plain,  gentlemanly  individual,  of 
a  very  mild  and  even  temper  ;  a  good  husband  and  kind  father,  but  rather  indifferent  to  his 
own  interest  in  money  matters,  by  which  he  became  seriously  involved,  lost  his  property 
and  removed  to  Indiana  in  1821,  where  he  died  in  1824,  aged  52  years. 

Clarksville,  9  miles  sw.  of  Wilmington,  Martinsville,  9  s.,  Port 
William,  9  n,  New  Vienna,  11  se.  and  Burlington,  11  nw.,  are  all 
considerable  villages,  each  having  more  or  less  stores  and  churches ; 
and  the  last,  which  is  said  to  be  the  largest,  having  a  population,  es- 
timated at  about  300.  Sabina,  Sligo,  Blanchester,  Cuba,  Lewisville, 
Westboro',  Centerville  and  Morrisville,  are  small  places. 


C0LUMUIANA  COUNTY.  Wi 


COLUMBIANA. 

Columbiana  was  formed  from  Jefferson  and  Washington,  March 
25th,  1803.  Kilbourn,  in  his  Gazetteer,  says  :  "  Columbiana  is  a  fancy 
name,  taken  from  the  names  Columbus  and  Anna.  An  anecdote  is 
told  pending  its  adoption  in  the  legislature,  that  a  member  jocularly 
moved  that  the  name  Maria  should  be  added  thereto,  so  as  to  have 
it  read  Columbiana-maria."  The  southern  part  is  generally  broken 
and  hilly,  and  the  northern  level  or  undulating.  This  is  an  excel- 
lent agricultural  tract :  it  is  well  watered,  abounds  in  fine  mineral 
coal,  iron  ore,  lime  and  free  stone.  The  water  lime  stone  of  this 
county,  is  of  the  best  quality.  Salt  water  abounds  on  Yellow  and 
Beaver  creeks,  which  also  afford  a  great  amount  of  water  power. 
This  is  the  greatest  wool-growing  county  in  Ohio,  and  is  exceeded 
by  but  three  or  four  in  the  Union.  The  principal  products  are 
wool,  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  potatoes.  About  one  third  of  the  popu- 
lation are  of  German  origin,  and  there  are  many  of  Irish  extraction. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Beaver,      1973         Hanover, 

Butler,        1711         Knox, 

Center,      3472         Liverpool, 

Elkrun,        873         Madison, 

Fairfield,   2108         Middletown, 

Franklin,      893         Perry, 

Goshen,      1397         Salem, 

Greene,      3212         Smith, 

The  population  of  Columbiana,  in  1820,  was  22,033;  in  1830, 
35,508,  and,  in  1840,  40,394,  which  was  greater  than  any  other 
counties  in  Ohio,  excepting  Hamilton  and  Richland.  The  number  of 
inhabitants  to  a  square  mile,  was  then  46.  In  1846,  the  county  was 
reduced  by  the  formation  of  Mahoning,  to  which  the  townships  of 
Beaver,  Goshen,  Greene,  Smith  and  Springfield  now  belong. 

This  county  was  settled  just  before  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century.  In  1797,  a  few  families  moved  across  the  Ohio 
and  settled  in  its  limits.  One  of  them,  named  Carpenter,  made  a 
settlement  near  West  Point.  Shortly  after,  Captain  Whiteyes,  a 
noted  Indian  chief,  stopped  at  the  dwelling  of  Carpenter.  Being 
intoxicated,  he  got  into  some  difficulty  with  a  son  of  Mr.  C,  a  lad 
of  about  17  years  of  age,  and  threatened  to  kill  him.  The  young 
man  upon  this  turned  and  ran,  pursued  by  the  Indian,  with  uplifted 
tomahawk,  ready  to  bury  it  in  his  brains.  Finding  that  the  latter 
was  fast  gaining  upon  him,  the  young  man  turned  and  shot  him,  and 
shortly  afterwards  he  expired.  As  this  was  in  time  of  peace,  Car- 
penter was  apprehended  and  tried  at  Steubenville,  under  the  terri- 
torial laws,  the  courts  being  then  held  by  justices  of  the  peace.  He 
was  cleared,  it  appearing  that  he  acted  in  self-defence.  The  death 
of  Whiteyes  created  great  excitement,  and  fears  were  entertained 
that  it  would  provoke  hostilities  from  the  Indians.     Great  exertions 

14 


2963 

Springfield, 

1994 

2111 

St.  Clair, 

1739 

1090 

Unity, 

1984 

1472 

Washington, 

814 

1601 

Wayne, 

1086 

1630 

West, 

1915 

1903 

Yellow  Creek, 

2686 

2029 

JflO  COLUMBIANA  COUNTY. 

were  made  to  reconcile  them,  and  several  presents  were  given  to 
the  friends  of  the  late  chief.  The  wife  of  Whiteyes  received  from 
three  gentlemen,  the  sum  of  $300 ;  one  of  these  donors  was  the 
late  Bezaleel  Wells,  of  Steubenville.  This  was  the  last  Indian 
blood  shed  by  white  men  in  this  part  of  Ohio. 

Adam  Poe,  who,  with  his  brother  Andrew,  had  the  noted  fight 
with  the  Indians,  once  resided  in  this  county,  in  Wayne  township, 
on  the  west  fork  of  Little  Beaver.  The  son  of  Andrew — Deacon 
Adam  Poe — is  now  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Ravenna,  Portage 
county,  and  has  the  tomahawk  with  which  the  Indian  struck  his 
father.  The  locality  where  the  struggle  occurred,  he  informs  us, 
was  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  Little  Yellow  creek.  We  annex 
the  particulars  of  this  affair,  from  "  Doddridge's  Notes,"  substituting, 
however,  the  name  of  Andrew  for  Adam,  and  vice  versa,  as  they 
should  be  placed. 

In  the  summer  of  1782,  a  party  of  seven  Wyandots,  made  an  incursion  into  a  settlement, 
some  distance  below  Fort  Pitt,  and  several  miles  from  the  Ohio  river.  Here,  finding  an 
old  man  alone,  in  a  cabin,  they  killed  him,  packed  up  what  plunder  they  could  find,  and 
commenced  their  retreat.  Among  their  party  was  a  celebrated  Wyandot  chief,  who,  in 
addition  to  his  fame  as  a  warrior  and  counsellor,  was,  as  to  his  size  and  strength,  a  real 
giant. 

The  news  of  the  visit  of  the  Indians  soon  spread  through  the  neighborhood,  and  a  party 
of  eight  good  riflemen  was  collected,  in  a  few  hours,  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  the  In- 
dians. In  this  party  were  two  brothers  of  the  names  of  Adam  and  Andrew  Poe.  They 
were  both  famous  for  courage,  size  and  activity. 

This  little  party  commenced  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  with  a  determination,  if  pos- 
sible, not  to  suffer  them  to  escape,  as  they  usually  did  on  such  occasions,  by  making  a 
speedy  flight  to  the  river,  crossing  it,  and  then  dividing  into  small  parties,  to  meet  at  a  dis- 
tant point,  in  a  given  time. 

The  pursuit  was  continued  the  greater  part  of  the  night  after  the  Indians  had  done  the 
mischief.  In  the  morning,  the  party  found  themselves  on  the  trail  of  the  Indians,  which 
led  to  the  river.  When  arrived  within  a  little  distance  of  the  river,  Andrew  Poe,  fearing 
an  ambuscade,  left  the  party,  who  followed  directly  on  the  trail,  to  creep  along  the  brink  of 
the  river  bank,  under  cover  of  the  weeds  and  bushes,  to  fall  on  the  rear  of  the  Indians, 
should  he  find  them  in  ambuscade.  He  had  not  gone  far,  before  he  saw  the  Indian  rafts  at 
the  water's  edge.  Not  seeing  any  Indians,  he  stepped  softly  down  the  bank,  with  his  rifle 
cocked.  When  about  halfway  down,  he  discovered  the  large  Wyandot  chief  and  a  small 
Indian,  within  a  few  steps  of  him.  They  were  standing  with  their  guns  cocked,  and  look- 
ing in  the  direction  of  our  party,  who,  by  this  time,  had  gone  some  distance  lower  down 
the  bottom.  Poe  took  aim  at  the  large  chief,  but  his  rifle  missed  fire.  The  Indians,  hear- 
ing the  snap  of  the  gun-lock,  instantly  turned  round  and  discovered  Poe,  who  being  too 
near  them  to  retreat,  dropped  his  gun  and  instantly  sprang  from  the  bank  upon  them,  and 
seizing  the  large  Indian  by  the  cloths  on  his  breast,  and  at  the  same  time  embracing  the 
neck  of  the  small  one,  threw  them  both  down  on  the  ground,  himself  being  upmost.  The 
Indian  soon  extricated  himself,  ran  to  the  raft,  got  his  tomahawk,  and  attempted  to  dispatch 
Poe,  the  large  Indian  holding  him  fast  in  his  arms  with  all  his  might,  the  better  to  enable 
his  fellow  to  effect  his  purpose.  Poe,  however,  so  well  watched  the  motions  of  the  Indian, 
that  when  in  the  act  of  aiming  his  blow  at  his  head,  by  a  vigorous  and  well-directed  kick 
with  one  of  his  feet,  he  staggered  the  savage,  and  knocked  the  tomahawk  out  of  his  hand. 
This  failure,  on  the  part  of  the  small  Indian,  was  reproved,  by  an  exclamation  of  contempt, 
from  the  large  one. 

In  a  moment,  the  Indian  caught  up  his  tomahawk  again,  approached  more  cautiously, 
brandishing  his  tomahawk,  and  making  a  number  of  feigned  blows,  in  defiance  and  de- 
rision. Poe,  however,  still  on  his  guard,  averted  the  real  blow  from  his  head,  by  throwing 
up  his  arm  and  receiving  it  on  his  wrist,  in  which  he  was  severely  wounded  ;  but  not  so  as 
to  lose  entirely  the  use  of  his  hand. 

In  this  perilous  moment,  Poe,  by  a  violent  effort,  broke  loose  from  the  Indian,  snatched 
up  one  of  the  Iudian's  guns,  and  shot  the  small  Indian  through  the  breast,  as  he  ran  up  the 
third  time  to  tomahawk  him. 


COLUMBIANA  COUNTY.  107 

Tne  large  Indian  was  now  on  his  feet,  and  grasping  Poe  by  a  shoulder  and  leg,  threw 
him  down  on  the  bank.  Poe  instantly  disengaged  himself  and  got  on  his  feet.  The  In- 
dian then  seized  him  again,  and  a  new  struggle  ensued,  which,  owing  to  the  slippery  state 
of  the  bank,  ended  in  the  fall  of  both  combatants  into  the  water. 

In  this  situation,  it  was  the  object  of  each  to  drown  the  other.  Their  efforts  to  effect 
their  purpose  were  continued  for  some  time  with  alternate  success,  sometimes  one  being 
under  the  water,  and  sometimes  the  other.  Poe  at  length  seized  the  tuft  of  hair  on  the 
scalp  of  the  Indian,  with  which  he  held  his  head  under  the  water,  until  he  supposed  him 
drowned. 

Relaxing  his  hold  too  soon,  Poe  instantly  found  his  gigantic  antagonist  on  his  feet  again, 
and  ready  for  another  combat.  In  this,  they  were  carried  into  the  water  beyond  their 
depth.  In  this  situation,  they  were  compelled  to  loose  their  hold  on  each  other,  and  swim 
for  mutual  safety.  Both  sought  the  shore  to  seize  a  gun,  and  end  the  contest  with  bullets. 
The  Indian,  being  the  best  swimmer,  reached  the  land  first.  Poe  seeing  this,  immediately 
turned  back  into  the  water  to  escape,  if  possible,  being  shot,  by  diving.  Fortunately,  the 
Indian  caught  up  the  rifle  with  which  Poe  had  killed  the  other  warrior. 

At  this  juncture,  Adam  Poe,  missing  his  brother  from  the  party,  and  supposing,  from  the 
report  of  the  gun  which  he  shot,  that  he  was  either  killed  or  engaged  in  conflict  with  the 
Indians,  hastened  to  the  spot.  On  seeing  him,  Andrew  called  out  to  him  to  "  kill  the  big 
Indian  on  shore."  But  Adam's  gun,  like  that  of  the  Indian's,  was  empty.  The  contest 
was  now  between  the  white  man  and  the  Indian,  who  should  load  and  fire  first.  Very  for- 
tunately for  Poe,  the  Indian,  in  loading,  drew  the  ramrod  from  the  thimbles  of  the  stock  of 
the  gun  with  so  much  violence,  that  it  slipped  out  of  his  hand  and  fell  a  little  distance  from 
him  ;  he  quickly  caught  it  up,  and  rammed  down  his  bullet.  This  little  delay  gave  Poe 
the  advantage.     He  shot  the  Indian  as  he  was  raising  his  gun,  to  take  aim  at  him. 

As  soon  as  Adam  had  shot  the  Indian,  he  jumped  into  the  river  to  assist  his  wounded 
brother  to  shore  ;  but  Andrew,  thinking  more  of  the  honor  of  carrying  the  big  Indian 
home,  as  a  trophy  of  victory,  than  of  his  own  safety,  urged  Adam  to  go  back,  and  pre- 
vent the  struggling  savage  from  rolling  himself  into  the  river,  and  escaping.  Adam's 
solicitude  for  the  life  of  his  brother,  prevented  him  from  complying  with  this  request. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Indian,  jealous  of  the  honor  of  his  scalp,  even  in  the  agonies  of 
death,  succeeded  hi  reaching  the  river  and  getting  into  the  current,  so  that  his  body  was 
never  obtained. 

An  unfortunate  occurrence  took  place  during  this  conflict.  Just  as  Adam  arrived  at  the 
top  of  the  bank,  for  the  relief  of  his  brother,  one  of  the  party,  who  had  followed  close 
behind  him,  seeing  Andrew  in  the  river,  and  mistaking  him  for  a  wounded  Indian,  shot 
at  him  and  wounded  him  in  the  shoulder.     He,  however,  recovered  from  his  wounds. 

During  the  contest  between  Andrew  Poe  and  the  Indians,  the  party  had  overtaken  the 
remaining  six  of  them.  A  desperate  conflict  ensued,  in  which  five  of  the  Indians  were 
killed.     Our  loss  was  three  men  killed,  and  Adam  Poe  severely  wounded. 

Thus  ended  this  Spartan  conflict,  with  the  loss  of  three  valiant  men  on  our  part,  and 
with  that  of  the  whole  of  the  Indian  party,  with  the  exception  of  one  warrior.  Never,  on 
anjj  occasion,  was  there  a  greater  display  of  desperate  bravery,  and  seldom  did  a  conflict 
take  place,  which,  in  the  issue,  proved  fatal  to  so  great  a  proportion  of  those  engaged  in  it. 

The  fatal  issue  of  this  little  campaign  on  the  side  of  the  Indians,  occasioned  an  uni- 
versal mourning  among  the  Wyandot  nation.  The  big  Indian,  with  his  four  brothers,  all 
of  whom  were  killed  at  the  same  place,  were  among  the  most  distinguished  chiefs  and 
warriors  of  their  nation. 

The  big  Indian  was  magnanimous,  as  well  as  brave.  He,  more  than  any  other  indi- 
vidual, contributed,  by  his  example  and  influence,  to  the  good  character  of  the  Wyandots, 
for  lenity  towards  their  prisoners.  He  would  not  suffer  them  to  be  killed  or  ill  treated. 
This  mercy  to  captives,  was  an  honorable  distinction  in  the  character  of  the  Wyandots, 
and  was  well  understood  by  our  first  settlers,  who,  in  case  of  captivity,  thought  it  a  for- 
tunate circumstance  to  fall  into  their  hands. 

New  Lisbon,  the  county  seat,  is  in  the  township  of  Center,  155 
miles  ne.  of  Columbus,  35  from  Steubenville,  and  56  from  Pittsburg. 
It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Sandy  and  Beaver  canal,  on  the  middle  fork 
of  Little  Beaver,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  populous  and  well  culti- 
vated country.  The  town  is  remarkably  compact  and  substantially 
built ;  many  of  its  streets  are  paved,  and  it  has  the  appearance  of  a 
small  city.     The  view  was  taken  from  the  southeastern  part  of  the 


108 


COLUMBIANA  COUNTY. 


public  square ;  and  shows,  on  the  left,  the  county  buildings,  and  on 
the  right,  the  market.     New  Lisbon  was  laid  out  in  1802,  by  the 


Public  Square,  Neic  Lisbon. 

Rev.  Lewis  Kinney,  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  and  proprietor  of 
the  soil ;  a  year  or  two  after,  it  was  made  the  county  seat.  It  con- 
tains 1  Friends  meeting  house,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal  and  1 
Reformed  Methodist,  1  Disciples,  1  Dutch  Reformed,  and  1  Seceder 
church,  3  newspaper  printing  offices,  2  woolen  manufactories,  2 
founderies,  2  flouring  mills,  14  mercantile  stores,  and  about  1800 
inhabitants.  Carriage  making  and  tanning  are  extensively  carried 
on  in  this  village. 


The  Cottage  of  a  German  Swiss  Emigrant. 

In  travelling  through  the  west,  one  often  meets  with  scenes  that 
remind  him  of  another  land.     The  foreigner  who  makes  his  home 


COLUMBIANA  COUNTY. 


109 


upon  American  soil,  does  not  at  once  assimilate  in  language,  modes 
of  life,  and  current  of  thought  with  that  congenial  to  his  adopted 
country.  The  German  emigrant  is  peculiar  in  this  respect,  and  so 
much  attached  is  he  to  his  fatherland,  that  years  often  elapse  ere 
there  is  any  perceptible  change.  The  annexed  engraving  illustrates 
these  remarks.  It  shows  the  mud  cottage  of  a  German  Swiss  emi- 
grant, now  standing  in  the  neighborhood  of  others  of  like  character, 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  this  county.  The  frame  work  is  of 
wood,  with  the  interstices  filled  with  light  colored  clay,  and  the 
whole  surmounted  by  a  ponderous  shingled  roof,  of  a  picturesque 
form.  Beside  the  tenement,  hop  vines  are  clustering  around  their 
slender  supporters,  while  hard  by  stands  the  abandoned  log  dwelling 
of  the  emigrant — deserted  for  one  more  congenial  with  his  early 
predilections. 


Eastern  entrance  into  Salem. 

_•>,».•  Salem  is  10  miles  north  of  New  Lisbon,  in  the  midst  of  a 
beautiful  agricultural  country,  thickly  settled  by  Friends,  who  are 
industrious  and  wealthy.  This  flourishing  town  was  laid  out  about 
1806,  by  Zadock  Street,  John  Strong  and  Samuel  Davis,  members 
of  the  society  of  Friends,  from  Redstone,  Pa.  Until  within  a  few 
years,  it  was  an  inconsiderable  village.  It  now  contains  2  Friends 
meeting  houses,  2  Baptist,  1  Methodist  and  1  Presbyterian  church, 
a  classical  academy,  in  good  repute,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Jacob 
Coon,  24  mercantile  stores,  2  woolen  factories,  3  founderies,  1  grist 
mill,  2  engine  shops,  ana  about  1300  inhabitants.  There  are  four 
newspapers  published  here,  one  of  which  is  the  American  Water 
Cure  Advocate,  edited  by  Dr.  John  P.  Cope,  principal  of  a  water 
cure  establishment,  in  full  operation,  in  this  village.  The  engraving 
shows  the  principal  street  of  the  town,  as  it  appears  on  entering  it 
from  the  east :  Street's  woolen  factory  is  seen  on  the  left. 

Wellsville  is  at  the  mouth  of  Yellow  creek,  on  the  great  bend  of 


110 


COLUMBIANA  COUNTY. 


the  Ohio  river,  where  it  approximates  nearest  to  Lake  Erie,  50  miles 
below  Pittsburg,  and  14  from  New  Lisbon.  It  was  laid  out  in  the 
autumn  of  1824,  by  William  Wells,  from  whom  it  derived  its  name. 
Until  1828,  it  contained  but  a  few  buildings  ;  it  is  now  an  important 
point  for  the  shipment  and  transhipment  of  goods,  and  does  a  large 


Wellsville,  on  the  Ohio. 

business  with  the  surrounding  country.  The  landing  is  one  of  the 
best,  in  all  stages  of  water,  on  the  river.  This  flourishing  town  has 
1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal  Methodist,  1  Reformed  Methodist,  and 
1  Disciples  church,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  1  linseed  oil  and  1 
saw  mill,  1  pottery,  1  raw  carding  machine,  1  foundery,  16  mercan- 
tile stores,  and,  in"l840,  had  a  population  of  759,  and  in  1846,  1066. 
The  view,  taken  from  the  Virginia  bank  of  the  Ohio,  shows  but  a 
small  part  of  the  town.  About  a  mile  below,  on  the  river  bank,  in 
a  natural  grove,  are  several  beautiful  private  dwellings.  The 
"  Cleveland  and  Pittsburg  railroad,"  97  miles  in  length,  will  com- 
mence at  Cleveland  and  terminate  at  Wellsville,  and  whenever 
built,  will  tend  to  make  Wellsville  a  place  of  great  business  and 
population.  A  survey  for  this  work  has  been  recently  made,  and 
there  is  a  good  prospect  of  its  being  constructed. 

The  first  paper  mill  in  Ohio,  and  the  second  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies,  was  erected  in  1805-6,  on  Little  Beaver  creek,  near  its 
mouth,  in  this  county.  It  was  called  the  Ohio  paper  mill :  its  pro- 
prietors were  John  Bever  and  John  Coulter. 

Liverpool,  4  miles  above  Wellsville,  on  the  Ohio,  has  a  population 
of  about  600.  The  manufacture  of  earthen-ware  is  carried  on  there 
to  a  considerable  extent.  Hanover,  10  miles  west  of  New  Lisbon, 
on  the  Sandy  and  Beaver  canal,  is  a  thriving  town,  containing  3 
churches,  8  stores,  and  about  600  inhabitants.     The  following  are 


COSHOCTON  COUNTY  111 

the  names  of  other  towns  in  the  county,  with  their  population  in 
1840,  some  of  which  are  smart  business  places.  Columbiana,  273; 
Gillford,  263 ;  Unity,  204;  Georgetown,  219;  New  Garden,  194; 
Fairfield,  181  ;  Calcutta,  135;  Franklin  Square,  151  ;  Washington- 
ville,  107  :  Benton,  Clarkson,  Chambersburg,  Dugannon,  Damascus, 
Elkton,  Middle  Beaver,  Palestine,  Rochester,  Salinesville  and  West- 
ville  are  small  places. 


COSHOCTON. 

Coshocton  was  organized  April  1st,  1811.  The  name  is  a  Dela- 
ware word,  and  is  derived  from  that  of  the  Indian  village  Goschach- 
quenk,  which  is  represented  on  a  map  in  Loskiel,  as  having  stood 
north  of  the  mouth  of  the  Tuscarawas  river,  in  the  fork  formed  by 
its  junction  with  the  Walhonding.  The  surface  is  mostly  rolling  ; 
in  some  parts  hilly,  with  fine  broad  vallies  along  the  Muskingum 
and  its  tributaries.  The  soil  is  varied,  and  abruptly  so :  here  we 
see  the  rich  alluvion  almost  overhung  by  a  red-bush  hill,  while,  per- 
haps, on  the  very  next  acclivity,  is  seen  the  poplar  and  sugar  tree, 
indicative  of  a  fertile  soil.  With  regard  to  sand  and  clay,  the 
changes  are  equally  sudden.  The  hills  abound  in  coal  and  iron 
ore,  and  several  salt  wells  have  been  sunk,  and  salt  manufactured. 
The  principal  products  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  wool.  It  was  first 
settled  by  Virginians  and  Pennsylvanians.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 


Adams, 

838 

Keene, 

1043 

Perry, 

1339 

Bedford, 

1141 

Lafayette, 

848 

Pike, 

1115 

Bethlehem, 

827 

Linton, 

1196 

Tiverton, 

665 

Clark, 

703 

Mill  Creek, 

907 

Tuscarawas, 

1144 

Crawford, 

1134 

Monroe, 

557 

Virginia. 

1005 

Franklin, 

670 

New  Castle, 

905 

Washington, 

1029 

Jackson, 

1896 

Oxford, 

760 

White  Eyes, 

997 

Jefferson, 

771 

The  population  of  the  county,  in  1820,  was  7086;  in  1830,  11,162, 
and  in  1840,  21590,  or  38  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Previous  to  the  settlement  of  the  country,  there  were  several  mil- 
itary expeditions  into  this  region.  The  first  in  importance  and  in 
order  of  time,  wTas  that  made  by  Col.  Boquet,  in  October,  1764. 
The  following  is  extracted  from  the  lecture  of  Charles  Whittlesev, 
Esq.,  delivered  at  Cleveland,  Dec.  17th,  1846. 

The  Indians  were  very  much  displeased,  when  they  saw  the  English  taking  possession 
of  their  country,  for  they  preferred  the  Frenchmen,  who  had  been  their  friends  and  traders 
more  than  one  hundred  years,  and  had  married  Indian  women.  A  noted  chief  of  the 
Ottawa  tribe,  known  by  the  name  of  Pontiac,  formed  the  resolution  to  destroy  all  the 
English  frontier  posts  at  one  assault,  in  which  he  was  encouraged  by  the  French  traders. 

He  succeeded  in  forming  an  alliance  with  the  Ottawas,  having  900  warriors ;  the  Poto- 
wotomies,  with  350  ;  Miamies  of  the  lake,  350  ;  Chippewas,  5000  ;  Wyandots,  300  ;  Del- 
awares,  600  ;  Shawnees,  500  ;  Kickapoos,  300  ;  Ouatanons  of  the  Wabash,  400,  and  the 
Pinankeshaws,  250  ;  in  all,  able  to  muster  8950  warriors.     This  may  be  called  the  "  First 


112  COSHOCTON  COUNTY. 

Great  Northwestern  Confederacy"  against  the  whites.  The  second  took  place  under 
Brandt,  or  Thayandanegea,  during  the  revolution,  and  was  continued  by  Little  Turtle  ;  the 
third,  under  Tecumseh,  in  the  last  war.  Pontiac's  projects  were  brought  to  a  focus  in  the 
fall  of  1763,  and  the  result  was  nearly  equal  to  the  design.  The  Indians  collected  at  all 
the  northwestern  forts,  under  the  pretence  of  trade  and  friendly  intercourse  ;  and  having 
killed  all  the  English  traders  who  were  scattered  through  their  villages,  they  made  a  simul- 
taneous attack  upon  the  forts,  and  were  in  a  great  measure  successful. 

The  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  were  now  subject  to  great  alarm,  and 
frequently  robberies  and  murders  were  committed  upon  them  by  the  Indians,  and  prisoners 
were  captured.  General  Gage  was  at  this  time  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  British 
forces  in  America,  and  his  head-quarters  were  at  Boston.  He  ordered  an  expedition  of 
3000  men  for  the  relief  of  Detroit,  to  move  early  in  the  year  1764.  It  was  directed  to 
assemble  at  Fort  Niagara,  and  proceeded  up  Lake  Erie  in  boats,  commanded  by  General 
Bradstreet.  The  other  was  the  expedition  I  design  principally  to  notice  at  this  time.  It 
was  at  first  composed  of  the  42d  and  77th  regiments,  who  had  been  at  the  siege  of  Havana, 
in  Cuba,  under  the  command  of  Col.  Henry  Boquet.  This  force  left  Philadelphia,  for  the 
relief  of  Fort  Pitt,  in  July,  1763,  and  after  defeating  the  Indians  at  Bushy  Run,  in  August, 
drove  them  across  the  Ohio.  It  wintered  at  Fort  Pitt,  where  some  of  the  houses,  built  by 
Col.  Boquet,  may  still  be  seen,  his  name  cut  in  stone  upon  the  wall. 

General  Gage  directed  Col.  Boquet  to  organize  a  corps  of  1500  men,  and  to  enter  the 
country  of  the  Delawares  and  the  Shawnees,  at  the  same  time  that  General  Bradstreet  was 
engaged  in  chastising  the  Wyandots  and  Ottawas,  of  Lake  Erie,  who  were  still  investing 
Detroit.  As  a  part  of  Col.  Boquet's  force  was  composed  of  militia  from  Pennsylvania  and 
Virginia,  it  was  slow  to  assemble.  On  the  5th  of  August,  the  Pennsylvania  quota  rendez- 
voused at  Carlisle,  where  300  of  them  deserted.  The  Virginia  quota  arrived  at  Fort  Pitt 
on  the  17th  of  September,  and  uniting  with  the  provincial  militia,  a  part  of  the  42d  and 
60th  regiments,  the  army  moved  from  Fort  Pitt  on  the  3d  of  October.  General  Bradstreet, 
having  dispersed  the  Indian  forces  besieging  Detroit,  passed  into  the  Wyandot  country,  by 
way  of  Sandusky  bay.  He  ascended  the  bay  and  river,  as  far  as  it  was  navigable  for 
boats,  and  there  made  a  camp.  A  treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  was  signed  by  the  chiefs 
and  head  men,  who  delivered  but  very  few  of  their  prisoners. 

When  Col.  Boquet  was  at  Fort  Loudon,  in  Pennsylvania,  between  Carlisle  and  Fort  Pitt, 
urging  forward  the  militia  levies,  he  received  a  despatch  from  General  Bradstreet,  notifying 
him  of  the  peace  effected  at  Sandusky.  But  the  Ohio  Indians,  particularly  the  Shawnees 
of  the  Scioto  river,  and  the  Delawares  of  the  Muskingum,  still  continued  their  robberies 
and  murders  along  the  frontier  of  Pennsylvania  ;  and  so  Col.  Boquet  determined  to  proceed 
with  his  division,  notwithstanding  the  peace  of  General  Bradstreet,  which  did  not  include 
the  Shawnees  and  Delawares.  In  the  march  from  Philadelphia  to  Fort  Pitt,  Col.  Boquet 
had  shown  himself  to  be  a  man  of  decision,  courage  and  military  genius.  In  the  engage- 
ment at  Bushy  Run,  he  displayed  that  caution  in  preparing  for  emergencies,  that  high  per- 
sonal influence  over  his  troops,  and  a  facility  in  changing  his  plans  as  circumstances  changed 
during  the  battle,  which  mark  the  good  commander  and  the  cool-headed  officer.  He  had 
been  with  Forbes  and  Washington,  when  Fort  Pitt  was  taken  from  the  French.  The  In- 
dians who  were  assembled  at  Fort  Pitt,  left  the  siege  of  that  place  and  advanced  to  meet 
the  force  of  Boquet,  intending  to  execute  a  surprise  and  destroy  the  whole  command. 
These  savages  remembered  how  easily  they  had  entrapped  General  Braddock,  a  few  years 
before,  by  the  same  movement,  and  had  no  doubt  of  success  against  Boquet.  But  he 
moved  always  in  a  hollow  square,  with  his  provision  train  and  his  cattle  in  the  centre,  im- 
pressing his  men  with  the  idea  that  a  fire  might  open  upon  them  at  any  moment.  When 
the  important  hour  arrived,  and  they  were  saluted  with  the  discharge  of  a  thousand  rifles, 
accompanied  by  the  terrific  yells  of  so  many  savage  warriors,  arrayed  in  the  livery  of 
demons,  the  English  and  provincial  troops  behaved  like  veterans,  whom  nothing  could  shake. 
They  achieved  a  complete  victory,  and  drove  the  allied  Indian  force  beyond  the  Ohio. 

From  Fort  Pitt,  Col.  Boquet  proceeded  westward,  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Ohio,  with  such  caution,  that  the  Indians  were  unable 
to  draw  him  into  an  ambuscade.  At  the  mouth  of  Big  Beaver,  the 
troops  crossed  by  a  ford,  and  on  the  6th  of  October,  reached  the 
Little  Beaver,  passed  up  its  east  branch,  and  across  the  highlands  to 
the  waters  of  the  Yellow  creek,  through  an  open  and  bushy  country. 
Reaching  Sandy  creek,  they  passed  down  its  banks,  and  crossing 
the  stream  by  a  ford,  reached  a  beautiful  plain — where  the  village 


COSHOCTON  COUNTY,  113 

of  Bolivar  now  stands — on  which  they  encamped.  By  the  16th  of 
October,  Col.  Boquet  erected  a  stockade,  two  miles  and  forty  rods 
below  the  ford,  at  a  ravine,  and  completed  his  arrangements  against 
a  surprise. 

The  Indians  being  convinced  that  they  could  not  succeed  in  any 
attempt  against  him,  made  a  treaty  of  peace,  and  engaged  to  restore 
all  the  prisoners  taken  from  the  whites. 

On  Monday,  the  22d,  the  troops  broke  up  camp,  and  proceeded  down  the  west  bank  of 
the  Muskingum  towards  the  Wakatomaka  towns,  about  the  mouth  of  the  Whitewoman. 
The  deputations  accompanied  them  as  guides.  They  reached  the  highland,  one  mile  north 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Walhonding  or  Whitewoman,  on  Thursday,  and  made  a  camp.  The 
distance  of  this  point  from  the  mouth  of  Big  Beaver  or  Mahoning  river,  by  the  route  of 
the  army,  is  101  miles  and  83  rods.  Col.  Boquet  caused  a  stockade  to  be  built,  with  four 
redoubts,  and  erected  cabins  and  store-houses,  determined  to  wait  for  the  arrival  of  the 
prisoners. 

On  the  9th  of  November,  20G  prisoners,  including  women  and  children,  had  been  deliv- 
ered, of  whom  32  men  and  58  women  and  children  were  from  Virginia,  and  49  males  and 
67  females  from  Pennsylvania. 

On  the  18th  of  November,  the  army  broke  up  its  cantonement  at  the  Whitewoman  and 
returned  to  Fort  Pitt,  which  they  reached  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month.  This  expedition 
was  conducted  with  so  much  skill  and  prudence,  that  none  of  those  frightful  disasters  that 
often  result  from  Indian  wars  occurred.  The  savages,  although  in  great  strength,  found  no 
opportunity  to  make  an  attack.  No  prisoners  were  taken,  none  died  of  sickness,  and 
every  man  of  the  party  returned  except  one,  who  was  killed  and  scalped  by  an  Indian,  when 
separated  from  camp.  The  Pennsylvania  troops  were  under  Lieut.  Col.  Francis,  and  Lieut. 
Col.  Clayton.     Col.  Reid  was  next  in  command  to  Col.  Boquet. 

The  provincial  troops  were  discharged,  and  the  regulars  sent  to  garrison  Fort  Loudon, 
Fort  Bedford  and  Carlisle.  Col.  Boquet  arrived  at  Philadelphia  in  January,  and  received 
a  complimentary  address  from  the  legislature,  and  also  from  the  house  of  Burgesses  of  Vir- 
ginia. Before  these  resolutions  reached  England,  the  king  promoted  him  to  be  a  brigadier 
general.  He  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  post  of  Mobile,  and  the  next  season 
died  there. 

The  scene  which  took  place  when  the  captives  were  brought  in 
by  the  Indians,  as  mentioned  in  the  preceding  account,  is  thus  re- 
lated by  Mr.  Hutchins. 

Language  indeed  can  but  weakly  describe  the  scene,  one  to  which  the  poet  or  painter 
might  have  repaired  to  enrich  the  highest  colorings  of  the  variety  of  the  human  passions, 
the  philosopher,  to  find  ample  subject  for  the  most  serious  reflection,  and  the  man  to  exer- 
cise all  the  tender  and  sympathetic  feelings  of  the  soul.  There  were  to  be  seen  fathers 
and  mothers  recognizing  and  clasping  their  once  lost  babes,  husbands  hanging  round  the 
necks  of  their  newly  recovered  wives,  sisters  and  brothers  unexpectedly  meeting  together, 
after  a  long  separation,  scarcely  able  to  speak  the  same  language,  or  for  some  time  to  be 
sure  that  they  were  the  children  of  the  same  parents.  In  all  these  interviews  joy  and  rap- 
ture inexpressible  were  seen,  while  feelings  of  a  very  different  nature  were  painted  in  the 
looks  of  others,  flying  from  place  to  place,  in  eager  inquiries  after  relatives  not  found  ; 
trembling  to  receive  an  answer  to  questions ;  distracted  with  doubts,  hopes  and  fears  on 
obtaining  no  account  of  those  they  sought  for  ;  or  stiffened  into  living  monuments  of  horror 
and  woe,  on  learning  their  unhappy  fate. 

The  Indians  too,  as  if  wholly  forgetting  their  usual  savageness,  bore  a  capital  part  in 
heightening  this  most  affecting  scene.  They  delivered  up  their  beloved  captives  with  the 
utmost  reluctance — shed  torrents  of  tears  over  them — recommending  them  to  the  care  and 
protection  of  the  commanding  officer.  Their  regard  to  them  continued  all  the  while  they 
remained  in  camp.  They  visited  them  from  day  to  day,  brought  them  what  corn,  skins, 
horses,  and  other  matters  had  been  bestowed  upon  them  while  in  their  families,  accompa- 
nied with  other  presents,  and  all  the  marks  of  the  most  sincere  and  tender  affection.  Nay, 
they  didn't  stop  here,  but  when  the  army  marched,  some  of  the  Indians  solicited  and  ob- 
tained permission  to  aecompany  their  former  captives  to  Fort  Pitt,  and  employed  them- 
selves in  hunting  and  bringing  provisions  for  them  on  the  way.  A  young  Mingo  carried 
this  still  farther,  and  gave  an  instance  of  love  which  would  make  a  figure  even  in  romance. 

15 


114  COSHOCTON    COUNTY. 

A  young  woman  of  Virginia,  was  among  the  captives,  to  whom  he  had  formed  so  strong 
an  attachment  as  to  call  her  his  wife.  Against  all  the  remonstrances  of  the  imminent 
danger  to  which  he  exposed  himself  by  approaching  the  frontier,  he  persisted  in  following 
her,  at  the  risk  of  being  killed  by  the  surviving  relatives  of  many  unfortunate  persons,  who 
had  been  taken  captive  or  scalped  by  those  of  his  nation. 

Among  the  captives,  a  woman  was  brought  into  camp  at  Muskingum  with  a  babe  about 
three  months  old  at  the  breast.  One  of  the  Virginia  volunteers  soon  knew  her  to  be  his 
wife  !  She  had  been  taken  by  the  Indians  about  six  months  before.  He  flew  with  her  to 
his  tent  and  clothed  her  and  his  child  with  proper  apparel.  But  their  joy  after  the  first 
transports,  was  soon  dampened  by  the  reflection  that  another  dear  child  about  two  years 
old,  taken  with  the  mother  had  been  separated  from  her,  and  was  still  missing,  although 
many  children  had  been  brought  in. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  a  number  of  other  persons  were  brought  in,  among  them  was  sev- 
eral children.  The  woman  was  sent  for,  and  one  supposed  to  be  hers  was  produced  to  her. 
At  first  sight  she  was  not  certain,  but  viewing  the  child  with  great  earnestness,  she  soon  recol- 
lected its  features,  and  was  so  overcome  with  joy,  that  forgetting  her  sucking  child,  she 
dropt  it  from  her  arms,  and  catching  up  the  new  found  child,  in  ecstacy,  pressed  it  to  her 
breast,  and  bursting  into  tears,  carried  it  off  unable  to  speak  for  joy.  The  father  rising  up 
with  the  babe  she  had  let  fall,  followed  her  in  no  less  transport  and  affection. 

But  it  must  not  be  deemed  that  there  were  not  some,  even  grown  persons  who  showed 
an  unwillingness  to  return.  The  Shawnees  were  obliged  to  bind  some  of  their  prisoners, 
and  force  them  along  to  the  camp,  and  some  women  who  had  been  delivered  up,  afterwards 
found  means  to  escape,  and  went  back  to  the  Indian  tribes.  Some  who  could  not  make 
their  escape,  clung  to  their  savage  acquaintances  at  parting,  and  continued  many  days  in 
bitter  lamentations,  even  refusing  sustenance. 

Another  expedition  was  undertaken  in  the  summer  of  1780,  and 
directed  against  the  Indian  villages  at  the  forks  of  the  Muskingum. 
The  narrative  of  this,  usually  known  as  " the  Coshocton  campaign" 
we  derive  from  Doddridge's  Notes. 

The  place  of  rendezvous  was  Wheeling.  The  number  of  regulars  and  militia,  about 
eight  hundred.  From  Wheeling  they  made  a  rapid  march,  by  the  nearest  route,  to  the 
place  of  their  destination.  When  the  army  reached  the  river,  a  little  below  Salem,  the 
lower  Moravian  town,  Col.  Broadhead  sent  an  express  to  the  missionary  in  that  place,  the 
Rev.  John  Heckewelder,  informing  him  of  his  arrival  in  his  neighborhood,  with  his  army, 
requesting  a  small  supply  of  provisions,  and  a  visit  from  him  in  his  camp.  When  the  mis- 
sionary arrived  at  the  camp,  the  general  informed  him  of  the  object  of  the  expedition  he 
was  engaged  in,  and  inquired  of  him,  whether  any  of  the  christian  Indians  were  hunting, 
or  engaged  in  business  in  the  direction  of  his  march.  On  being  answered  in  the  negative, 
he  stated  that  nothing  would  give  him  greater  pain,  than  to  hear  that  any  of  the  Moravian 
Indians  had  been  molested  by  the  troops,  as  these  Indians  had  always,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  conducted  themselves  in  a  manner  that  did  them  honor. 

A  part  of  the  militia  had  resolved  on  going  up  the  river,  to  destroy  the  Moravian  vil- 
lages, but  were  prevented  from  executing  their  project  by  Gen.  Broadhead,  and  Col.  Shep- 
herd, of  Wheeling.  At  White  Eyes'  Plain,  a  few  miles  from  Coshocton,  an  Indian  pris- 
oner was  taken.  Soon  afterwards  two  more  Indians  were  discovered,  one  of  whom  was 
wounded,  but  he,  as  well  as  the  other,  made  their  escape. 

The  commander,  knowing  that  these  two  Indians  would  make  the  utmost  dispatch  in 
going  to  the  town,  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  army,  ordered  a  rapid  march,  in 
the  midst  of  a  heavy  fall  of  rain,  to  reach  the  town  before  them,  and  take  it  by  surprise. 
Tne  plan  succeeded.  The  army  reached  the  place  in  three  divisions.  The  right  and  left 
wings  approached  the  river  a  little  above  and  below  the  town,  while  the  center  marched  di- 
rectly upon  it.  The  whole  number  of  the  Indians  in  the  village,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  together  with  ten  or  twelve  from  a  little  village,  some  distance  above,  were  made 
prisoners,  without  firing  a  single  shot.  The  river  having  risen  to  a  great  height,  owing  to 
the  recent  fall  of  rain,  the  army  could  not  cross  it.  Owing  to  this,  the  villages  with  their 
inhabitants  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  escaped  destruction. 

Among  the  prisoners,  sixteen  warriors  were  pointed  out  by  Pekillon,  a  friendly  Delaware 
chief,  who  was  with  the  army  of  Broadhead.  A  little  after  dark,  a  council  of  war  was 
held,  to  determine  on  the  fate  of  the  warriors  in  custody.  They  were  doomed  to  death, 
and  by  order  of  the  commander,  they  were  bound,  taken  a  little  distance  below  the  town 
and  dispatched  with  tomahawks  and  spears,  and  scalped. 


COSHOCTON  COUNTY. 


115 


Early  the  next  morning,  an  Indian  presented  himself  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river 
and  asked  for  the  big  captain.  Broadhead  presented  himself,  and  asked  the  Indian  what 
he  wanted?  To  which  he  replied,  "  I  want  peace."  "  Send  over  some  of  your  chiefs," 
said  Broadhead.  "  May  be  you  kill,"  said  the  Indian.  He  was  answered,  "  They  shall 
not  be  killed."  One  of  the  chiefs,  a  well-looking  man,  came  over  the  river,  and  entered 
into  conversation  with  the  commander  in  the  street  ;  but  while  engaged  in  conversation,  a 
man  of  the  name  of  Wetzel  came  up  behind  him,  with  a  tomahawk  concealed  in  the  bosom 
of  his  hunting  shirt,  and  struck  him  on  the  back  of  his  head.  He  fell  and  instantly  ex- 
pired. About  11  or  12  o'clock,  the  army  commenced  its  retreat  from  Coshocton.  Gen. 
Broadhead  committed  the  care  of  the  prisoners  to  the  militia.  They  were  about  twenty  in 
number.  After  marching  about  half  a  mile,  the  men  commenced  killing  them.  In  a  short 
time  they  were  all  despatched,  except  a  few  women  and  children,  who  were  spared  and 
taken  to  Fort  Pitt,  and  after  some  time,  exchanged  for  an  equal  number  of  their  prisoners 


Public  Square,  Coshocton. 

Coshocton,  the  county  seat,  is  finely  situated  on  the  Muskingum, 
at  the  junction  of  the  Tuscarawas,  with  the  Walhonding  river,  S3 
miles  northeast  from  Columbus,  and  30  from  Zanesville.  The 
ground  on  which  it  is  built,  for  situation,  could  scarcely  be  improved, 
as  it  lies  in  four  broad  natural  terraces,  each  elevated  about  nine- 
feet  above  the  other,  the  last  of  which,  is  about  one  thousand  feet* 
wide.  The  town  is  much  scattered.  About  sixty  rods  back  from 
the  Muskingum,  is  the  public  square,  containing  four  acres,  neatly 
fenced,  planted  with  young  trees  and  covered  with  a  green  sward"; 
on  it  stand  the  county  buildings,  represented  in  the  engraving;. 
Coshocton  was  laid  out  in  April,  1802,  by  Ebenezer  Buckingham  and 
John  Matthews,  under  the  name  of  Tuscarawa,  and  changed  to  its 
present  appellation  in  1811.  The  county  was  first  settled  only  a 
few  years  prior  to  the  formation  of  the  town :  among  the  early  set- 
tlers, were  Col.  Chas.  Williams,  Wm.  Morrison,  Isaac  Hoglin,  Geo. 
M'Culloch,  Andrew  Craig  and  Wm.  Whitten.  Coshocton  contains 
2  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  1  Protestant  Methodist 
church,  6  mercantile  stores,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  woolen 
factory,  1  flouring  mill,  and  had  in  1840,  625  inhabitants.  In  times 
of  high  water,  steamboats  occasionally  run  up  to  Coshocton. 

"A  short  distance  below  Coshocton,"  says  Dr.  Hildreth  in  Silliman's  Journal,  "  on  one 
of  those  elevated  gravelly  alluvions,  so  common  on  the  rivers  of  the  west,  has  been  re- 
cently discovered  a  very  singular  ancient  burying  ground.  From  some  remains  of  wood  still 
[1835]_  apparent  in  the  earth  around  the  bones,  the  bodies  seem  all  to  have  been  deposited 
in  coffins ;  and  what  is  still  more  curious,  is  the  fact,  that  the  bodies  buried  here  were  gen- 


116  CRAWFORD  COUNTY. 

erally  not  more  than  from  three  to  four  and  a  half  feet  in  length.  They  are  very  numerous, 
and  must  have  been  tenants  of  a  considerable  city,  or  their  numbers  could  not  have  been 
so  great.  A  large  number  of  graves  have  been  opened,  the  inmates  of  which  are  all  of 
this  pigmy  race.  No  metallic  articles  or  utensils  have  yet  been  found,  to  throw  any  light 
on  ihe  period  or  nation  to  which  they  belonged.  Similar  burying  grounds  have  been  found 
in  Tennessee,  and  near  St.  Louis,  in  Missouri." 

We  learn  orally  from  another  source,  that  this  burying  ground  covered,  in  1830,  about 
10  acres.  The  graves  were  arranged  in  regular  rows,  with  avenues  between,  and  the  heads 
of  all  were  placed  to  the  west  and  the  feet  to  the  east. 

In  one  of  them  was  a  skeleton  with  pieces  of  oak  boards  and  iron  wrought  nails.  The 
copse  had  evidently  been  dismembered  before  burial,  as  the  skull  was  found  among  the 
bones  of  the  pelvis,  and  other  bones  were  displaced.  The  skull  itself  was  triangular  in 
shape,  much  flattened  at  the  sides  and  back,  and  in  the  posterior  part  having  an  orifice,  ev- 
idently made  by  some  weapon  of  war,  or  bullet.  In  1830,  dwarf  oaks  of  many  years' 
growth  were  over  several  of  the  graves.  The  grave  yard  has  since  been  plowed  over. 
Nothing  was  known  of  its  origin  by  the  early  settlers.  Below  the  grave  yard  is  a  beauti- 
ful mound. 

On  the  west  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  opposite  to  and  connected 
with  Coshocton  by  a  bridge,  is  Roscoe.  This  town  was  laid  off  in 
1816,  by  James  Calder,  under  the  name  of  Caldersburg.  An  addition 
was  subsequently  laid  off  by  Ransom  &  Swane,  which  being  united 
with  it,  the  place  was  called  Roscoe,  from  Win.  Roscoe,  the  English 
author.  The  Walhonding  canal,  which  extends  to  the  village  of  Roch- 
ester, a  distance  of  25  miles,  unites  with  the  Ohio  canal  at  Roscoe. 
This  town  is  at  present  a  great  wheat  depot  on  the  canal,  and  an 
important  place  of  shipment  and  transhipment.  Its  capacities  for 
a  large  manufacturing  town  are  ample.  "  The  canals  bring  together 
the  whole  water  power  of  the  Tuscarawas  and  Walhonding,  the 
latter  standing  in  the  canal  at  this  place,  forty  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  Muskingum,  and  the  canal  being  comparatively  little  used, 
the  whole  power  of  the  stream,  capable  of  performing  almost  any 
thing  desired,  could  be  used  for  manufacturing  purposes  ;  and  sites 
for  a  whole  manufacturing  village,  could  be  purchased  compara- 
tively for  a  trifle."  Roscoe  contains  1  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
5  dry  goods  and  2  grocery  stores,  2  forwarding  houses,  1  fulling, 
2  saw  and  2  flouring  mills,  and  had  in  1840,  468  inhabitants.  From 
the  hills  back  of  town,  a  fine  prospect  is  presented  up  the  vallies  of 
the  Tuscarawas  and  Walhonding,  and  down  that  of  the  Muskingum. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  small  villages  in  the  county,  with 
their  population,  according  to  the  census  of  1840 :  since  then  some 
of  them  have  much  increased.  East  Union,  210;  West  Carlisle, 
213;  New  Castle,  155;  Rochester,  111;  West  Bedford,  103;  and 
Keene,  100;  New  Bedford,  Evansburg,  Birmingham,  Chili,  Jacobs- 
port,  Lewisville,  Plainfield,  Van  Buren  and  Warsaw,  each  less  than 
1 00. 


CRAWFORD. 

Crawford  was  formed  from  old  Indian  Territory,  April  1st,  1820. 
The  surface  is  generally  level,  and  in  part  slightly  rolling :  the  south 


CRAWFORD  COUNTY.  117 

and  west  part  is  beautiful  prairie  land.  The  plains  are  usually  cov 
ered  with  a  rich  vegetable  loam  of  from  6  to  15  inches  deep  :  the 
subsoil  in  most  parts  of  the  county  is  clay,  mixed  with  lime  ;  in  many 
places — particularly  the  plains — a  mixture  of  marl.  Several  rich 
beds  of  shell  marl  have  already  been  discovered.  The  whole  coun- 
ty is  well  adapted  to  grazing.  The  principal  products  are  wheat, 
corn,  oats,  clover  and  timothy  seeds,  grass,  wool  and  horned  cattle. 
There  are  some  fine  limestone  quarries.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population : 


Antrim, 

261 

Holmes, 

744 

Pitt, 

423 

Bucyrus, 

1654 

Jackson, 

636 

Sandusky, 

679 

Center, 

132 

Liberty, 

1469 

Sycamore, 

958 

Chatfield, 

878 

Lvkens, 

742 

Tymochtee, 

1659 

Cranberry, 

680 

Mifflin, 

316 

Whetsone, 

1124 

Crawford, 

812 

The  population  of  Crawford,  in  1830,  was  4,788,  and  in  1840, 
13,167.  In  1845,  the  county  was  much  reduced  by  the  formation  of 
Wyandot. 

This  county  derived  its  name  from  Col.  William  Crawford,  who  was  born  in  Virginia, 
in  1732,  the  same  year  with  Washington.  In  1758,  he  was  a  captain  in  Forbes  expedi- 
tion, which  took  possession  of  Fort  Duquesne,  on  the  site  of  Pittsburg.  Washington  was 
the  friend  of  Crawford,  and  often  in  his  visits  to  the  then  west,  was  an  inmate  of  his  hum- 
ble dwelling,  in  Fayette  county.  He  was  a  brave  and  energetic  man,  and,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  revolution,  raised  a  regiment  by  his  own  exertions,  and  received  the 
commission  of  colonel  of  continentals.  He  often  led  parties  against  the  Indians  across  the 
Ohio.  In  1782,  he  reluctantly  accepted  the  command  of  an  expedition  against  the  Ohio 
Indians.  On  this  occasion  he  was  taken  prisoner,  and  burnt  to  death  amid  the  most  ex- 
cruciating tortures,  on  the  Tyemochtee,in  the  former  limits  of  this,  but  now  within  the  new 
county  of  Wyandot. 

Bucyrus,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Sandusky  river — here  a  small 
stream — 62  miles  n.  of  Columbus,  and  46  from  Sandusky  city.  The 
view  shows,  on  the  right,  the  Lutheran  church,  and  on  the  left,  the 
county  buildings  and  the  academy.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1 
Lutheran,  1  Baptist,  1  Methodist  and  1  Protestant  Methodist  church ; 
14  stores,  1  grist,  1  saw  and  2  fulling  mills,  1  newspaper  printing 
office  and  a  population  of  about  1,000:  in  1840,  it  had  704  inhabi- 
tants. On  the  land  of  R.  W.  Musgrave,  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
the  town,  a  gas  well  has  recently  been  dug.  On  first  reaching  the 
water — a  distance  of  about  18  feet — it  flew  up  about  6  feet  with  a 
loud,  roaring  noise  ;  a  pump  has  been  placed  over  it,  and  the  gas  is 
conducted  to  the  surface  by  a  pipe,  which,  when  a  torch  is  applied, 
burns  with  a  brilliant  flame. 

Bucyrus  was  laid  out  Feb.  11th,  1822,  by  Samuel  Norton  and 
James  Kilbourne,  proprietors  of  the  soil.  The  first  settler  on  the 
site  of  the  town  was  Samuel  Norton,  who  moved  in  from  Pa.  in 
1819.  He  wintered  in  a  small  cabin  made  of  poles,  which  stood  just 
north  of  his  present  residence  on  the  bank  of  the  Sandusky.  This 
region  of  country  was  not  thrown  into  market  until  August,  1820,  at 
which  time  it  abounded  in  bears,  wolves,  catamounts,  foxes  and  other 
wild  animals.     When  he  came,  there  were  but  a  few  settlers  in  the 


118 


CRAWFORD    COUNTY. 


county,  principally  squatters  on  the  Whetstone,  the  nearest  of  whom 
was  on  that  stream  eight  miles  distant.  North  and  west  of  Mr.  N. 
there  was  not  a  single  settler  in  the  county.  Others  of  the  early 
settlers  in  the  town,  whose  names  are  recollected,  were  David  and 
Michael  Beedle,  Daniel  M'Michael,  John  Kent,  Wm.  Young,  Jacob 
ShaefTer,  Thomas  and  James  Scott,  James  Steward,  David  Stein, 
George  Black,  John  Blowers  and  Nehemiah  Squires.  The  first 
frame  house  was  built  by  Samuel  Bailey,  and  is  the  small  frame 
building  standing  next  to,  and  north  of  F.  Margraf's  residence.  The 
first  brick  dwelling  is  the  one  now  owned  by  Wm.  Timanus,  on  the 
public  square.     The  Methodists  built  the  first  church. 


View  in  Bucyrus. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  1838,  part  of  the  skeleton  of  a  mastodon 
was  discovered  in  wet,  marshy  land  belonging  to  Abraham  Hahn,  on 
the  Sandusky  plains,  near  Bucyrus.  "  This  skeleton  was  particu- 
larly interesting  and  important  to  science,  as  the  head  and  skull 
bones  were  perfect  in  all  their  parts,  and  furnished  the  only  known 
specimen  from  which  a  correct  idea  could  be  obtained  respecting 
the  massive  and  singularly-shaped  head  of  this  animal."  The  hori- 
zontal length  of  the  skull  was  3  feet  3  inches  ;  perpendicular  height, 
3  ft.  2^  inches;  weight  of  skull  and  upper  jaw,  160  pounds,  to  which 
added  the  weight  of  the  lower  jaw,  77  pounds,  made  237  pounds. 
The  length  of  the  back  molar  tooth  was  7^  inches. 

Kniseley's  or  Crawford  sulphur  spring  is  7  miles  ne.  of  Bucyrus, 
in  Sandusky  township.  The  water  is  highly  impregnated  with 
sulphuretted  hydrogen,  tarnishes  silver  and  deposites  a  sulphurous 
precipitate  a  short  distance  from  the  spring.  One  of  its  most  re- 
markable features  is  a  deposit  of  a  reddish  or  purple  sediment  at 
the  bottom,  giving  to  the  water  a  color  resembling  a  tincture  of 
iodine.  The  water  is  a  gentle  cathartic,  and  is  diuretic  and  diapho- 
retic in  its  effects.  The  place  is  now  improved,  a  boarding  house 
being  there,  and  it  proves  a  valuable  resort  for  invalids.  A  few  rods 
from  it  is  a  burning  spring.  The  Annapolis  sulphur  is  a  beautiful, 
clear  and  copious  spring,  owned  by  Mr.  Sliffer,  who  has  neatly 
enclosed  it  with  an   iron  railing.     It  possesses  medicinal  virtues. 


CUYAHOGA  COUNTY.  119 

Opposite  Bucyrus,  near  the  river,  is  a  chalybeate  spring  of  tonic 
qualities.  There  are  various  beds  of  peat  in  the  county,  the  most 
extensive  of  which  is  in  a  wet  prairie,  called  Cranberry  marsh,  in 
Cranberry  township,  which,  as  shown  on  the  map,  contains  nearly 
2,000  acres.  This  marsh  formerly  annually  produced  thousands  of 
bushels  of  cranberries.  The  peat  upon  this  marsh  is  estimated  at 
two  millions  and  five  hundred  thousand  cords,  by  Dr.  C.  Briggs  in 
the  State  Geographical  report,  from  which  we  have  derived  the  prin- 
cipal facts  in  this  paragraph. 

Galeon,  1 1  miles  se.  of  Bucyrus,  has  3  stores,  2  or  3  churches  and 
about  375  inhabitants.  Leesville,  about  10  e.  of  Bucyrus,  has  2 
stores,  2  churches  and  about  250  inhabitants.  Near  this  place  is  a 
locality  called  "  the  battle  ground,"  where,  it  is  said,  Crawford,  when 
on  his  way  to  Upper  Sandusky,  had  a  skirmish  with  some  Indians. 
De  Kalb,  West  Liberty,  Middletown,  New  Washington,  Annapolis, 
Benton,  Oletangy  and  Osceola,  are  small  places ;  at  the  last  named, 
the  Broken  Sword  creek  has  a  fall  of  32  feet  within  a  space  of  two 
miles. 


CUYAHOGA. 

Cuyahoga  was  formed  from  Geauga  county,  June  7th,  1807,  and 
organized  in  May,  1810.  The  name  was  derived  from  the  river,  and 
is  said  to  signify,  in  the  Indian  language,  " crooked"  a  term  signifi- 
cant of  the  river,  which  is  very  winding,  and  has  its  sources  farther 
north  than  its  mouth.  The  surface  is  level  or  gently  undulating. 
Near  the  lake  the  soil  is  sandy,  elsewhere  generally  a  clayey  loam. 
The  vallies  of  the  streams  are  highly  productive  in  corn  and  oats ; 
in  other  parts,  the  principal  crops  are  wheat,  barley  and  hay.  The 
county  produces  a  great  variety  and  amount  of  excellent  fruit ;  also, 
cheese,  butter,  beef  cattle  and  wool.  Bog  iron  ore  is  found  in  the 
west  part,  and  furnaces  are  in  operation.  Excellent  grindstone  quar- 
ries are  worked,  and  grindstones  largely  exported.  The  sandstone 
from  these  quarries,  is  beginning  to  be  a  prominent  article  of  com- 
merce, being  in  some  cases  shipped  for  building  purposes,  as  far  west 
as  Chicago.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with 
their  population. 

Bedford,       2021       Independence, 

Brecks  ville,  1 1 24       May  field, 

Brooklyn,     1409       Middleburg, 

Cleveland,    7037       Newburg, 

Dover,  966       Olmstead, 

Euclid,         1774       Parma, 

The  population  of  Cuyahoga,  in  1810,  was  1495;  in  1820,  6328; 
in  1830,  10,362,  and  in  1840,  26,512,  or  43  inhabitants  to  a  square 
mile. 


754 

Rockport, 

1235 

852 

Royalton, 

1051 

339 

Solon, 

774 

342 

Strongville, 

1151 

659 

Warrensville, 

1085 

965 

Orange, 

1114 

120 


CUYAHOGA  COUNTY. 


Freruhlbmsi  B^X  ATawas 

MLngioesA 

Portam 


As  early  as  1755,  there  was  a  French  station  within  the  present  limits  of  Cuyahoga. 

On  Lewis  Evans'  map  of  the  middle  Brit- 
ish colonies,  published  that  year,  there  is 
marked  upon  the  west  bank  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga, the  words,  "  French  house,"  which 
was  doubtless  the  station  of  a  French 
trader.  The  ruins  of  a  house,  supposed 
to  be  those  of  the  one  alluded  to,  have  been 
discovered  on  Foot's  farm,  in  Brooklyn 
township,  about  five  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Cuyahoga.  The  small  engraving 
annexed,  is  from  the  map  of  Evans,  and 
delineates  the  geography  as  in  the  ori- 
ginal. 

In  1786,  the  Moravian  missionary  Zeis- 
berger,  with  his  Indian  converts,  left  De- 
troit, and  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Cuyahoga,  in  a  vessel  called  the  Mack- 
inaw. From  thence,  they  proceeded  up 
the  river  about  ten  miles  from  the  site  of 
Cleveland,  and  settled  in  an  abandoned  village  of  the  Ottawas,  within  the  present  limits  of 
Independence,  which  they  called  Pilgerruh,  i.  e.  Pilgrim's  rest.  Their  stay  was  brief, 
for  in  the  April  following,  they  left  for  Huron  river,  and  settled  near  the  site  of  Milan, 
Erie  county,  at  a  locality  they  named  New  Salem. 

The  British,  who,  after  the  revolutionary  war,  refused  to  yield  possession  of  the  lake 
country  west  of  the  Cuyahoga,  occupied  to  its  shores  until  1790.  Their  traders  had  a 
house  in  Ohio  city,  north  of  the  Detroit  road,  on  the  point  of  the  hill,  near  the  river,  when 
the  surveyors  first  arrived  here  in  1796.  From  an  early  day,  Washington,  Jefferson  and 
other  leading  Virginia  statesmen  regarded  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga,  as  an  important 
commercial  position. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  within  the  limits  of  Cuyahoga,  was  made  at  Cleveland, 
in  the  autumn  of  1796.  On  the  4th  of  July  previous,  the  first  surveying  party  of  the  Re- 
serve, landed  at  Conneaut.  In  September  and  October,  the  corps  laid  out  the  city,  which 
was  named  in  honor  of  the  land  company's  agent,  Gen.  Moses  Cleveland.*  By  the  18th 
of  October,  the  surveyors  quitted  the  place,  leaving  Mr.  Job  V.  Stiles  and  family,  and  Mr. 
Edward  Paine,  who  were  the  only  persons  that  passed  the  winter  of  1796  and  '7,  within 
the  limits  of  the  town.  Their  lonely  residence  was  a  log  cabin,  which  stood  near  the  site 
of  the  Commercial  bank.  The  nearest  white  settlement  west,  was  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Raisin  ;  south  or  east  at  Fort  M'Intosh,  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Beaver ;  and  northeast,  at 
Conneaut.     Those  families  that  wintered  at  Conneaut,  suffered  severely  for  want  of  food. 

The  surveying  party,  on  reaching  the  Reserve  the  succeeding  season,  again  made  Cleve- 
land their  head  quarters.  Early  this  season,  Elijah  Gunn  and  Judge  Kingsbury  removed 
here  from  Conneaut,  with  their  families,  and  in  the  fall,  the  latter  removed  to  Newburg, 
where  he  still  resides,  at  an  advanced  age.  The  little  colony  was  increased  also  by  the 
arrival  of  Major  Lorenzo  Carter  and  Ezekiel  Hawley,  with  their  families. 

In  1798,  Rodolphus  Edwards  and  Nathaniel  Doane,  with  their  families,  settled  in  Cleve- 
land. To  faintly  show  the  difficulty  of  travelling  at  that  time,  it  is  stated  that  Mr.  Doane 
was  ninety-two  days  on  his  journey  from  Chatham,  Conn.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  sum- 
mer and  in  the  fall,  every  person  in  the  town  was  sick,  either  with  the  billious  fever  or  the 
fever  and  ague.  Mr.  Doane's  family  consisted  of  nine  persons:  the  only  one  of  them 
having  sufficient  strength  to  take  care  of  them  and  bring  a  pail  of  water,  was  Seth  Doane, 
then  a  lad  of  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  even  he  had  daily  attacks  of  the  fever  and  ague. 
Such  was  the  severity  of  the  billious  fever  at  that  time,  that  a  person  having  only  daily 
attacks  of  fever  and  ague,  was  deemed  lucky.  There  was  much  suffering  for  the  want  ot 
food,  particularly  that  proper  for  the  sick.     The  only  way  this  family  was  supplied,  for  two 


*  Gen.  Moses  Cleveland  was  bom  in  Canterbury,  Conn.,  about  the  year  1755,  and 
graduated  at  Yale  College,  in  1777.  He  was  bred  a  lawyer,  and  practised  his  profession 
in  his  native  town.  He  married  a  sister  of  Gen.  Henry  Champion,  of  Colchester,  and  died 
at  Canterbury,  in  1806,  leaving  a  large  fortune.  He  was  a  man  of  note  among  his  towns- 
men, and  often  represented  them  in  the  legislature  of  Connecticut.  In  person,  he  was  of 
medium  6tature,  thick  set  and  portly,  and  of  a  very  dark  comclexion. 


CUYAHOGA  COUNTY.  121 

months  or  more,  was  through  the  exertions  of  this  boy,  who  daily,  after  having  an  attack 
of  the  ague,  went  to  Judge  Kingsbury's,  in  New-burg — five  miles  distant — got  a  peck  of 
corn,  mashed  it  in  a  hand-mill,  waited  until  a  second  attack  of  the  ague  was  over,  and 
then  started  on  his  return.  There  was  at  one  time  a  space  of  several  days  when  he  was 
too  ill  to  make  the  trip,  during  which,  turnips  comprised  about  all  the  vegetables  the  family- 
had.  Fortunately,  Major  Carter  having  only  the  fever  and  ague,  was  enabled,  through 
the  aid  of  his  hounds  and  trusty  rifle,  to  procure  abundance  of  venison  and  other  wild 
game.  His  family  being  somewhat  acclimated,  suffered  less  than  that  of  Mr.  Doane. 
Their  situation  can  scarcely  be  conceived  of  at  the  present  day.  Destitute  of  a  physician, 
and  with  a  few  medicines,  necessity  taught  them  to  use  such  means  as  nature  had  placed 
within  their  reach.  For  calomel,  they  substituted  pills  from  the  extract  of  the  bark  of  the 
butternut,  and  in  lieu  of  quinine,  used  dog  wood  and  cherry  bark. 

In  November,  four  men,  who  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  have  ague  attacks  no  oftener 
than  once  in  two  or  three  days,  started  in  the  only  boat  for  Walnut  creek,  Pa.,  to  obtain  a 
winter's  supply  of  flour  for  the  colony.  When  below  Euclid  creek,  a  storm  arose,  drove 
them  ashore,  stove  their  boat  in  pieces,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  they  saved  their  lives  and 
regained  the  city.  During  the  winter  and  summer  following,  the  colony  had  no  flour,  ex- 
cept that  ground  in  hand  and  coffee  mills,  which,  for  want  of  proper  means  to  separate  from 
the  bran,  was  made  into  a  bread  similar  to  that  of  Graham's.  In  this  summer,  the  Conn, 
land  company  opened  the  first  road  on  the  Reserve,  which  commenced  about  ten  miles 
from  the  lake  on  the  Pennsylvania  line,  and  extended  to  Cleveland.  In  January,  '99,  Mr. 
Doane  moved  to  Doane's  coiners,  and  from  that  time  until  April,  1800 — a  space  of  fifteen 
months — Major  Carter's  was  the  only  white  family  in  Cleveland.  During  the  spring  of 
'99,  Wheeler  W.  Williams,  from  Norwich,  Conn.,  and  Major  Wyatt,  erected  a  small  grist 
and  a  saw  mill  at  the  falls,  on  the  site  of  Newburg,  which  being  the  first  mill  on  the  Re- 
serve, spread  joy  among  the  pioneers.  A  short  time  prior  to  this,  each  house  in  Cleveland 
had  its  own  hand  grist  mill,  in  the  chimney  corner,  which  is  thus  described  by  one  of  the 
early  settlers.  "  The  stones  were  of  the  common  grindstone  grit,  and  about  four  inches 
thick  and  twenty  in  diameter.  The  runner  was  turned  by  hand,  with  a  pole  set  in  the  top 
of  it,  near  the  verge.  The  upper  end  of  the  pole  went  into  another  hole  inserted  into  a 
board,  and  nailed  on  the  under  side  of  the  joist,  immediately  over  the  hole  in  the  verge  of 
the  runner.  One  person  turned  the  stone,  and  another  fed  the  corn  into  the  eye  with  Iris 
hands.     It  was  very  hard  work  to  grind,  and  the  operators  alternately  changed  places." 

In  1800,  several  settlers  came,  among  whom  were  David  Clark  and  Major  Amos  Spaf- 
ford,  and  from  this  time  the  town  slowly  progressed.  The  first  ball  in  Cleveland,  was  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1801,  and  was  held  at  Major  Carter's  log  cabin,  on  the  side  hill ;  John 
and  Benjamin  Wood  and  R.  H.  Blinn,  managers,  and  Major  Samuel  Jones,  musician  and 
master  of  ceremonies.  The  company  consisted  of  about  thirty,  of  both  sexes.  Mr.  Jones' 
proficiency  on  the  violin,  won  him  great  favor.  Notwithstanding  the  dancers  had  a  rough 
puncheon  floor,  and  no  better  beverage  to  enliven  their  spirits  than  whiskey,  sweetened 
with  maple  sugar,  yet  it  is  doubtful  if  the  anniversary  of  American  independence  was  ever 
celebrated  in  Cleveland  by  a  more  joyful  and  harmonious  company,  than  those  who  danced 
the  scamper-down,  double-shuffle,  western-swing  and  half-moon,  forty-six  years  ago  in  the 
log  cabin  of  Major  Carter. 

The  Indians  were  accustomed,  at  this  period,  to  meet  every  autumn  at  Cleveland,  in 
great  numbers,  and  pile  up  their  canoes  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga.  From  thence 
they  scattered  into  the  interior,  and  passed  the  winter  in  hunting.  In  the  spring,  they 
returned,  disposed  their  furs  to  traders,  and  launching  their  bark  canoes  upon  the  lake,  re- 
turned to  their  towns,  in  the  region  of  the  Sandusky  and  Maumee,  where  they  remained 
until  the  succeeding  autumn,  to  raise  their  crops  of  corn  and  potatoes.  In  this  connection, 
we  give  an  incident,  showing  the  fearlessness  and  intrepidity  of  Major  Lorenzo  Carter,  a 
native  of  Rutland,  Vt.,  and  a  thorough  pioneer,  whose  rough  exterior  covered  a  warm 
heart.  Some  time  in  the  spring  of  '99,  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  to  the  number  of 
several  hundred,  having  disposed  of  their  furs,  determined  to  have  one  of  their  drinking 
frolics  at  their  camp,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Cuyahoga.  As  a  precautionary  measure, 
they  gave  up  their  tomahawks  and  other  deadly  weapons  to  their  squaws  to  secrete,  so 
that,  in  the  height  of  their  frenzy,  they  need  not  harm  each  other.  They  then  sent  to  the 
Major  for  whiskey,  from  time  to  time,  as  they  wanted  it ;  and  in  proportion  as  they  be- 
came intoxicated,  he  weakened  it  with  water.  After  a  while,  it  resulted  in  the  Indians 
becoming  partially  sober,  from  drinking  freely  of  diluted  liquor  :  perceiving  the  trick,  they 
became  much  enraged.  Nine  of  them  came  on  to  the  Major's,  swearing  vengeance  on 
him  and  family.  Carter  being  apprised  of  their  design,  and  knowing  they  were  partially 
intoxicated,  felt  himself  to  be  fully  their  match,  although  possessing  but  poor  weapons  of 

16 


122  CUYAHOGA  COUNTY. 

defence.  Stationing  himself  beind  his  cabin  door  with  a  fire  poker,  he  successively  knocked 
down  three  or  four,  as  they  attempted  to  enter,  and  then  leaping  over  their  prostrate  bodies, 
furiously  attacked  those  on  the  outside,  and  drove  them  to  their  canoes.  Soon  after,  a 
deputation  of  squaws  came  over  to  make  peace  with  the  Major,  when,  arming  himself,  he 
fearlessly  repaired  to  their  camp  alone,  and  settled  the  difficulty.  Such  eventually  became 
his  influence  over  the  Indians,  that  they  regarded  him  as  a  magician,  and  many  of  them 
were  made  to  believe  that  he  could  shoot  them  with  a  rifle,  and  not  break  their  skins. 

The  first  militia  muster  in  Cuyahoga  county,  was  held  on  the  16th  of  June,  1806,  at 
Doane's  Corners.  Nathaniel  Doane  was  captain  ;  Sylvanus  Burke,  lieutenant ;  and  Sam- 
uel Jones,  ensign,  with  about  fifty  privates.  The  surveying  party  being  at  Cleveland,  and 
many  strangers,  this  event  attracted  much  attention.  Never  had  so  many  whites  been 
collected  together  in  this  vicinity,  as  on  this  occasion.  The  military  marched  and  counter- 
marched to  the  lively  roll  of  the  drum  of  Joseph  Burke,  who  had  been  drum  major  in  the 
revolution,  and  the  soul-stirring  strains  of  the  fife  of  Lewis  Dill.  "  Yankee  Doodle," 
"  Hail  Columbia,"  and  "  Who's  Afeard,"  were  among  the  tunes  that  aroused  the  martial 
spirit  of  many  a  gallant  heart,  as  he  wielded,  perhaps,  some  ancient  relic  of  the  revolution 
upon  his  shoulder. 

Early  in  the  spring  previous,  a  small  boat,  containing  a  Mr.  Hunter,  wife  and  child,  a 
colored  man  named  Ben,  and  a  small  colored  boy,  who  were  moving  to  Cleveland,  were 
overtaken  on  the  lake  by  a  squall  of  wind,  and  driven  ashore  east  of  Rocky  river.  The 
bluff  being  perpendicular,  they  were  unable  to  ascend.  They,  however,  climbed  up  the 
rocks  as  far  as  possible — the  surge  constantly  beating  over  them — with  the  vain  hope  that 
the  storm  would  subside  ;  but  on  Saturday  it  increased,  and  during  Sunday,  Mrs.  Hunter 
expired,  the  children  having  died  previously.  On  Monday,  Mr.  Hunter  expired.  Black 
Ben  held  out  until  Tuesday,  when,  the  storm  subsiding,  some  French  traders,  going  in  a 
vessel  from  Cleveland  to  Detroit,  discovered  him,  took  him  aboard,  and  returned  with  him 
to  Cleveland.  Thus,  for  three  days  and  four  nights,  had  he  been  without  sleep  or  food, 
and  with  little  clothing,  exposed  to  the  continued  surge,  and  holding  on  for  life  to  some 
small  bushes  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks.  Ben  was  treated  with  great  kindness  by  Major 
Carter,  in  whose  family  he  remained  an  invalid  over  a  year. 

Early  the  second  spring  succeeding,  a  similar  incident  occurred  near  the  same  place. 
Stephen  Gilbert,  Joseph  Plumb,  Adolphus  Spafford  and  Mr.  Gilmore  started  on  a  fishing 
expedition,  for  Maumee  river,  in  a  Canadian  batteaux.  They  had  aboard  some  goods 
and  provisions,  sent  by  Major  Perry  to  his  son  Nathan,  at  Black  river,  and  a  hired  woman, 
named  Mary,  as  a  passenger  to  that  plaee.  A  Mr.  White,  of  Newburg,  and  two  sons  of 
Mr.  Plumb,  not  arriving  in  time,  started  by  land  for  the  mouth  of  Black  river,  intending  to 
overtake  the  boat  at  that  point.  Pursuing  the  Indian  trail,  on  the  bank  of  the  lake,  they 
discovered,  when  about  halfway,  the  wreck  of  the  boat  on  the  beach,  by  the  rocky  shore, 
about  sixty  feet  below  them,  in  what  is  now  Dover,  and  near  it,  Mr.  Plumb,  seriously  in- 
jured, and  suffering  with  cold.  From  him,  they  learned  that  a  squall  of  wind  had  upset 
their  boat,  when  about  a  mile  from  shore,  and  that  all  but  him  had  drowned. 

They  were  all  good  swimmers  but  Plumb,  who  luckily  got  astraddle  of  the  boat  after  it 
had  upset,  and  floated  ashore.  The  others  made  for  the  shore,  Gilbert  telling  his  com- 
panions to  divest  themselves  of  their  clothing  as  much  as  possible :  but  all  their  efforts 
failed,  the  coldness  of  the  water  chilled  them,  so  that  they  could  not  swim.  Having  learned 
the  circumstances  from  Mr.  Plumb,  they  made  every  effort  to  reach  him,  but  were  prevented 
by  the  steepness  of  the  rocks.  Mr.  White  and  one  of  Mr.  Plumb's  sons  hastened  to  Black 
river,  to  procure  means  of  relief,  leaving  the  other  son  to  comfort  his  father.  After  they 
left,  he  climbed  up  an  iron-wood  sapling,  which  bent  with  his  weight,  and  dropping  about 
thirty  feet  perpendicular,  joined  his  parent.  In  the  night,  Quintus  F.  Atkins  and  Nathan 
Perry  returned  with  White,  and  recovered  Mr.  Plumb,  by  hauling  him  up  the  bank  with  a 
rope,  by  the  light  of  a  torch.  This  was  no  easy  task  for  men  worn  down  by  fatigue,  Mr. 
Plumb's  weight  being  220  pounds.  The  corpses  of  Gilmer  and  Spafford  were  afterwards 
found  and  buried  at  Cleveland  ;  that  of  the  colored  woman  was  discovered  and  interred  at 
Black  river.  This  was  a  melancholy  event  to  the  colony.  Of  the  eighteen  deaths  that 
had  taken  place  among  the  inhabitants  of  Cleveland,  from  the  first  settlement  in  1796,  a 
period  of  twelve  years,  eleven  had  been  by  drowning.  During  this  time,  the  nearest  settled 
physicians  were  at  Hudson,  24,  and  Austinburg,  50  miles.* 

On  the  26th  of  June,  1812,  an  Indian,  named  O'Mic,  was  hung  for  murder,  at  Cleve- 
land, on  the  public  square.     Fearing  an  attempt  at  rescue  on  the   part  of  the  Indians,  a 

*  The  preceding  part  of  this  historical  sketch,  is  mainly  from  the  mss.  of  John  Bakr, 
Esq.,  of  Cleveland,  who  is  collecting  materials  for  a  history  of  the  Western  Reserve. 


CUYAHOGA   COUNTY.  123 

large  number  of  armed  citizens  from  this  and  the  adjoining  counties  assembled.  At  the 
hour  of  execu.tion,  he  objected  to  going  upon  the  scaffold  ;  this  difficulty  was  removed  by 
the  promise  of  a  pint  of  whiskey,  which  he  swallowed,  and  then  took  his  departure  for  the 
land  of  spirits.  In  1813,  Cleveland  became  a  depot  of  supplies  and  rendezvous  for  troops 
engaged  in  the  war.  A  small  stockade  was  erected  at  the  foot  of  Ontario  street,  on  the 
lake  bank,  and  a  permanent  garrison  stationed  here,  under  Major  (now  General)  Jessup, 
of  the  U.  S.  army.  The  return  of  peace  was  celebrated  by  libations  of  whiskey  and  the 
roar  of  artillery.  One  worthy,  known  as  "  Uncle  Abram,"  was  much  elevated  on  the  occa- 
sion. He  carried  the  powder  in  an  open  tin  pail,  upon  his  arm,  while  another,  to  touch  off 
the  gun,  carried  a  stick  with  fire  at  the  end,  kept  alive  by  swinging  it  through  the  air. 
Amid  the  general  excitement,  a  spark  found  its  way  to  Uncle  Abram's  powder,  about  the 
time  the  gun  was  discharged  ;  and  his  body  was  seen  to  rise  twenty  feet  in  the  air,  and 
return  by  its  own  gravity  to  the  earth,  blackened  and  destitute  of  clothing.  He  was  dead, 
if  his  own  vociferations  were  to  be  believed ;  but  they  were  not,  and  he  soon  recovered 
from  his  wounds. 

Cleveland  is  at  the  northern  termination  of  the  Ohio  canal,  139 
miles  ne.  from  Columbus,  255  from  Cincinnati,  130  from  Pittsburg, 
190  from  Buffalo,  455  from  New  York,  and  130  from  Detroit.  It 
was  incorporated  as  a  village  in  1814,  and  as  a  city  in  1836.  Ex- 
cepting a  small  portion  of  it  on  the  river,  it  is  situated  on  a  gravelly 
plain,  elevated  about  100  feet  above  the  lake,  of  which  it  has  a  most 
commanding  prospect.  Some  of  the  common  streets  are  100  feet 
wide,  and  the  principal  business  one,  Main  street,  has  the  extraordi- 
nary width  of  132  feet.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  towns  in 
the  Union,  and  much  taste  is  displayed  in  the  private  dwellings  and 
disposition  of  shrubbery.  "  The  location  is  dry  and  healthy,  and  the 
view  of  the  meanderings  of  the  Cuyahoga  river,  and  of  the  steam- 
boats and  shipping  in  the  port,  and  leaving  or  entering  it,  and  of  the 
numerous  vessels  on  the  lake  under  sail,  presents  a  prospect  exceed- 
ingly interesting,  from  the  high  shore  of  the  lake. 

"  Near  the  center  of  the  place  is  a  public  square  of  ten  acres,  di- 
vided into  four  parts,  by  intersecting  streets,  neatly  enclosed,  and 
shaded  with  trees.  The  court  house  and  one  or  two  churches 
front  on  this  square. 

"  The  harbor  of  Cleveland  is  one  of  the  best  on  Lake  Erie.  It  is 
formed  by  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  river,  and  improved  by  a  pier 
on  each  side,  extending  425  yards  into  the  lake,  200  feet  apart,  and 
faced  with  substantial  stone  masonry.  Cleveland  is  the  great  mart 
of  the  greatest  grain-growing  state  in  the  Union,  and  it  is  the  Ohio 
and  Erie  canals  that  have  made  it  such,  though  it  exports  much  by 
the  way  of  the  Welland  canal  to  Canada.  It  has  a  ready  connec- 
tion with  Pittsburg,  through  the  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  canal,  which 
extends  from  the  Ohio  canal  at  Akron  to  Beaver  creek,  which 
enters  the  Ohio  below  Pittsburg.  The  natural  advantages  of  this 
place  are  unsurpassed  in  the  west,  to  which  it  has  a  large  access  by 
the  lakes  and  the  Ohio  canal.  But  the  Erie  canal  constitutes  the 
principal  source  of  its  vast  advantages  ;  without  that  great  work,  it 
would  have  remained  in  its  former  insignificance."  The  construc- 
tion of  two  contemplated  railroads,  the  first  connecting  Cleveland 
with  Wellsville,  on  the  Ohio ;  and  the  last,  with  Columbus,  will  add 
much  to  the  business  facilities  of  the  place. 

The  government  of  the  city  is  vested  in  a  mayor  and  council. 


124 


CUYAHOGA  COUNTY. 


which  consists  of  three  members  from  each  of  the  three  wards  into 
which  the  city  is  divided,  and  also  an  alderman  from  each  ward. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  mayors  of  the  city  since  its  organiza- 
tion, with  the  time  of  their  election:  John  W.  Willev,  1836  and, 
1837;  Joshua  Mills,  1838  and  1839;  Nicholas  Dockstader,  1840; 
John  W.  Allen,  1841  ;  Joshua  Mills,  1842  ;  Nelson  Hayward,  1843  ; 
Saml.  Starkweather,  1844  and  1845  ;  George  Hoadlev,  1846,  and 
J.  A.  Harris,  1847. 


Medical  College. 

The  Cleveland  medical  college,  although  established  but  four  or 
five  years,  is  in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  and  has  gained  so 
much  in  public  estimation,  as  to  be  equalled  in  patronage  by  only 
one  or  two  similar  institutions  in  the  west.  It  has  seven  professors, 
and  all  the  necessary  apparatus  and  facilities  for  instruction. 

In  1837,  the  government  purchased  nine  acres  on  the  height  over- 
looking the  lake,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  marine  hospital  ;  up 
to  the  present  time,  but  little  more  than  the  foundation  has  been  laid. 
It  is  to  be  of  Ionic  architecture,  of  hewn  stone,  and  will  combine 
convenience  and  beauty. 

There  are  in  Cleveland  a  large  number  of  mercantile  and  mechan- 
ical establishments,  4  banks,  3  daily,  6  weekly,  and  1  semi-monthly 
newspapers,  and  21  religious  societies,  viz :  3  Episcopal,  2  Presby- 
terian, 1  Methodist  Episcopal,  1  Baptist,  1  Catholic,  1  Bethel,  1  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist,  1  German  Evangelical  Protestant,  1  German  Mis- 
sion Society  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  1  German  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran,  1  Evangelical  Association  of  North  America,  1 
Associate  Presbyterian,  1  Seceder,  1  Disciples,  1  Jewish,  1  Univer- 
salis! and  2  Second  Advent.  The  business  of  the  port  of  Cleveland, 
both  by  canal  and  lake,  is  very  heavy,  and  constantly  increasing. 
The  number  of  arrivals  by  lake,  in  1845,  was  2136;  of  these,  927 


CUYAHOGA    COUNTY. 


125 


were  steamers.  The  tonnage  then  owned  at  this  port,  amounted  to 
13,493,  and  number  of  vessels,  of  all  kinds,  85.  The  total  value  of  the 
imports  and  exports  by  the  lake,  was  over  $9,000,000. 

The  population  of  Cleveland,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Cuyahoga, 
was,  in  the  year  1796,  3;  1798,  16;  1825,  500;  1831,  1100;  1835, 
5080  ;  1840,  6071,  and  1846,  10,135.  Of  the  last,  6780  were  natives 
of  the  United  States;  1472  of  Germany;  808  of  England;  632  of 
Ireland;   144  of  Canada;  97  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  96  of  Scotland. 

Ohio  city  is  beautifully  situated  on  a  commanding  eminence  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Cuyahoga,  opposite  Cleveland.  It  was  incorporated 
as  a  city,  March  3d,  1836,  and  its  government  vested  in  a  mayor  and 
council.  The  city  is  divided  into  three  wards,  and  is  well  laid  out 
and  built.  There  are  three  churches,  viz. :  1  Presbyterian,  1  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  and  1  Episcopalian— the  last  of  which  is  a  Gothic 
structure  of  great  beauty.  The  population  of  Ohio  city,  in  1840, 
was  1,577,  and  in  1845,  2,462. 


Chagrin  Falls. 

The  village  of  Chagrin  Falls  is  in  the  new  township  of  the  same 
name,  on  Chagrin  river,  17  miles  se.  from  Cleveland. 

The  name  Chagrin,  originally  applied  to  the  river,  then  to  the  present  village  ofWil- 
loughby,  in  Lake  county,  and  later  to  this  town,  "  is  supposed  to  have  been  derived  from 
the  sore  disappointment  of  some  surveyors  who  mistook  it  for  the  Cuyahoga  river,  and 
followed  their  respective  lines  to  the  lake.  It  had,  however,  long  been  previously  known 
by  that  name,  in  consequence,  it  is  said,  of  the  wreck  and  sufferings  of  a  French  crew  near 
its  mouth,  the  particulars  of  which  have  not  been  preserved."  In  Evans'  map,  published  in 
1755,  the  river  is  called  "  Elk."  Prior  to  the  war  of  1812,  the  Indians  were  numerous  in 
this  vicinity.  In  July,  1817,  a  person  now  living  in  the  village,  in  company  with  another, 
visited  the  spot  and  killed  a  variety  of  wild  game,  such  as  bears,  deer,  turkeys,  &c.,'and 
a  short  distance  east,  alarmed  a  drove  of  from  40  to  50  elk.  There  were  then  several 
ancient  mounds  and  burial  places  on  the  village  site.  On  the  1st  of  April,  1833,  two 
families  commenced  the  foundation  of  the  settlement,  and  on  that  day  the  first  blow  was 
struck  with  an  axe  upon  the  village  site,  and  shortly  after  a  log  house  and  saw  mill  built 
where  the  furnace  now  stands.  In  the  succeeding  fall,  the  town  was  laid  out  by  Noah 
Graves  and  Dr.  S.  S.  Handerson.  It  was  commenced  without  cash  capital,  and  has  been 
built  up  by  the  indefatigable  enterprise  of  its  inhabitants,  many  of  whom  are  of  Connecticut 


126  CUYAHOGA   COUNTY. 

origin.  For  want  of  money,  bartering  and  exchange  of  labor  has  been  extensively  prac- 
tised. Notwithstanding  these  disadvantages,  the  village  has  scarcely  an  equal  in  Ohio  in 
its  rapid  progress  from  a  wilderness  to  a  nourishing  town.  All  that  it  requires  to  make  it 
a  large  place,  is  a  canal  or  railroad,  to  furnish  transportation  facilities  to  Lake  Erie. 

Chagrin  Falls  contains  1  Congregational,  1  Methodist  Episcopal, 

1  Wesleyan  Methodist  and  1  Free  Will  Baptist  church ;  1  academy, 
9  mercantile  stores,  1  axe  and  edge  tool,  1  sash,  1  wheel  and 
wheel  head,  1  wooden  bowl  and  three  woolen  factories;  1  paper, 

2  flouring  and  3  saw  mills ;  1  printing  office  and  bindery ;  1  furnace 
and  machine  establishment.  1  carriage,  2  tin,  3  harness  and  3  cabinet 
shops,  and  about  1,200  inhabitants.  The  Cleveland  and  Pittsburg 
stages  pass  through  the  town,  and  a  carriage  daily  runs  to  the 
former  place.  Near  the  village  is  an  inexhaustible  grindstone 
quarry,  which  is  extensively  worked.  The  township  of  Chagrin 
Falls  was  organized  in  June,  1844,  within  which,  including  the  vil- 
lage, there  is  a  fall  of  225  feet  in  the  river,  about  one  third  of  which 
is  improved.  The  view  shows  the  village  as  it  appears  from  an 
elevation  below,  called  either  the  side  or  slide  bank.  It  was  drawn 
and  engraved  by  Mr.  Jehu  Brainerd  of  Cleveland.  In  the  distance 
represented,  the  river  has  about  one  hundred  feet  descent. 

We  introduce  an  incident  in  the  life  of  an  early  settler,  a  lady, 
who  was  recently  living  but  a  few  miles  distant  from  Chagrin  Falls. 

Joel  Thorp,  with  his  wife  Sarah,  moved  with  an  ox  team,  in  May,  '99,  from  North 
Haven,  Connecticut,  to  Millsford,  in  Ashtabula  county,  and  were  the  first  settlers  in  that 
region.  They  soon  had  a  small  clearing  on  and  about  an  old  beaver  dam,  which  was  very 
rich  and  mellow.  Towards  the  first  of  June,  the  family  being  short  of  provisions,  Mr. 
Thorp  started  off  alone  to  procure  some  through  the  wilderness,  with  no  guide  but  a  pocket 
compass,  to  the  nearest  settlement,  about  20  miles  distant,  in  Pennsylvania.  His  family, 
consisting  of  Mrs.  Thorp  and  three  children,  the  oldest  child,  Basil,  being  but  eight  years 
of  age,  were  before  his  return  reduced  to  extremities  for  the  want  of  food.  They  were 
compelled,  in  a  measure,  to  dig  for  and  subsist  on  roots,  which  yielded  but  little  nourish- 
ment. The  children  in  vain  asked  food,  promising  to  be  satisfied  with  the  least  possible 
portion.  The  boy  Basil  remembered  to  have  seen  some  kernels  of  corn  in  a  crack  of  one 
of  the  logs  of  the  cabin,  and  passed  hours  in  an  unsuccessful  search  for  them.  Mrs.  Thorp 
emptied  the  straw  out  of  her  bed  and  picked  it  over  to  obtain  the  little  wheat  it  contained, 
which  she  boiled  and  gave  to  her  children.  Her  husband,  it  seems,  had  taught  her  to 
shoot  at  a  mark,  in  which  she  acquired  great  skill.  When  all  her  means  for  procuring 
food  were  exhausted,  she  saw,  as  she  stood  in  her  cabin  door,  a  wild  turkey  flying  near. 
She  took  down  her  husband's  rifle,  and,  on  looking  for  ammunition,  was  surprised  to  find 
only  sufficient  for  a  small  charge.  Carefully  cleaning  the  barrel,  so  as  not  to  lose  any  by 
its  sticking  to  the  sides  as  it  went  down,  she  set  some  apart  for  priming  and  loaded  the 
piece  with  the  remainder,  and  started  in  pursuit  of  the  turkey,  reflecting  that  on  her  success 
depended  the  lives  of  herself  and  children.  Under  the  excitement  of  her  feelings  she  came 
near  defeating  her  object,  by  frightening  the  turkey,  which  flew  a  short  distance  and  again 
alighted  in  a  potato  patch.  Upon  this,  she  returned  to  the  house  and  waited  until  the  fowl 
had  begun  to  wallow  in  the  loose  earth.  On  her  second  approach,  she  acted  with  great 
caution  and  coolness,  creeping  slyly  on  her  hands  and  knees  from  log  to  log  until  she  had 
gained  the  last  obstruction  between  herself  and  the  desired  object.  It  was  now  a  trying 
moment,  and  a  crowd  of  emotions  passed  through  her  mind  as  she  lifted  the  rifle  to  a  level 
with  her  eye.  She  fired  ;  the  result  was  fortunate:  the  turkey  was  killed  and  herself  and 
family  preserved  from  death  by  her  skill.  Mrs.  Thorp  married  three  times.  Her  first 
husband  was  killed,  in  Canada,  in  the  war  of  1812  ;  her  second  was  supposed  to  have  been 
murdered.  Her  last  husband's  name  was  Gordiner.  She  died  in  Orange,  in  this  county, 
Nov.  1st,  1846. 

Bedford,  on  the  Pittsburg  ro?d,  12  miles  from  Cleveland,  has  1 


DARKE  COUNTY.  127 

Baptist,  1  Methodist  and  1  Disciples  church  ;  3  stores,  1  flouring  and 
3  saw  mills,  1  woolen  factory  and  about  80  dwellings.  Newberg, 
6  miles  from  Cleveland,  on  the  same  road  with  the  above,  has  1 
Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  church  and  a  few  dwellings.  Euclid, 
a  beautiful  village,  8  miles  east  of  Cleveland,  has  1  Presbyterian,  1 
Disciples  church,  1  academy,  4  stores  and  42  dwellings.  Two  miles 
east  of  it  is  the  smaller  village  of  East  Euclid,  which  has  1  Baptist 
and  1  Methodist  church.  The  Presbyterian  church  at  Euclid,  built 
in  1817,  was  the  first  frame  meeting-house,  with  a  spire,  erected  on 
the  Reserve. 

The  township  of  Euclid  (says  the  Barr  mss.)  was  purchased  of  the  Western  Reserve  Land 
Company  under  peculiar  circumstances.  While  the  surveyors  of  the  Reserve  were  about 
to  commence  operations,  they  found  some  disposition  among  their  men  in  camp  to  strike 
for  higher  wages.  To  settle  this  difficulty,  Gen.  Cleveland,  the  agent,  agreed  that  a  town- 
ship should  be  surveyed  and  set  apart,  so  that  each  individual  of  the  party  who  should  desire 
might  have  the  privilege  of  purchasing  a  lot  on  long  credit  and  at  a  stipulated  price.  This 
settled  the  difficulty,  and  this  township  was  the  one  selected.  In  1798,  Joseph  Burke  and 
family,  and  in  1801,  Timothy  Doane  and  family,  settled  in  Euclid. 

Albion  and  Strongville  are  two  connecting  villages,  scattered 
along  on  the  Cleveland  and  Columbus  road,  about  14  miles  from  the 
former,  and  contain  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist,  1  Baptist  and  1 
Episcopal  church ;  3  stores,  1  woolen  factory  and  about  80  dwell- 
ings. On  the  same  road,  about  4  miles  from  Cleveland,  and  sepa- 
rated by  a  creek,  are  the  small  villages  of  Brooklyn  Centre  and 
Brighton,  jointly  containing  1  Presbyterian  and  2  Methodist  churches. 
In  the  western  part  of  the  county,  on  branches  of  Rocky  river,  are 
the  small  but  thriving  manufacturing  villages  of  Norris  Falls  and 
Berea.  Rockport,  Doan's  Corners  and  Warrensville,  are  small 
places.  At  or  near  the  latter,  is  a  settlement  of  Manks — a  term  ap- 
plied to  natives  of  the  Isle  of  Man. 


DARKE. 


Darke  was  formed,  Jan.  3d,  1809,  from  Miami  county,  and  or- 
ganized in  March,  1817.  The  surface  is  generally  level,  and  has 
some  prairie  land.  It  is  well  timbered  with  poplar,  walnut,  blue 
ash,  sugar  maple,  hickory  and  beech.  Much  of  it  is  well  adapted 
to  grazing,  and  it  produces  superior  wheat.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Gibson,  276         Richland,  589 

Greenville,    1851         Twin,  1047 

Harrison,      1666         Van  Buren,        421 
Jackson,  304         Washington,      898 

Mississinewa,  124         Wayne,  727 

Neave,  635         York,  371 

Population  of  Darke,  in  1820,  was  3717  ;  in  1830,  6204;  and  in 
1840,  13,145,  or  20  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 


Adams, 

698 

Allen, 

194 

Brown, 

293 

Butler, 

1116 

Franklin, 

291 

German, 

1173 

128  DARKE    COUNTY. 

Gen.  Wm.  Darke,  from  whom  this  county  derived  its  name,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
in  1736,  and  removed  at  the  age  of  five  years,  with  his  parents  to  near  Shepherdstown, 
Va.  He  was  with  the  Virginia  provincials  at  Braddock's  defeat,  taken  prisoner  in  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  at  Germantown,  commanded  as  colonel,  two  Virginia  regiments  at  the 
siege  of  York,  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Convention,  of  '88,  and  was  repeatedly  a 
member  of  the  legislature  of  that  ancient  commonwealth.  He  distinguished  himself  at 
St.  Clair's  defeat,  and  died,  Nov.  20th,  1801.  Gen.  Darke  was  by  profession  a  farmer. 
He  possessed  an  herculean  frame,  rough  manners,  a  strong  but  uncultivated  mind,  and 
a  frank  and  fearless  disposition. 

This  county  has  been  the  theatre  of  two  important  events  in  the 
early  history  of  the  west, — St.  Clair's  defeat  and  the  treaty  of 
Greenville.  The  first  in  order  of  time,  was  the  defeat  of  St.  Clair, 
which  took  place  on  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county,  within 
two  or  three  miles  of  the  Indiana  line. 

The  great  object  of  St.  Clair's  campaign  was  to  establish  a  mil- 
itary post  at  the  Miami  village,  at  the  junction  of  the  St.  Mary 
and  St.  Joseph,  at  what  is  now  Fort  Wayne,  la.,  with  intermediate 
posts  of  communication  between  it  and  Fort  Washington,  to  awe 
and  curb  the  Indians  in  that  quarter,  as  the  only  preventive  of  fu- 
ture hostilities. 

Acting  under  his  instructions,  St.  Clair  proceeded  to  organize  his 
army.  At  the  close  of  April,  (1791,)  he  was  at  Pittsburg,  to  which 
point  troops  and  munitions  of  war  were  being  forwarded.  On  the 
15th  of  May,  he  reached  Fort  Washington,  but  owing  to  various 
hindrances,  among  which  was  the  mismanagement  of  the  quarter- 
master's department,  the  troops  instead  of  being  in  readiness  to  start 
upon  the  expedition,  by  the  1st  of  August,  as  was  anticipated,  were 
not  prepared  until  many  weeks  later.  From  Fort  Washington,  the 
troops  were  advanced  to  Ludlow's  station,  six  miles  distant.  Here 
the  army  continued  until  Sept.  17th,  when  being  2300  strong,  exclu- 
sive of  militia,  they  moved  forward  to  a  point  upon  the  Great  Miami, 
where  they  built  Fort  Hamilton.  From  thence,  they  moved  forty 
four  miles  farther,  and  built  Fort  Jefferson,  which  they  left  on  the 
24th  of  October,  and  began  their  toilsome  march  through  the  wild- 
erness.    We  copy  below  from  the  Notes  of  Judge  Burnet. 

During  this  time,  a  body  of  the  militia,  amounting  to  three  hundred,  deserted,  and  re- 
turned to  their  homes.  The  supplies  for  the  army  being  still  in  the  rear,  and  the  general 
entertaining  fears  that  the  deserters  might  meet  and  sieze  them  for  their  own  use,  deter- 
mined, very  reluctantly,  to  send  back  the  first  regiment,  for  the  double  purpose  of  bring- 
ing up  the  provisions,  and,  if  possible,  of  overtaking  and  arresting  some  of  the  deserters. 

Having  made  that  arrangement,  the  army  resumed  its  march,  and  on  the  3d  of  Novem- 
ber, arrived  at  a  creek  running  to  the  southwest,  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  St.  Mary's, 
one  of  the  principal  branches  of  the  Maumee,  but  was  afterwards  ascertained  to  be  a  branch 
of  the  Wabash.  It  being  then  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  army  much  fatigued  by  a  la- 
borious march,  they  were  encamped  on  a  commanding  piece  of  ground,  having  the  creek 
in  front. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  general  to  occupy  that  position  till  the  first  regiment,  with 
the  provisions,  should  come  up.  He  proposed  on  the  next  day,  to  commence  a  work  of  de- 
fence, agreeably  to  a  plan  concerted  between  himself  and  Maj.  Ferguson,  but  he  was  not 
permitted  to  do  either  ;  for  on  the  next  morning,  November  4th,  half  an  hour  before  sun- 
rise, the  men  having  been  just  dismissed  from  parade,  an  attack  was  made  on  the  militia 
posted  in  front,  who  gave  way  and  rushed  back  into  the  camp,  throwing  the  army  into  a  state 
of  disorder,  from  which  it  could  not  be  recovered,  as  the  Indians  followed  close  at  their 
heels.     They  were,  however,  checked  a  short  time  by  the  fire  of  the  first  line,  but  immedi- 


DARKE    COUNTY.  129 

ately  a  very  heavy  fire  was  commenced  on  that  line,  and  in  a  few  minutes  it  was  extended 
to  the  second. 

In  each  case,  the  great  weight  of  the  fire  was  directed  to  the  center,  where  the  artillery 
was  placed  ;  from  which  the  men  were  frequently  driven  with  great  slaughter.  In  that 
emergency  resort  was  had  to  the  bayonet.  Col.  Darke  was  ordered  to  make  the  charge 
with  a  part  of  the  second  line,  which  order  was  executed  with  great  spirit.  The  Indians 
instantly  gave  way,  and  were  driven  back  several  hundred  yards,  but  for  want  of  a  sufficient 
number  of  riflemen  to  preserve  the  advantage  gained,  the  enemy  soon  renewed  their  at- 
tack, and  the  American  troops,  in  turn,  were  forced  to  give  away. 

At  that  instant,  the  Indians  entered  the  American  camp  on  the  left,  having  forced  back 
the  troops  stationed  at  that  point.  Another  charge  was  then  ordered  and  made  by  the  bat- 
talions of  Majors  Butler  and  Clark,  with  great  success.  Several  other  charges  were  after- 
wards made,  and  always  with  equal  effect.  These  attacks,  however,  were  attended  with  a 
very  heavy  loss  of  men,  and  particularly  of  officers.  In  the  charge  made  by  the  second 
regiment,  Maj.  Butler  was  dangerously  wounded  ;  and  every  officer  of  that  regiment  fell, 
except  three,  one  of  whom  was  shot  through  the  body.  The  artillery  being  silenced,  and 
all  the  officers  belonging  to  it  killed,  but  Capt.  Ford,  who  was  dangerously  wounded,  and 
half  the  army  having  fallen,  it  became  necessary  to  gain  the  road,  if  possible,  and  make  a 
retreat. 

For  that  purpose,  a  successful  charge  was  made  on  the  enemy,  as  if  to  turn  their  right 
flank,  but  in  reality,  to  gain  the  road,  which  was  effected.  The  militia  then  commenced  a 
retreat,  followed  by  the  United  States'  troops,  Maj.  Clark,  with  his  battalion,  covering  the 
rear.  The  retreat,  as  might  be  expected,  soon  became  a  flight.  The  camp  was  aban- 
doned, and  so  was  the  artillery,  for  the  want  of  horses  to  remove  it.  The  men  threw 
away  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  even  after  the  pursuit  had  ceased,  which  was  not  con- 
tinued more  than  four  miles.  The  road  was  almost  covered  with  those  articles,  for  a  great 
distance. 

All  the  horses  of  the  general  were  killed,  and  he  was  mounted  on  a  broken  down  pack- 
horse,  that  could  scarcely  be  forced  out  of  a  walk.  It  was  therefore  impossible  for  him  to 
get  forward  in  person,  to  command  a  halt,  till  regularity  could  be  restored,  and  the  orders 
which  he  dispatched  by  others,  for  that  purpose,  were  wholly  unattended  to.  The  rout 
continued  to  Fort  Jefferson,  where  they  arrived  about  dark,  twenty  seven  miles  from  the 
battle-ground.  The  retreat  began  at  half  past  nine  in  the  morning,  and  as  the  battle  com- 
menced half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  it  must  have  lasted  three  hours,  during  which  time, 
with  only  one  exception,  the  troops  behaved  with  great  bravery.  This  fact  accounts  for  the 
immense  slaughter  which  took  place. 

Among  the  killed,  were  Maj.  Gen.  Butler,  Col.  Oldham,  Major  Ferguson,  Maj.  Hart, 
and  Maj.  Clark.  Among  the  wounded,  were  Col.  Sargeant,  the  Adjutant  General,  Col. 
Darke,  Col.  Gibson,  Maj.  Butler,  and  Viscount  Malartie,  who  served  in  the  character  of  an 
aid.  In  addition  to  these,  the  list  of  officers  killed  contains  the  names  of  Captains  Brad- 
ford, Phelon,  Kirkwood,  Price,  Van  Swearingen,  Tipton,  Purdy,  Smith,  Piatt,  Gaither, 
Crebbs,  and  Newman  :  Lieutenants  Spear,  Warren,  Boyd,  McMath,  Burgess,  Kelso,  Read, 
Little,  Hopper,  and  Lickins ;  also,  Ensigns  Cobb,  Balch,  Chase,  Turner,  Wilson,  Brooks, 
Beatty,  and  Purdy  ;  also,  Quartermasters  Reynolds  and  Ward,  Audj.  Anderson  and  Doc. 
Grasson.  And  in  addition  to  the  wounded  officers  whose  names  are  mentioned  above, 
the  official  list  contains  the  names  of  Captains  Doyle,  Trueman,  Ford,  Buchanan,  Darke, 
and  Hough  ;  also,  of  Lieutenants  Greaton,  Davidson,  DeButts,  Price,  Morgan,  McCrea, 
Lysle,  and  Thompson  ;  also,  Adjutants  Whistler  and  Crawford,  and  Ensign  Bines. 

The  melancholy  result  of  that  disastrous  day  was  felt  and  lamented  by  all,  who  had  sym- 
pathy for  private  distress,  or  public  misfortune. 

The  only  charge  alledged  by  the  general  against  his  army,  was  want  of  discipline,  which 
they  could  not  have  acquired,  during  the  short  time  they  had  been  in  the  service.  That 
defect  rendered  it  impossible,  when  they  were  thrown  into  confusion,  to  restore  them  again 
to  order,  and  is  the  chief  reason  why  the  loss  fell  so  heavily  on  the  officers.  They  were 
compelled  to  expose  themselves  in  an  unusual  degree  in  their  efforts  to  rally  the  men,  and 
remedy  the  want  of  discipline.  In  that  duty,  the  general  set  the  example,  though  worn 
down  by  sickness,  and  suffering  under  a  painful  disease.  It  was  alledged  by  the  officers, 
that  the  Indians  far  outnumbered  the  American  troops.  That  conclusion  was  drawn,  in 
part,  from  the  fact,  that  they  outflanked  and  attacked  the  American  lines  with  great  force, 
at  the  same  time,  on  every  side. 

When  the  fugitives  arrived  at  Fort  Jefferson,  they  found  the  first  regiment,  which  was 
just  returning  from  the  service  on  which  it  had  been  sent,  without  either  overtaking  the  de- 
Berters,  or  meeting  the  convoy  of  provisions.     The  absence  of  that  regiment,  at  the  time 

17 


130  DARKE    COUNTY. 

of  the  battle,  was  believed  by  some,  to  be  the  cause  of  the  defeat.  They  supposed,  that 
had  it  been  present,  the  Indians  would  have  been  defeated,  or  would  not  have  ven- 
tured an  attack  at  the  time  they  made  it ;  but  Gen.  St.  Clair  expressed  great  doubt  on  that 
subject.  He  seemed  to  think  it  uncertain,  judging  from  the  superior  number  of  the  enemy, 
whether  he  ought  to  consider  the  absence  of  that  corps  from  the  field  of  action,  as  fortunate 
or  otherwise.  On  the  whole,  he  seemed  to  think  it  fortunate,  as  he  very  much  doubted, 
whether,  if  it  had  been  in  the  action,  the  fortune  of  the  day  would  have  been  changed  ; 
and  if  it  had  not,  the  triumph  of  the  enemy  would  have  been  more  complete,  and  the  coun- 
try would  have  been  left  destitue  of  the  means  of  defence. 

As  soon  as  the  troops  reached  Fort  Jefferson,  it  became  a  question  whether  they  ought 
to  continue  at  that  place,  or  return  to  Fort  Washington.  For  the  purpose  of  determining 
that  question,  the  general  called  on  the  surviving  field  officers,  to  wit:  Col.  Darke,  Major 
Hamtramck,  Maj.  Zeigler,  and  Maj.  Gaither,  and  also  the  Adjutant  General,  Col.  Sar- 
geant,  for  their  advice,  as  to  what  would  be  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued,  under  existing 
circumstances.  After  discussing  the  subject,  they  reported  it  to  be  their  unanimous  opin- 
ion, that  the  troops  could  not  be  accommodated  in  the  fort ;  that  they  could  not  be  supplied 
with  provisions,  at  that  place  ;  and  as  it  was  known  there  were  provisions  on  the  road,  at  the 
distance  of  one  or  two  marches,  it  would  be  proper,  without  loss  of  time,  to  proceed  and 
meet  them.  That  advice  was  adopted,  and  the  army  put  in  motion  at  10  o'clock,  and 
marched  all  night.  On  the  succeeding  day,  they  met  a  quantity  of  flour,  and  on  the  day 
after,  a  drove  of  cattle,  which  having  been  disposed  of,  as  the  wants  of  the  troops  required, 
the  march  was  continued  to  Fort  Washington. 

The  loss  sustained  by  the  country,  from  the  fall  of  so  many  gallant  officers  and  men,  was 
most  seriously  regretted.  Gen.  Butler  and  Maj.  Ferguson,  were  spoken  of  with  peculiar 
interest.  The  public  feeling  was,  however,  in  some  measure  alleviated,  by  the  fact,  that 
those  brave  men,  officers  and  privates,  fell  covered  with  honor,  in  defending  the  cause  of 
their  country. 

The  principal  complaint  made  by  the  commander-in-chief  was,  that  some  of  his  orders, 
of  great  consequence,  given  to  Col.  Oldham,  over  night,  were  not  executed  ;  and  that  some 
very  material  intelligence,  communicated  by  Capt.  Hough,  to  Gen.  Butler,  in  the  course  of 
the  night,  before  the  action,  was  not  imparted  to  him  ;  and  that  he  did  not  hear  of  it,  till  his 
arrival  at  Fort  Washington. 

It  is  important  to  the  fame  of  the  commanding  general,  that  in  consequence  of  the  al- 
most treasonable  negligence  of  the  agents  of  government,  whose  duty  it  was  to  furnish 
supplies,  the  army  had  been  for  many  days  on  short  allowance,  and  were  so  at  the  time  of 
the  battle.  That  fact  had  made  it  indispensably  necessary,  either  to  retreat,  or  send  back 
the  first  regiment,  which  was  the  flower  of  the  army,  to  bring  up  the  provisions  and  mil- 
itary stores.  The  latter  alternative  was  chosen,  and  in  the  absence  of  that  corps,  the  at- 
tack was  made. 

In  regard  to  the  negligence  charged  on  the  War  Department,  it  is  a  well-authenticated 
fact,  that  boxes  and  packages  were  so  carelessly  put  up  and  marked,  that  during  the  action 
a  box  was  opened  marked  "  flints,"  which  was  found  to  contain  gun-locks.  Several  mis- 
takes of  the  same  character  were  discovered,  as  for  example,  a  keg  of  powder  marked  "  for 
the  infantry,"  was  found  to  be  damaged  cannon-powder,  that  could  scarcely  be  ignited. 

Under  all  these  disadvantages,  it  was  generally  believed  by  candid  intelligent  men,  that 
the  commanding  general  was  not  justly  liable  to  much  censure,  if  any.  With  one  excep- 
tion, at  the  commencement  of  the  action,  the  troops  behaved  with  great  bravery.  They 
maintained  their  ground  for  three  tedious  hours,  in  one  uninterrupted  conflict  with  a  supe- 
rior force  ;  nor  did  they  attempt  to  leave  the  field,  till  it  was  covered  with  the  bodies  of 
their  companions,  nor  until  further  efforts  were  unavailing,  and  a  retreat  was  ordered. 

The  general,  less  anxious  for  himself  than  for  others,  was  the  last  to  leave  the  ground, 
after  the  retreat  had  been  ordered.  For  sometime  after  the  disaster,  he  was  universally 
censured  ;  but  when  a  thorough  investigation  had  been  made  by  a  committee  of  Congress, 
of  which  Mr.  Giles,  of  Virginia,  was  the  chairman,  it  was  found  that  the  campaign  had 
been  conducted  with  skill  and  personal  bravery  ;  and  that  the  defeat  was  chiefly  owing  to 
the  want  of  discipline  in  the  militia,  and  to  the  negligence  of  those  whose  duty  it  was  to 
procure  and  forward  the  provisions  and  military  stores,  necessary  for  the  expedition. 

After  the  publication  of  that  report,  the  Secretary  of  War,  believing  himself  to  be  in- 
jured, addressed  a  letter  to  Congress,  complaining  that  injustice  had  been  done  him  by  the 
committee  ;  in  consequence  of  which  the  report  was  recommitted  to  the  same  committee, 
who,  after  hearing  the  statements  and  explanations  of  the  Secretary,  and  reconsidering 
the  whole  matter,  re-affirmed  their  first  report. 

This  defeat  of  St.  Clair  drew  upon  his  head,  from  one  part  of  the 


DARKE  COUNTY.  131 

country  to  the  other,  "  one  loud  and  merciless  outcry  of  abuse  and 
even  detestation."  Many  a  general,  with  far  less  bravery  and  mili- 
tary skill,  has,  when  successful,  been  applauded  by  the  unthinking 
multitude  with  vehement  acclamations.  The  following,  derived  from 
the  narrative  of  his  campaign,  shows  that  he  deserved  a  better  fate. 

During  the  engagement,  Gen.  St.  Clair  and  Gen.  Butler  were  continually  going  up  and 
down  the  lines ;  as  one  went  up  one,  the  other  went  down  the  opposite.  St.  Clair  was  so 
severely  afflicted  with  the  gout  as  to  be  unable  to  mount  or  dismount  a  horse  without  assis- 
tance. He  had  four  horses  for  his  use  ;  they  had  been  turned  out  to  feed  over  night  ami 
were  brought  in  before  the  action.  The  first  he  attempted  to  mount  was  a  young  horse,  and 
the  firing  alarmed  him  so  much  that  he  was  unable  to  accomplish  it,  although  there  were 
three  or  four  people  assisting  him.  He  had  just  moved  him  to  a  place  where  he  could  have 
some  advantage  of  the  ground,  when  the  horse  was  shot  through  the  head,  and  the  boy  that 
was  holding  him  through  the  arm.  A  second  horse  was  brought,  and  the  furniture  of  the 
first  disengaged  and  put  on  him  ;  but  at  the  moment  it  was  done,  the  horse  and  servant 
who  held  him  were  killed.  The  general  then  ordered  the  third  horse  to  be  got  ready  and 
follow  him  to  the  left  of  the  front  line,  which  by  that  time  was  warmly  engaged,  and  set 
off  on  foot  to  the  point  designated.  However,  the  man  and  horse  were  never  heard  of  after- 
ward, and  were  supposed  to  have  both  been  killed.  Gen.  St.  Clair's  fourth  horse  was  kill- 
ed under  the  Count  de  Malartie,  one  of  his  aids,  whose  horse  had  died  on  the  march. 

On  the  day  of  the  battle,  St.  Clair  was  not  in  his  uniform  ;  he  wore  a  coarse  cappo  coat 
and'a  three-cornered  hat.  He  had  a  long  que  and  large  locks,, very  gray,  flowing  beneath 
his  beaver.  Early  in  the  action,  when  near  the  artillery,  a  ball  grazed  the  side  of  his  face 
and  cut  off  a  portion  of  one  of  his  locks.  It  is  said,  that,  during  the  action,  eight  balls  passed 
through  his  clothes  and  hat.  After  his  horses  were  killed,  he  exerted  himself  on  foot,  for  a 
considerable  time  during  the  action,  with  a  degree  of  alertness  that  surprised  every  body  who 
saw  him.  After  being  on  foot  some  time,  and  when  nearly  exhausted,  a  pack  horse  was 
brought  to  him.  This  he  rode  during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  although  he  could  scarcely 
prick  him  out  of  a  walk.  Had  he  not  been  furnished  with  a  horse,  although  unhurt,  he 
must  have  remained  on  the  field. 

During  the  action,  Gen.  St.  Clair  exerted  himself  with  a  courage  and  presence  of  mmd 
worthy  of  the  best  fortune.  He  was  personally  present  at  the  first  charge  made  upon  the 
enemy  with  the  bayonet,  and  gave  the  order  to  Col.  Darke.  When  the  enemy  first  entered 
the  camp  by  the  left  flank,  he  led  the  troops  that  drove  them  back  ;  and  when  a  retreat 
became  indispensable,  he  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  troops  which  broke  through  the 
enemy  and  opened  the  way  for  the  rest,  and  then  remained  in  the  rear,  making  every  ex- 
ertion in  his  power  to  obtain  a  party  to  cover  the  retreat ;  but  the  panic  was  so  great  that 
his  exertions  were  of  but  little  avail.  In  the  height  of  the  action,  a  few  of  the  men  crowded 
around  the  fires  in  the  center  of  the  camp.  St.  Clair  was  seen  drawing  his  pistols  and 
threatening  some  of  them,  and  ordering  them  to  turn  out  and  repel  the  enemy. 

In  commenting  upon  his  honorable  acquittal  of  all  blame  by  the 
committee  of  Congress,  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  causes  of  the 
failure  of  the  expedition,  Judge  Marshall,  in  his  Life  of  Washington, 
remarks,  with  his  usual  felicity  of  manner,  "  More  satisfactory  testi- 
mony in  favor  of  St.  Clair  is  furnished  by  the  circumstance,  that  he 
still  retained  the  undiminished  esteem  and  good  opinion  of  President 
Washington." 

To  the  foregoing  description  of  the  battle,  we  extract  from  the 
narrative  of  Major  Jacob  Fowler,  now  living  in  Covington,  Ky.,  his 
own  personal  experience  in  the  events  of  that  fatal  day.  Mr.  Cist, 
in  his  Advertiser,  in  which  it  was  published,  says :  "  There  was 
hardly  a  battle  fought,  in  the  early  struggles  with  the  Indians,  in 
which  Mr.  Fowler  did  not  participate.  He  is  now  (July,  1844)  at 
the  age  of  eighty — his  eye  has  not  waxed  dim,  nor  his  natural  force 
abated.  He  can  still  pick  off  a  squirrel  with  his  rifle  at  100  yards 
distance.     He  can  walk  as  firmly  and  as  fast  as  most  men  at  fifty, 


132  DARKE    COUNTY. 

and  I  cannot  perceive  a  gray  hair  in  his  head.     His  mind  and  memory 
are  as  vigorous  as  his  physical  functions." 

Excepting  in  a  single  instance,  St.  Clair  kept  out  no  scouting  parties  during  his  march, 
and  we  should  have  been  completely  surprised  by  the  attack  when  it  was  made,  if  it  had 
not  been  that  volunteer  scouting  parties  from  the  militia  were  out  the  evening  before,  and 
the  constant  discharge  of  rifles  throughout  the  night  warned  us  to  prepare  for  the  event. 
The  militia  were  encamped  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  front  of  the  residue  of  the  army,  so  as 
to  receive,  as  they  did,  the  first  shock  of  the  attack,  which  was  made  a  little  after  daybreak. 
The  camp  was  on  the  bank  of  a  small  creek,  one  of  the  heads  of  the  Wabash  river,  the  ground 
nearly  level  and  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  As  surveyor,  I  drew  the  pay  and 
rations  of  a  subaltern,  but,  as  an  old  hunter,  was  not  disposed  to  trust  myself  among  the 
Indians  without  my  rifle.  Indeed  I  found  it  very  serviceable  during  the  march,  the  army 
being  upon  not  more  than  half  rations  the  whole  campaign. 

My  stock  of  bullets  becoming  pretty  low,  from  hunting,  as  soon  as  it  was  daylight  that 
morning,  I  started  for  fhe  militia  camp  to  get  a  ladle  for  running  some  more,  when  I  found 
that  the  battle  had  begun,  and  met  the  militia  running  in  to  the  main  body  of  the  troops. 
I  hailed  one  of  the  Kentuckians,  who  I  found  had  been  disabled  in  the  right  wrist  by  a  bul- 
let, asking  him  if  he  had  balls  to  spare.  He  told  me  to  take  out  his  pouch  and  divide  with 
him.  I  poured  out  a  double  handful  and  put  back  what  I  supposed  was  the  half,  and  was 
about  to  leave  him,  when  he  said,  "  stop,  you  had  better  count  them."  It  was  no  time  for 
laughing,  but  I  could  hardly  resist  the  impulse  to  laugh,  the  idea  was  so  ludicrous  of  count- 
ing a  handfull  of  bullets  when  they  were  about  to  be  so  plenty  as  to  be  had  for  the  picking 
tip,  by  those  who  should  be  lucky  enough  to  escape  with  their  lives.  "  If  we  get  through 
this  day's  scrape,  my  dear  fellow,"  said  I,  "  I  will  return  you  twice  as  many."  But  I  never 
saw  him  again,  and  suppose  he  shared  the  fate  that  befel  many  a  gallant  spirit  on  that  day. 
1  owe  the  bullets,  at  any  rate,  at  this  moment. 

On  returning  to  the  lines,  I  found  the  engagement  begun.  One  of  Capt.  Pratt's  men  lay 
near  the  spot  I  had  left,  shot  through  the  belly.  I  saw  an  Indian  behind  a  small  tree,  not 
twenty  steps  off,  just  outside  the  regular  lines.  He  was  loading  his  piece,  squatting  down 
as  much  as  possible  to  screen  himself.  I  drew  sight  at  his  butt  and  shot  him  through  ;  he 
dropped,  and  as  soon  as  I  had  fired  I  retreated  into  our  lines  to  reload  my  rifle.  Finding 
the  tire  had  really  ceased  at  this  point,  I  ran  to  the  rear  line,  where  I  met  Col.  Darke,  lead- 
ing his  men  to  a  charge.  These  were  of  the  six  months'  levies.  I  followed  with  my  rifle. 
The  Indians  were  driven  by  this  movement  clear  out  of  sight,  and  the  colonel  called  a  halt 
and  rallied  his  men,  who  were  about  300  in  number.  As  an  experienced  woodsman  and 
hunter,  I  claimed  the  privilege  of  suggesting  to  the  colonel  that  where  we  then  stood — there 
being  a  pile  of  trees  blown  out  of  root — would  form  an  excellent  breastwork,  being  of  length 
sufficient  to  protect  the  whole  force,  and  that  we  might  yet  need  it ;  I  judged  by  the  shout- 
ing and  firing  that  the  Indians  behind  us  had  closed  up  the  gap  we  had  made  in  charging, 
and  told  the  colonel  so.  Now,  if  we  return  and  charge  on  these  Indians  on  our  rear,  we 
shall  have  them  with  their  backs  on  us,  and  will  no  doubt  be  a£le  to  give  a  good  account 
■of  them.  "  Lead  the  way,  then,"  said  he,  and  rode  to  the  rear  to  march  the  whole  body 
forward.  We  then  charged  on  the  Indians,  but  they  were  so  thick  we  could  do  nothing 
with  them.  In  a  few  minutes  they  were  around  us,  and  we  found  ourselves  along  side  of 
the  army-baggage  and  the  artillery,  which  they  had  been  taking  possession  of.  I  then  took 
a  tier,  and  after  firing  twelve  or  fourteen  times,  two  or  three  rods  being  my  farthest  shot,  I 
discovered  that  many  of  those  I  had  struck  were  not  brought  down,  as  I  had  not  sufficient 
experience  to  know  I  must  shoot  them  in  the  hip  to  bring  them  down.  As  to  the  regulars, 
with  their  muskets,  and  in  their  unprotected  state,  it  was  little  better  than  firing  at  random. 

By  this  time,  there  were  but  about  30  men  of  Col.  Darke's  command  left  standing,  the  rest 
being  all  shot  down  and  lying  around  us,  either  killed  or  wounded.  I  ran  to  the  colonel,  who 
v,  as  in  the  thickest  of  it,  waving  his  sword  to  encourage  his  men,  and  told  him  we  should 
all  be  down  in  five  minutes  more  if  we  did  not  charge  on  them.  "  Charge,  then  !"  said  he, 
to  the  little  line  that  remained,  and  they  did  so.  Fortunately,  the  army  had  charged  on  the 
other  side  at  the  same  time,  which  put  the  Indians,  for  the  moment,  to  the  flight.  I  had 
been  partially  sheltered  by  a  small  tree  ;  but  a  couple  of  Indians,  who  had  taken  a  larget 
•  one,  both  fired  at  me  at  once,  and,  feeling  the  steam  of  their  guns  at  my  belly,  I  supposed 
myself  cut  to  pieces.  But  no  harm  had  been  done,  and  I  brought  my  piece  to  my  side  and 
.fired,  without  aiming  at  the  one  that  stood  his  ground,  the  fellow  being  so  close  to  me  that 
.1  could  hardly  miss  him.  I  shot  him  through  the  hips,  and  while  he  was  crawling  away  on 
all  fours,  Col.  Darke,  who  had  been  dismounted,  and  stood  close  by  me,  made  at  him  with 
his  sword  and  struck  his  head  off.     By  this  time,  the  cock  of  my  rifle  lock  had  worn  loose 


DARKE    COUNTY. 


133 


and  gave  me  much  trouble  ;  meeting  with  an  acquaintance  from  Cincinnati,  named  M'Clure, 
who  had  no  gun  of  his  own,  but  picked  up  one  from  a  militia  man,  I  told  him  my  difficulty. 
"  There  is  a  first-rate  rifle,"  said  he,  pointing  to  one  at  a  distance.  I  ran  and  got  it,  having 
ascertained  that  my  bullets  would  fit  it. 

Here  I  met  Capt.  J.  S.  Gano,  who  was  unarmed,  and  handing  to  him  the  rifle  I  went  into 
battle  with,  I  observed  to  him  that  we  were  defeated,  and  would  have  to  make  our  own 
escape  as  speedily  as  possible  ;  that  if  we  got  off,  we  should  need  the  rifles  for  subsistence 
in  the  woods.  The  battle  still  raged,  and  at  one  spot  might  be  seen  a  party  of  soldiers 
gathered  together,  having  nothing  to  do  but  to  present  mere  marks  for  the  enemy.     They 


Plan  of  St.  Clair's  Battle  Field. 

appeared  stupified  and  bewildered  with  the  danger.  At  another  spot,  the  soldiers  had 
broken  into  the  marquees  of  the  officers,  eating  the  breakfast  from  which  those  had 
been  called  into  the  battle.  It  must  be  remembered,  that  neither  officers  nor  men  had  eaten 
anything  the  whole  morning.  Some  of  the  men  were  shot  down  in  the  very  act  of  eating. 
Just  where  I  stood,  there  were  no  Indians  visible,  although  their  rifle  balls  were  striking  all 
around.  At  last,  I  saw  an  Indian  break  for  a  tree  about  40  yards  off,  behind  which  he 
loaded  and  fired  four  times,  bringing  down  his  man  at  every  fire,  and  with  such  quickness 
as  to  give  me  no  chance  to  take  sight  in  the  intervals  of  his  firing.  At  length,  I  got  a 
range  of  two  inches  inside  his  back  bone  and  blazed  away  ;  down  he  fell,  and  I  saw  no 
more  of  him. 

A  short  time  after,  I  heard  the  cry  given  by  St.  Clair  and  his  adjutant  sergeant  to  charge 
to  the  road,  which  was  accordingly  done.  I  ran  across  the  army  to  where  I  had  left  my 
relative,  Capt.  Piatt,  and  told  him  that  the  army  was  broken  up  and  in  full  retreat.  "  Don't 
say  so,"  he  replied ;  "  you  will  discourage  my  men,  and  I  can't  believe  it."  I  persisted  a 
short  time,  when,  finding  him  obstinate,  I  said,  "  If  you  will  rush  on  your  fate,  in  God's 
name  do  it."     I  then  ran  off  towards  the  rear  of  the  army,  which  was  making  off  rapidly. 

Piatt  called  after  me,  saying,  "  Wait  for  me."  It  was  no  use  to  stop,  for  by  this  time 
the  savages  were  in  full  chase  and  hardly  twenty  yards  behind  me.  Being  uncommonly 
active  in  those  days,  I  soon  got  from  the  rear  to  front  of  the  troops,  although  I  had  great 
trouble  to  avoid  the  bayonets  which  the  men  had  thrown  off  in  the  retreat,  with  the  sharp 
points  towards  their  pursuers. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  Indians  followed  us  30  miles,  but  this  is  not  true,  and  my  duty 
as  surveyor  having  led  me  to  mark  the  miles  every  day  as  we  proceeded  on  our  march  out, 
it  was  easy  to  ascertain  how  far  we  were  pursued.     The  Indians,  after  every  other  fire,  fell 

back  to  load  their  rifles,  and  gained  lost  time  by  running  on  afresh Even  during  the  last 

charge  of  Col.  Darke,  the  bodies  of  the  dead  and  the  dying  were  around  us,  and  the  freshly 


134  DARKE    COUNTY. 

scalped  heads  wen  reeking  with  smoke,  and,  in  the  heavy  morning  frost,  looked  like  so 
many  pumpkins  through  a  cornfield  in  December.  It  was  on  the  4th  November,  and  the 
day  severely  cold  for  the  season  ;  my  fingers  became  so  benumbed  at  times,  that  I  had  to 
take  the  bullets  in  my  mouth  and  load  from  it,  while  I  had  the  wiping  stick  in  my  hand  to 
force  them  down. 

References. — A.  High  ground,  on  which  the  militia  were  encamp- 
ed at  the  commencement  of  the  action.  B.  C.  Encampment  of  the 
main  army.  D.  Retreat  of  the  militia  at  the  beginning  of  the  battle. 
E.  St.  Clair's  trace,  on  which  the  defeated  army  retreated.  F. 
Place  where  Gen.  Butler  and  other  officers  were  buried.  G.  Trail 
to  Girty's  Town,  on  the  river  St.  Marys,  at  what  is  now  the  village 
of  St.  Marys.  H.  Site  of  Fort  Recovery,  built  by  Wayne  ;  the  line  of 
Darke  and  Mercer  runs  within  a  few  rods  of  the  site  of  the  fort.  I. 
Place  where  a  brass  cannon  was  found  buried,  in  1830:  it  is  on  the 
bottom  where  the  Indians  were  three  times  driven  to  the  high  land 
with  the  bayonet. 

The  map  of  the  battle-ground  is  from  the  survey  of  Mr.  John  S. 
Houston,  of  Celina.  The  localities*  were  pointed  out  to  him  by  Mr. 
M'Dowl,  who  was  4n  the  action,  and  is  now  living  near  Recovery. 
In  a  letter,  dated  Celina,  March  20th,  1847,  Mr.  Houston  gives  some 
notes  of  a  conversation  with  Mr.  M'Dowl. 

Mr.  M'Dowl  states,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  battle,  he  and  several  others  had  just 
gone  out  to  look  after  and  guard  their  horses,  when  suddenly  they  heard  the  most  hideous 
yells  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  with  discharges  of  musketry.  He.  instantly  rushed 
to  camp,  found  his  regiment  repairing  for  action,  joined  them,  and  was  with  the  party  who 
so  gallantly  charged  the  enemy  in  the  bottom.  On  the  retreat,  he  was  among  those  who 
defended  the  rear,  and  kept  the  enemy  in  check  for  several  miles.  The  ground  was  cov- 
ered with  a  slushy  snow,  which  much  retarded  their  progress  ;  and  after  a  while,  many  of 
them  were  so  dispirited  and  hungry — having  eaten  no  breakfast — that  they  threw  down 
their  arms  and  made  the  best  of  their  way  pell-mell  among  the  retreating  crowd.  About 
this  time,  M'Dowl  saw  a  female  carrying  her  infant,  a  year  old.  She  was  so  tired  that  she 
was  about  to  fall  by  the  way-side,  when  he  took  the  child  and  carried  it  some  distance. 
Afterwards,  to  save  her  own  life,  the  woman  threw  away  the  child  in  the  snow.  The  In- 
dians took  it  up,  carried  it  to  the  Sandusky  towns,  and  raised  it.t  Soon  after  this,  M'Dowl 
overtook  a  youth,  some  eighteen  years  old,  wounded  in  the  leg,  hobbling  along,  and 
dispirited.  He  gave  him  a  drink  of  spirits  and  a  little  bread,  he  himself  had  not  had 
time  to  eat,  which  refreshed  and  encouraged  him.  Soon  after,  a  poney  came  dashing  by. 
This,  M'Dowl  caught,  and  mounting  the  youth  upon  it,  he  safely  reached  the  fort. 

At  Stillwater  creek,  twelve  miles  from  the  battle-ground,  the  Indians,  who  were  no 
longer  numerous,  left  them,  and  returned  to  share  their  booty.  "  Oh  !"  said  an  old  squaw, 
who  died  many  years  ago,  on  the  St.  Mary's,  "  my  arm  that  night  was  weary  scalping 
white  man." 

Some  years  ago — said  the  old  man  to  me — and  here  his  cheeks  were  moistened  with 
tears — I  was  travelling  in  Kentucky,  to  visit  a  sister  I  had  not  seen  in  many  years,  when  I 
arrived  at  Georgetown,  and  entered  my  name  on  the  ledger,  with  the  place  of  my  resi- 
dence— "  Recovery,  Ohio."  After  I  had  been  sitting  some  time  at  ease,  before  a  comfort- 
able fire,  a  gentleman,  who  had  noticed  the  entry  of  my  name  and  residence,  opened  a 
friendly  conversation  about  the  place  and  country.  He  soon  remarked  that  he  was  at  the 
defeat  of  St.  Clair,  and  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  assistance  of  a  young  man  of  But- 
ler's regiment,  he  would  have  been  there  yet. 

After  a  few  more  questions  and  replies,  both  parties  recognized  each  other.  The  gentle- 
man was  the  youth  who  had  been  shot,  on  the  retreat,  and  whose  life — as  previously  stated 

*  The  references  A  and  D  were  not  on  the  map  ;  neither  was  the  high  ground  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  which  we  have  placed  on  it  from  personal  recollection. — H.  H. 

t  It  is  stated  in  some  accounts  that  about  fifty,  and  in  others,  that  near  two  hundred 
women  were  killed  in  the  action  and  flight. — H.  H. 


DARKE  COUNTY.  135 

— was  saved  by  the  interposition  of  M'Dowl.  At  this  discovery,  their  surprise  and  conse- 
quent mutual  attachment  may  be  imagined.  The  gentleman  insisted  upon  taking  him  to 
his  house,  and  introducing  him  to  his  wife  and  daughters.  He  had  become  wealthy  by 
merchandizing,  and  on  parting  with  M'Dowl,  gave  him  a  new  suit  of  clothes  and  other 
presents,  which  he  has  carefully  preserved  to  this  day. 

M'Clung,  in  his  Sketches  of  Western  Adventure,  relates  some 
anecdotes,  showing  the  heroism  and  activity  of  a  young  man  who 
was  in  this  action. 

The  late  William  Kennan,  of  Fleming  county,  at  that  time  a  young  man  of  eighteen, 
was  attached  to  the  corps  of  rangers  who  accompanied  the  regular  force.  He  had  long 
been  remarkable  for  strength  and  activity.  In  the  course  of  the  march  from  Fort  Wash- 
ington, he  had  repeated  opportunities  of  testing  his  astonishing  powers  in  that  respect,  and 
was  universally  admitted  to  be  the  swiftest  runner  of  the  light  corps.  On  the  evening  pre- 
ceding the  action,  his  corps  had  been  advanced,  as  already  observed,  a  few  hundred  yards 
in  front  of  the  first  line  of  infantry,  in  order  to  give  seasonable  notice  of  the  enemy's  ap- 
proach. Just  as  day  was  dawning,  he  observed  about  thirty  Indians  within  one  hundred 
yards  of  the  guard  fire,  advancing  cautiously  towards  the  spot  where  he  stood,  together 
with  about  twenty  rangers,  the  rest  being  considerably  in  the  rear. 

Supposing  it  to  be  a  mere  scouting  party,  as  usual,  and  not  superior  in  number  to  the 
rangers,  he  sprung  forward  a  few  paces  in  order  to  shelter  himself  in  a  spot  of  peculiarly 
rank  grass,  and  firing  with  a  quick  aim  upon  the  foremost  Indian,  he  instantly  fell  flat  upon 
his  face,  and  proceeded  with  all  possible  rapidity  to  reload  his  gun,  not  doubting,  for  a  mo- 
ment, but  that  the  rangers  would  maintain  their  position,  and  support  him.  The  Indians, 
however,  rushed  forward  in  such  overwhelming  masses,  that  the  rangers  were  compelled  to 
fly  with  precipitation,  leaving  young  Kennan  in  total  ignorance  of  his  danger.  Fortunately 
the  captain  of  his  company  had  observed  him  when  he  threw  himself  in  the  grass,  and  sud 
denly  shouted  aloud,  "Run  Kennan!  or  you  are  a  dead  man!"  He  instantly  sprung  tc 
his  feet,  and  beheld  Indians  within  ten  feet  of  him,  while  his  company  was  already  more 
than  one  hundred  yards  in  front. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost.  He  darted  off  with  every  muscle  strained  to  its  utmost, 
and  was  pursued  by  a  dozen  of  the  enemy  with  loud  yells.  He  at  first  pressed  straight  for- 
ward to  the  usual  fording  place  in  the  creek,  which  ran  between  the  rangers  and  the  main 
army,  but  several  Indians  who  had  passed  him  before  he  arose  from  the  grass,  threw  them- 
selves in  the  way,  and  completely  cut  him  off  from  the  rest.  By  the  most  powerful  exer- 
tions, he  had  thrown  the  whole  body  of  pursuers  behind  him,  with  the  exception  of  one 
young  chief,  (probably  Messhawa,)  who  displayed  a  swiftness  and  perseverance  equal  to  his 
own.  In  the  circuit  which  Kennan  was  obliged  to  take,  the  race  continued  for  more  than 
four  hundred  yards.  The  distance  between  them  was  about  eighteen  feet,  which  Kennan 
could  not  increase,  nor  his  adversary  diminish.  Each,  for  the  time,  put  his  whole  soul  into 
the  race. 

Kennan,  as  far  as  he  was  able,  kept  his  eye  upon  the  motions  of  his  pursuer,  lest  he 
should  throw  the  tomahawk,  which  he  held  aloft  in  a  menacing  attitude,  and  at  length, 
finding  that  no  other  Indian  was  immediately  at  hand,  he  determined  to  try  the  mettle  of 
his  pursuer  in  a  different  manner,  and  felt  for  his  tomahawk  in  order  to  turn  at  bay.  It 
had  escaped  from  its  sheath,  however,  while  he  lay  in  the  grass,  and  his  hair  had  almost 
lifted  the  cap  from  his  head,  when  he  saw  himself  totally  disarmed.  As  he  had  slackened 
his  pace  for  a  moment,  the  Indian  was  almost  in  reach  of  him,  when  he  recommenced  the 
race.;  but  the  idea  of  being  without  arms,  lent  wings  to  his  flight,  and,  for  the  first  time,  he 
saw  himself  gaining  ground.  He  had  watched  the  motions  of  his  pursuer  too  closely,  how- 
ever, to  pay  proper  attention  to  the  nature  of  the  ground  before  him,  and  he  suddenly  found 
himself  in  front  of  a  large  tree  which  had  been  blown  down,  and  upon  which  brush  and 
other  impediments  lay  to  the  height  of  eight  or  nine  feet. 

The  Indian  (who  heretofore  had  not  uttered  the  slightest  sound)  now  gave  a  short  quick 
yell,  as  if  secure. of  his  victim.  Kennan  had  not  a  moment  to  deliberate.  He  must  clear 
the  impediment  at  a  leap,  or  perish.  Putting  his  whole  soul  into  the  effort,  he  bounded 
into  the  air  with  a  power  which  astonished  himself,  and  clearing  limbs,  brush,  and  every 
thing  else,  alighted  in  perfect  safety  upon  the  other  side.  A  loud  yell  of  astonishment 
burst  from  the  band  of  pursuers,  not  one  of  whom  had  the  hardihood  to  attempt  the  same 
feat.  Kennan,  as  may  be  readily  imagined,  had  no  leisure  to  enjoy  his  triumph,  but  dashing 
into  the  bed  of  the  creek  (upon  the  banks  of  which  his  feat  had  been  performed)  where  thG 
high  banks  would  shield  him  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  he  ran  up  the  stream  until  a  con- 
venient place  offered  for  crossing,  and  rejoined  the  rangers  in  the  rear  of  the  encampment, 


136  DARKE    COUNTY. 

panting  from  the  fatigue  of  exertions  which  have  seldom  been  surpassed.  No  breathing 
time  was  allowed  him,  however.  The  attack  instantly  commenced,  and  as  we  have  al- 
ready observed,  was  maintained  for  three  hours,  with  unabated  fury. 

When  the  retreat  commenced,  Kennan  was  attached  to  Maj.  Clarke's  battalion,  and  had 
the  dangerous  service  of  protecting  the  rear.  This  corps  quickly  lost  its  commander,  and 
was  completely  disorganized.  Kennan  was  among  the  hindmost  when  the  flight  commen- 
ced, but  exerting  those  same  powers  which  had  saved  him  in  the  morning,  he  quickly  gain- 
ed the  front,  passing  several  horsemen  in  the  flight.  Here  he  beheld  a  private  in  his  own 
company,  an  intimate  acquaintance,  lying  upon  the  ground,  with  his  thigh  broken,  and  in 
tones  of  the  most  piercing  distress,  implored  each  horseman  who  hurried  by  to  take  him  up 
behind  him.  As  soon  as  he  beheld  Kennan  coming  up  on  foot,  he  stretched  out  his  arms 
and  called  aloud  upon  him  to  save  him.  Notwithstanding  the  imminent  peril  of  the  mo- 
ment, his  friend  could  not  reject  so  passionate  an  appeal,  but  seizing  him  in  his  arms,  he 
placed  him  upon  his  back,  and  ran  in  that  manner  for  several  hundred  yards.  Horseman 
after  horseman  passed  them,  all  of  whom  refused  to  relieve  him  of  his  burden. 

At  length  the  enemy  was  gaining  upon  him  so  fast,  that  Kennan  saw  their  death  cer- 
tain, unless  he  relinquished  his  burden.  He  accordingly  told  his  friend,  that  he  had  used 
every  possible  exertion  to  save  his  life,  but  in  vain  ;  that  he  must  relax  his  hold  around  his 
neck  or  they  would  both  perish.  The  unhappy  wretch,  heedless  of  every  remonstrance, 
still  clung  convulsively  to  his  back,  and  impeded  his  exertions  until  the  foremost  of  the  en- 
emy (armed  with  tomahawks  alone)  were  within  twenty  yards  of  them.  Kennan  then 
drew  his  knife  from  its  sheath  and  cut  the  fingers  of  his  companion,  thus  compelling  him  to 
relinquish  his  hold.  The  unhappy  man  rolled  upon  the  ground  in  utter  helplessness,  and 
Kennan  beheld  him  tomahawked  before  he  had  gone  thirty  yards.  Relieved  from  his  bur- 
den, he  darted  forward  with  an  activity  which  once  more  brought  him  to  the  van.  Here 
again  he  was  compelled  to  neglect  his  own  safety  in  order  to  attend  to  that  of  others. 

The  late  Governor  Madison,  of  Kentucky,  who  afterwards  commanded  the  corps  which 
defended  themselves  so  honorably  at  Raisin,  a  man  who  united  the  most  amiable  temper  to 
the  most  unconquerable  courage,  was  at  that  time  a  subaltern  in  St.  Clair's  army,  and  being 
a  man  of  infirm  constitution,  was  totally  exhausted  by  the  exertions  of  the  morning,  and 
was  now  sitting  down  calmly  upon  a  log,  awaiting  the  approach  of  his  enemies.  Kennan 
hastily  accosted  him,  and  inquired  the  cause  of  his  delay.  Madison,  pointing  to  a  wound 
which  had  bled  profusely,  replied  that  he  was  unable  to  walk  further,  and  had  no  horse. 
Kennan  instantly  ran  back  to  a  spot  where  he  had  seen  an  exhausted  horse  grazing,  caught 
him  without  difficulty,  and  having  assisted  Madison  to  mount,  walked  by  his  side  until 
they  were  out  of  danger.  Fortunately,  the  pursuit  soon  ceased,  as  the  plunder  of  the  camp 
presented  irresistible  attractions  to  the  enemy.  The  friendship  thus  formed  between  these 
two  young  men,  endured  without  interruption  through  life.  Mr.  Kennan  never  entirely 
recovered  from  the  immense  exertions  which  he  was  compelled  to  make  during  this  unfor- 
tunate expedition.  He  settled  in  Fleming  county,  and  continued  for  many  years  a  leading 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.     He  died  in  1827. 

The  number  of  Indians  engaged  in  this  action  can  never  be  ascer- 
tained with  any  degree  of  certainty.  They  have  been  variously  es- 
timated from  1000  to  3000. 

Col.  John  Johnston,  long  an  Indian  agent  in  this  region,  and  whose  opportunities  for 
forming  a  correct  opinion  on  this  subject  are  worthy  of  consideration,  in  a  communica- 
tion to  us,  says :  "  The  number  of  Indians  at  the  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  must  have  been 
large.  At  that  time  game  was  plenty,  and  any  number  could  be  conveniently  subsisted. 
Wells,  one  of  our  interpreters  was  there,  with,  and  fought  for  the  enemy.  To  use  his  own 
language,  he  tomahawked  and  scalped  the  wounded,  dying  and  dead,  until  he  was  unable 
to  raise  his  arm.  The  principal  tribes  in  the  battle  were  the  Delawares,  Shawanoese, 
Wyandots,  Miamies  and  Ottawas,  with  some  Chippewas  and  Putawatimes.  The  precise 
number  of  the  whole  I  had  no  accurate  means  of  knowing ;  it  could  not  be  less  than  2000." 

The  following  song  is  not  the  best  of  poetry,  but  it  has  been  fre- 
quently sung  with  sad  emotion,  and  is  worthy  of  preservation  as  a 
relic  of  olden  time. 

SAINCLAIRE'S  DEFEAT. 
'Twas  November  the  fourth,  in  the  year  of  ninety-one, 
We  had  a  sore  engagement  near  to  Fort  Jefferson ; 
Sinclaire  was  our  commander,  which  may  remembered  be, 
For  there  we  left  nine  hundred  men  in  t'  West'n  Ter^ory. 


DARKE    COUNTY.  137 

At  Bunker's  Hill  and  Quebeck,  where  many  a  hero  fell, 
Likewise  at  Long  Island,  (it  is  I  the  truth  can  tell,) 
But  such  a  dreadful  carnage  may  I  never  see  again 
As  hap'ned  near  St.  Mary's,  upon  the  river  plain. 

Our  army  was  attacked  just  as  the  day  did  dawn, 
And  soon  were  overpowered  and  driven  from  the  lawn. 
They  killed  Major  Ouldham,  Levin  and  Briggs  likewise, 
And  horrid  yells  of  sav'ges  resounded  through  the  skies. 

Major  Butler  was  wounded  the  very  second  fire  ; 
His  manly  bosom  swell'd  with  rage  when  forc'd  to  retire ; 
And  as  he  lay  in  anguish,  nor  scarcely  could  he  see, 
Exclaim'd,  "  Ye  hounds  of  hell,  O  !  revenged  I  will  be." 

We  had  not  been  long  broken  when  General  Butler  found 
Himself  so  badly  wounded,  was  forced  to  quit  the  ground. 
"  My  God  I"  says  he,  "  what  shall  we  do  ;  we're  wounded  every  man  ; 
Go  charge  them,  valiant  heroes,  and  beat  them  if  you  can." 

He  leaned  his  back  against  a  tree,  and  there  resigned  his  breath, 
And  like  a  valiant  soldier  sunk  in  the  arms  of  death  ; 
When  blessed  angels  did  await,  his  spirit  to  convey  ; 
And  unto  the  celestial  fields  he  quickly  bent  his  way. 

We  charg'd  again  with  courage  firm,  but  soon  again  gave  ground, 
The  war-whoop  then  redoubled,  as  did  the  foes  around. 
They  killed  Major  Ferguson,  which  caused  his  men  to  cry, 
"  Our  only  safety  is  in  flight  ;  or  fighting  here  to  die." 

"  Stand  to  your  guns,"  says  valiant  Ford,  "  let's  die  upon  them  here 
Before  we  let  the  sav'ges  know  we  ever  harbored  fear." 
Our  cannon-balls  exhausted,  and  artill'ry-men  all  slain, 
Obliged  were  our  musketmen  the  eti'my  to  sustain. 

Yet  three  hours  more  we  fought  them,  and  then  were  forc'd  to  yield, 
When  three  hundred  bloody  warriors  lay  stretch'd  upon  the  field. 
Says  Colonel  Gibson  to  his  men,  "  My  boys  be  not  dismay'd  ; 
I'm  sure  that  true  Virginians  were  never  yet  afraid. 

Ten  thousand  deaths  I'd  rather  die,  than  they  should  gain  the  field  ;" 
With  that  he  got  a  fatal  shot,  which  caused  him  to  yield. 
Says  Major  Clark,  "  My  heroes,  I  can  here  no  longer  stand, 
We'll  strive  to  form  in  order,  and  retreat  the  best  we  can." 

The  word,  Retreat,  being  past  around,  there  was  a  dismal  cry, 
Then  helter  skelter  through  the  woods,  like  wolves  and  sheep  they  fly. 
This  well-appointed  army,  who  but  a  day  before, 
Defied  and  braved  all  danger,  had  like  a  cloud  pass'd  o'er. 

Alas  !  the  dying  and  wounded,  how  dreadful  was  the  thought, 
To  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife,  in  mis'ry  are  brought. 
Some  had  a  thigh  and  some  an  arm  broke  on  the  field  that  day, 
Who  writhed  in  torments  at  the  stake,  to  close  the  dire  affray. 

To  mention  our  brave  officers,  is  what  I  wish  to  do ; 

No  sons  of  Mars  e'er  fought  more  brave,  or  with  more  courage  true. 

To  Captain  Bradford  I  belonged,  in  his  artillery, 

He  fell  that  day  amongst  the  slain,  a  valiant  man  was  he. 

Sometime  after  the  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  Wilkinson,  who  had  suc- 
ceeded him  in  the  command  of  Fort  Washington,  ordered  an  expe- 
dition to  visit  the  battle-ground.  Capt.  Buntin,  who  was  with  the 
party,  afterwards  addressed  a  letter  to  St.  Clair,  from  which  we 
make  an  extract. 

18 


13ft  DARKE    COUNTY. 

In  my  opinion,  those  unfortunate  men  who  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands,  with  life,  were 
used  with  the  greatest  torture,  having  their  limbs  torn  off;  and  the  women  have  been 
treated  with  the  most  indecent  cruelty,  having  stakes  as  thick  as  a  person's  arm  drove 
through  their  bodies.  The  first,  I  observed  when  burying  the  dead  ;  and  the  latter  was 
discovered  by  Col.  Sargent  and  Dr.  Brown.  We  found  three  whole  carriages  ;  the  other 
five  were  so  much  damaged  that  they  were  rendered  useless.  By  the  general's  orders,  pits 
were  dug  in  different  places,  and  all  the  dead  bodies  that  were  exposed  to  view,  or  could  be 
conveniently  found  (the  snow  being  very  deep)  were  buried.  During  this  time,  there  was 
sundry  parties  detached,  some  for  our  safety,  and  others  in  examining  the  course  of  the 
creek ;  and  some  distance  in  advance  of  the  ground  occupied  by  the  militia,  they  found  a 
large  camp,  not  less  than  three  quarters  of  a  mile  long,  which  was  supposed  to  be  that  of 
the  Indians  the  night  before  the  action.  We  remained  on  the  field  that  night,  and  next 
morning  fixed  geared  horses  to  the  carriages,  and  moved  for  Fort  Jefferson.  .  .  .  As 
there  is  little  reason  to  believe  that  the  enemy  have  carried  off  the  cannon,  it  is  the  re- 
ceived opinion  that  they  were  either  buried  or  thrown  into  the  creek,  and  I  think  the  latter 
the  most  probable  ;  but  as  it  was  frozen  over  with  thick  ice,  and  that  covered  with  a  deep 
snow,  it  was  impossible  to  make  a  search  with  any  prospect  of  success.  In  a  former  part 
of  this  letter  I  have  mentioned  the  camp  occupied  by  the  enemy  the  night  before  the  ac- 
tion :  had  Col.  Oldham  been  able  to  have  complied  with  your  orders  on  that  evening, 
things  at  this  day  might  have  worn  a  different  aspect. 

Mr.  M'Dowl,  previously  mentioned,  was  one  of  those  who  visited 
the  battle-ground. 

He  states  that  although  the  bodies  were  much  abused  and  stripped  of  all  of  value,  that  they 
recognized  and  interred  them  in  four  large  graves.  Gen.  Butler  was  found  in  the  shattered 
remains  of  his  tent.  After  he  was  wounded,  he  was  borne  to  the  tent,  and  while  two  sur- 
geons were  dressing  his  wounds,  a  ball  struck  one  of  them  in  the  hip.  At  this  instant,  an 
Indian,  who  was  determined  to  have  the  scalp  of  Butler,  rushed  in,  and  while  attempting 
to  scalp  him,  was  shot  by  the  dying  surgeon. 

Tn  December,  1793,  Gen.  Wayne  having  arrived  with  his  army 
at  Greenville,  sent  forward  a  detachment  to  the  spot  of  St.  Clair's 
defeat. 

They  arrived  on  the  ground,  on  Christmas  day,  and  pitched  their  tents  on  the  battle- 
giound.  When  the  men  went  to  lie  down  in  their  tents  at  night,  they  had  to  scrape  the 
bones  together  and  carry  them  out  to  make  their  beds.  The  next  day  holes  were  dug, 
and  the  bones  remaining  above  ground  were  buried  ;  six  hundred  skulls  being  found  among 
them.  The  flesh  was  entirely  off  the  bones,  and  in  many  cases,  the  sinews  yet  held  them 
together.  After  this  melancholy  duty  was  performed,  a  fortification  was  built,  and  named 
Fort  Recovery,  in  commemoration  of  its  being  recovered  from  the  Indians,  who  had 
possession  of  the  ground  in  1791.  On  the  completion  of  the  fort,  one  company  of  artillery 
and  one  of  riflemen  were  left,  while  the  rest  returned  to  Greenville. 

The  site  of  St.  Clair's  battle  became  the  scene  of  a  sanguinary 
affair  in  the  summer  of  1794,  while  Wayne's  army  was  encamped 
at  Greenville,  of  which  Burnet's  Notes  give  the  best  description  we 
have  seen. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  a  very  severe  and  bloody  battle  was  fought  under  the  walls  of  Fort 
Recovery,  between  a  detachment  of  American  troops,  consisting  of  ninety  riflemen  and 
fifty  dragoons,  commanded  by  Maj.  McMahon,  and  a  very  numerous  body  of  Indians  and 
British,  who  at  the  same  instant,  rushed  on  the  detachment,  and  assailed  the  fort  on  every 
side,  with  great  fury.  They  were  repulsed,  with  a  heavy  loss,  but  again  rallied  and  re- 
newed the  attack,  keeping  up  a  heavy  and  constant  fire  during  the  whole  day,  which  was 
returned  with  spirit  and  effect,  by  the  garrison. 

The  succeeding  night  was  foggy  and  dark,  and  gave  the  Indians  an  opportunity  of  car- 
rying off  their  dead,  by  torch-light,  which  occasionally  drew  a  fire  from  the  garrison. 
They,  however,  succeeded  so  well,  that  there  were  but  eight  or  ten  bodies  left  on  the 
ground,  which  were  too  near  the  garrison  to  be  approached.  On  the  next  morning,  McMa- 
hon's  detachment  having  entered  the  fort,  the  enemy  renewed  the  attack,  and  continued  it 
with  great  desperation  during  the  day,  but  were  ultimately  compelled  to  retreat  from  the 
same  field,  on  which  they  had  been  proudly  victorious  on  the  4th  of  November,  1791. 


DARKE    COUNTY.  139 

The  expectation  of  the  assailants  must  have  been  to  surprise  the  post,  and  carry  it  by 
storm,  for  they  could  not  possibly  have  received  intelligence  of  the  movement  of  the  escort, 
under  Maj.  McMahon,  which  only  marched  from  Greenville,  on  the  morning  preceding, 
and  on  the  same  evening,  deposited  in  Fort  Recovery,  the  supplies  it  had  convoyed.  That 
occurrence  could  not,  therefore,  have  led  to  the  movement  of  the  savages. 

Judging  from  the  extent  of  their  encampment,  and  their  line  of  march,  in  seventeen  col- 
ums,  forming  a  wide  and  extended  front,  and  from  other  circumstances,  it  was  believed 
their  numbers  could  not  have  been  less  than  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  warriors. 
It  was  also  believed,  that  they  were  in  want  of  provisions,  as  they  had  killed  and  eaten  a 
number  of  pack-horses  in  their  encampment,  the  evening  after  the  assault,  and  also,  at 
their  encampment  on  their  return,  seven  miles  from  Recovery,  where  they  remained  two 
nights,  having  been  much  encumbered  with  their  dead  and  wounded. 

From  the  official  return  of  Maj.  Mills,  adjutant  general  of  the  army,  it  appears  that 
twenty  two  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers  were  killed,  and  thirty  wounded.  Among 
the  former,  were  Maj.  McMahon,  Capt.  Hartshorn,  and  Lieut.  Craig ;  and  among  the 
wounded,  Capt.  Taylor  of  the  dragoons,  and  Lieut.  Darke  of  the  legion.  Capt.  Gibson, 
who  commanded  the  fort,  behaved  with  great  gallantry,  and  received  the  thanks  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  as  did  every  officer  and  soldier  of  the  garrison,  and  the  escort,  who 
were  engaged  in  that  most  gallant  and  successful  defence. 

Immediately  after  the  enemy  had  retreated,  it  was  ascertained,  that  their  loss  had  been 
very  heavy,  but  the  full  extent  of  it  was  not  known  till  it  was  disclosed  at  the  treaty  of 
Greenville.  References  were  made  to  that  battle,  by  several  of  the  chiefs  in  council,  from 
which  it  was  manifest,  that  they  had  not,  even  then,  ceased  to  mourn  the  distressing  losses 
sustained  on  that  occasion.  Having  made  the  attack  with  a  determination  to  carry  the 
fort,  or  perish  in  the  attempt,  they  exposed  their  persons  in  an  unusual  degree,  and  of 
course,  a  large  number  of  the  bravest  of  their  chiefs  and  warriors,  perished  before  they 
abandoned  the  enterprise. 

From  the  facts  afterwards  communicated  to  the  general,  it  was  satisfactorily  ascertained 
that  there  were  a  considerable  number  of  British  soldiers  and  Detroit  militia  engaged  with 
the  savages,  on  that  occasion.  A  few  days  previous  to  that  affair,  the  general  had  sent  out 
three  small  parties  of  Chickasaw  and  Choctaw  Indians,  to  take  prisoners,  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  information.  One  of  those  parties  returned  to  Greenville  on  the  28th,  and  re- 
ported that  they  had  fallen  in  with  a  large  body  of  Indians,  at  Girty's  town,  (crossing  of 
the  St.  Mary's,)  on  the  evening  of  the  27th  of  June,  apparently  bending  their  course  to- 
wards Chillicothe,  on  the  Miami ;  and  that  there  were  a  great  many  white  men  with  them. 
The  other  two  parties  followed  the  trail  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  were  in  sight  when  the 
assault  on  the  post  commenced.  They  affirm,  one  and  all,  that  there  were  a  large  number 
of  armed  white  men,  with  painted  faces,  whom  they  frequently  heard  conversing  in  Eng- 
lish, and  encouraging  the  Indians  to  persevere  ;  and  that  there  were  also  three  British  offi- 
cers, dressed  in  scarlet,  who  appeared  to  be  men  of  distinction,  from  the  great  attention 
and  respect  which  was  paid  to  them.  These  persons  kept  at  a  distance,  in  the  rear  of  the 
assailants.  Another  strong  corroborating  proof  that  there  were  British  soldiers  and  militia 
in  the  assault,  is,  that  a  number  of  ounce-balls  and  buck-shot  were  found  lodged  in  the 
block-houses  and  stockades  of  the  fort ;  and  that  others  were  picked  up  on  the  ground, 
fired  at  such  a  distance  as  not  to  have  momentum  sufficient  to  enter  the  logs. 

It  was  supposed  that  the  British  engaged  in  the  attack,  expected  to  find  the  artillery  that 
was  lost  on  the  fatal  4th  of  November,  which  had  been  hid  in  the  ground  and  covered  with 
logs,  by  the  Indians,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  battle-field.  This  inference  was  supported  by 
the  fact,  that  during  the  conflict,  they  were  seen  turning  over  logs,  and  examining  differ- 
ent places,  in  the  neighborhood,  as  if  searching  for  something.  There  were  many  reasons 
for  believing,  that  they  depended  on  that  artillery,  to  aid  in  the  reduction  of  the  fort ;  but 
fortunately,  most  of  it  had  been  previously  found  by  its  legitimate  owners,  and  was  then 
employed  in  its  defence. 

James  Neill,  a  pack-horse-man  in  the  American  service,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  Indians,  during  the  attack,  and  tied  to  a  stump,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  fort,  after 
his  return,  stated  to  the  general,  that  the  enemy  lost  a  great  number  in  killed  and  wounded  ; 
that  while  he  was  at  the  stump,  he  saw  about  twenty  of  their  dead,  and  a  great  many 
wounded,  carried  off.  He  understood  there  were  fifteen  hundred  Indians  and  white  men 
in  the  attack  ;  and  on  their  return  to  the  Miami,  the  Indians  stated,  that  no  men  ever 
fought  better  than  they  did  at  Recovery  ;  and  that  their  party  lost  twice  as  many  men  in 
that  attack,  as  they  did  at  St.  Clair's  defeat. 

Jonathan  Alder,  who  was  then  living  with  the  Indians,  gives  in 
his  mss.  auto-biography,  an  account  of  the  attack  on  the  fort.     He 


140  DARKE    COUNTY. 

states  that  Simon  Girty  was  in  the  action,  and  that  one  of  the  Amer- 
ican officers  was  killed  by  Thomas  M'Kee,  a  son  of  the  British 
agent,  Col.  Alex.  M'Kee.  We  have  room  but  for  a  single  extract, 
showing  the  risk  the  Indians  encountered,  to  bring  off  their  wounded. 

In  the  morning,  when  we  arose,  an  old  Indian  addressed  us,  saying,  "  We  last  night 
went  out  to  take  the  fort  by  surprise,  and  lost  several  of  our  men,  killed  and  wounded. 
There  is  one  wounded  man  lying  near  the  fort,  who  must  be  brought  away,  for  it  would  be 
an  eternal  shame  and  scandal  to  the  tribe  to  allow  him  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  whites  to 
be  massacred.  I  wish  to  know  who  will  volunteer  to  go  and  bring  him  away."  Big  Turtle, 
who  knew  where  he  lay,  answered,  that  he  would  go  ;  but  as  no  one  else  volunteered,  the 
old  Indian  pointed  out  several  of  us  successively,  myself  among  the  number,  saying  that 
we  must  accompany  Big  Turtle.  Upon  this,  we  rose  up  without  a  word,  and  started.  As 
soon  as  we  came  into  the  edge  of  the  cleared  ground,  those  in  the  fort  began  shooting  at 
us.  We  then  ran  crooked,  from  one  tree  to  another,  the  bullets  in  the  meanwhile  flying 
about  us  like  hail.  At  length,  while  standing  behind  a  big  tree,  Big  Turtle  ordered  us  not 
to  stop  any  more,  but  run  in  a  straight  line,  as  we  were  only  giving  them  time  to  load, — 
that  those  foremost  in  going  should  have  the  liberty  of  first  returning.  He  then  pointed 
out  the  wounded  man,  and  we  started  in  a  straight  line,  through  a  shower  of  bullets. 
Wrhen  we  reached  him,  we  were  within  sixty  yards  of  the  fort.  We  all  seized  him  and 
retreated  for  our  lives,  first  dodging  from  one  side  and  then  to  the  other,  until  out  of  danger. 
None  of  us  were  wounded  but  Big  Turtle  ;  a  ball  grazed  his  thigh,  and  a  number  of  bullets 
passed  through  his  hunting  shirt,  that  hung  loose.  When  we  picked  up  the  wounded 
man,  his  shirt  flew  up,  and  I  saw  that  he  was  shot  in  the  belly.  It  was  green  all  around 
the  bullet  holes,  and  I  concluded  that  we  were  risking  our  lives  for  a  dead  man. 

A  small  village,  now  containing  a  few  houses  only,  was  laid  off 
on  the  site  of  St.  Clair's  defeat,  in  1836,  by  Larkin  &  M'Daniels  : 
it  is  23  miles  north  of  Greenville.  Many  relics  of  the  battle  have 
been  discovered;  muskets,  swords,  tomahawks,  scalping  knives, 
cannon  balls,  grape  and  musket  shot,  &c.  Among  the  bones  found, 
is  that  of  a  skull,  now  in  possession  of  Mr.  Wm.  M'Daniels,  showing 
the  marks  of  a  bullet,  a  tomahawk  and  a  scalping  knife.  St.  Clair 
lost  several  cannon,  all  of  which  but  one  were  subsequently  re- 
covered by  Wayne.  This  was  long  known  to  be  missing,  and  about 
a  dozen  years  since  was  discovered,  buried  in  the  mud  near  the 
mouth  of  the  creek :  it  is  now  in  possession  of  an  artillery  company 
in  Cincinnati.  When  the  low  ground  in  the  valley  of  the  river  was 
cleared,  several  years  since,  a  large  quantity  of  bullets  and  grape 
shot  were  found  in  the  bodies  of  trees,  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  above 
the  ground,  from  which  it  seems,  that  the  troops  and  artillery,  hav- 
ing been  stationed  on  high  ground,  fired  over  the  enemy.  On  burn- 
ing the  trees,  the  lead  melting  run  down  their  trunks,  discoloring 
them  so  much,  as  to  be  perceived  at  a  considerable  distance. 

The  remains  of  Maj.  McMahon  and  his  companions,  who  fell  at 
the  time  of  the  attack  on  the  fort,  were  buried  within  its  walls. 
Some  years  since,  their  bones  were  disinterred  and  reburied  with 
the  honors  of  war,  in  one  coffin,  in  the  village  grave-yard.  McMa- 
hon was  known  from  the  size  of  his  bones,  having  been  about  6  feet 
6  inches  in  height :  a  bullet  hole  was  in  his  skull,  the  ball  having 
entered  his  temple  and  come  out  at  the  back  of  his  head.  He  was 
originally  from  near  the  Mingo  bottom,  just  below  Steubenville. 
He  was  a  famous  Indian  fighter  and  captain,  and  classed  by  the  bor- 
derers on  the  Upper  Ohio  with  Brady  and  the  Wetzels. 


DARKE  COUNTY.  141 

Fort  Jefferson.  5  miles  south  of  Greenville,  was  built  by  St.  Clair. 
In  the  summer  of  1792,  a  large  body  of  Indians  surrounded  this  fort. 

Before  they  were  discovered,  a  party  of  them  secreted  themselves  in  some  underbrush 
and  behind  some  bogs,  near  the  fort.  Knowing  that  Capt.  Shaylor,  the  commandant,  was 
passionately  fond  of  hunting,  they  imitated  the  noise  of  turkeys.  The  captain,  not  i  ream- 
ing of  a  decoy,  hastened  out  with  his  son,  fully  expecting  to  return  loaded  with  game.  As 
they  approached  near  the  place,  the  savages  rose,  tired,  and  his  son,  a  promising  lad,  fell. 
The  captain  turning,  fled  to  the  garrison.  The  Indians  pursued  closely,  calculating  either 
to  take  him  prisoner  or  enter  the  sally  gate  with  him,  in  case  it  were  opened  for  his  ad- 
mission. They  were,  however,  disappointed,  though  at  his  heels  ;  he  entered  and  the  gate 
was  closed,  the  instant  he  reached  it.  In  his  retreat,  he  was  badly  wounded  by  an  arrow 
in  his  back. 


View  in  Greenville. 

Greenville,  the  county  seat,  is  in  the  township  of  Greenville,  92 
miles  west  of  Columbus,  and  10  from  the  Indiana  line.  It  was  laid 
off,  Aug.  10th,  1808,  by  Robert  Gray  and  John  Devor,  and  con- 
tains 1  Baptist,  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  and  1  Christian  church,  16 
mercantile  stores,  1  flouring  mill,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  and 
about  800  inhabitants. 

Greenville  is  a  point  of  much  historical  note.  In  December,  '93, 
Wayne  built  a  fort  at  this  place,  which  he  called  Fort  Greenville. 
He  remained  until  the  28th  of  July,  '94,  when  he  left  for  the  Maumee 
rapids,  where  he  defeated  the  Indians  on  the  20th  of  the  month  suc- 
ceeding. His  army  returned  to  Greenville  on  the  2d  of  November, 
after  an  absence  of  three  months  and  six  days.  Fort  Greenville 
was  an  extensive  work,  and  covered  the  greater  part  of  the  site  of 
the  town.  The  annexed  plan  is  from  the  survey  of  Mr.  James 
M'Bride,  of  Hamilton.  The  blocks  represent  the  squares  of  the 
town,  within  the  lines  of  the  fort.  Traces  of  the  embankment  are 
plainly  discernable,  and  various  localities  within  the  fort  are  pointed 
out  by  the  citizens  of  the  town.  The  quarters  of  Wayne,  were  on 
the  site  of  the  residence  of  Stephen  Perrine,  on  Main  street.  Henry 
House,  now  of  this  county,  who  was  in  Wayne's  campaign,  says, 
that  the  soldiers  built  log  huts,  arranged  in  rows,  each  regiment  oc- 
cupying one  row,  and  each  hut — of  which  there  were  many  hun- 
dred— occupied  by  six  soldiers.  He  also  affirms  that  Wayne  drilled 
his  men  to  load  while  running  ;  and  every  night  when  on  the  march. 


142 


DARKE  COUNTY. 


had  good  breast-works  erected,  at  which  the  men  had  been  so  wel 
practiced,  as  to  be  able  to  accomplish  In  a  few  minutes. 


kS 


Fort  Greenville. 

On  the  3d  of  August,  1795,  Wayne  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace 
with  the  Indians,  at  Greenville.  The  number  of  Indians  present 
was  1,130,  viz :  180  Wyandots,  381  Delawares,  143  Shawnees,  45 
Ottawas,  46  Chippewas,  240  Pottawatamies,  73  Miamies  and  Eel 
river,  12  Weas  and  Piankeshaws,  and  10  Kickapoos  and  Kaskaskias. 
The  principal  chiefs  were  Tarhe,  Buckongehelas,  Black  Hoof,  Blue 
Jacket,  and  Little  Turtle.  Most  of  the  chiefs  had  been  tampered 
with  by  M'Kee  and  other  British  agents ;  but  their  people,  having 
been  reduced  to  great  extremities  by  the  generalship  of  Wayne,  had, 
notwithstanding,  determined  to  make  a  permanent  peace  with  the 
"  Thirteen  Fires,"  as  they  called  the  federal  states.  The  basis  of  the 
treaty  of  Greenville  was,  that  hostilities  were  to  cease,  and' all  pris- 
oners restored.     Article  3d,  defined  the  Indian  boundary  as  follows: 

The  general  boundary  line  between  the  lands  of  the  United  States,  and  the  lands  of  the 
said  Indian  tribes,  shall  begin  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  river,  and  run  thence  up  the  same 
to  the  Portage  between  that  and  the  Tuscarawas  branch  of  the  Muskingum,  thence  down 
that  branch  to  the  crossing  place  above  Fort  Laurens,  thence  westerly,  to  a  fork  of  that 
branch  of  the  Great  Miami  river,  running  into  the  Ohio,  at  or  near  which  fork  stood  Lo- 
romie's  store,  and  where  commenced  the  portage  between  the  Miami  of  the  Ohio,  and  St. 
Mary's  river,  which  is  a  branch  of  the  Miami,  which  runs  into  Lake  Erie :  thence,  a  west- 
erly course  to  Fort  Recovery,  which  stands  on  the  branch  of  the  Wabash ;  thence,  south- 
erly in  a  direct  line  to  the  Ohio,  so  as  to  intersect  that  river  opposite  the  mouth  of  Ken- 
tucke  or  Cuttawa  river. 

The  following  are  the  reservations  within  the  limits  of  Ohio,  granted  to  the  Indians  by 
this  treaty. 

1st.  One  piece  of  land  6  miles  square,  at  or  near  Loramie's  store,  before  mentioned.  2d. 
One  piece  2  miles  square,  at  the  head  of  the  navigable  water  or  landing  on  the  St.  Mary's 
river,  near  Girty's  town.  3d.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  head  of  the  navigable 
water  of  the  Auglaise  river.  4th.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Auglaise  and  Miami  rivers,  where  Fort  Defiance  now  stands.  8th.  One  piece,  twelve 
miles  square,  at  the  British  fort  on  the  Miami  of  the  lake,  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  9th. 
One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  mouth  of  the  said  river  where  it  empties  into  the  lake. 
10th.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  upon  Sandusky  lake,  where  a  fort  formerly  stood.  11th. 
One  piece,  two  miles  square,  at  the  lower  rapids  of  the  Sandusky  river. 


DEFIANCE    COUNTY.  143 

These  with  the  other  tracts  were  given,  "for  the  same  considerations,  and  as  an  evidence 
of  the  returning  friendship  of  the  said  Indian  tribes,  of  their  confidence  in  the  United  States, 
and  desire  to  provide  for  their  accommodation,  and  for  that  convenient  intercourse  which 
will  be  beneficial  to  both  parties." 

A  second  treaty  was  concluded  at  Greenville,  July  22d,  1814, 
with  the  Wyandots,  Delawares,  Shawnees,  Senecas  and  Miamies. 

The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  were  Gen.  Wm.  Henry  Harrison 
and  Gov.  Lewis  Cass.  By  it,  these  tribes  engaged  to  aid  the  United  States  in  the  war  with 
Great  Britain  and  her  savage  allies.  The  prominent  chiefs  were  Tarhe,  Capt.  Pipe  and 
Black  Hoof.  Both  of  '.he  treaties  were  held  on  the  same  spot,  within  the  present  garden 
of  Abraham  Scribner,  in  Greenville.  On  the  22d  of  July,  1840,  just  26  years  after  the 
last  treaty,  there  was  a  great  celebration  at  this  place,  called  "  the  Greenville  Treaty  Cele- 
bration," at  which  the  many  thousands  present  were  addressed  at  length  by  Gen.  Harrison. 

From  the  year  1805  to  1808,  the  celebrated  Tecumseh,  with  his  brother  the  prophet,  re- 
sided at  Greenville.  It  was  the  point  where  they  formed  their  plans  of  hostility  to  the 
whites.  During  their  residence  at  this  place,  they  were  visited  by  many  Indians,  who  were 
wrought  into  the  highest  excitement  by  the  eloquence  of  Tecumseh  and  the  cunning  of  the 
prophet. 

On  the  plan  of  Fort  Greenville,  is  laid  down  "  Tecumseh  Point"  at  the  junction  of  the 
rivulet  with  Greenville  creek,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  court  house.  At  this 
place  are  some  Indian  graves, — here  Tecumseh  had  a  cabin,  and  formerly  near  it  was  a 
spring,  called  "  Tecumseh's  Spring."  In  1832,  the  remnant  of  the  Shawnees,  then  moving 
to  their  new  homes  in  the  far  west,  from  their  reservation  on  the  Auglaize,  took  this  place 
on  their  route,  instead  of  Cincinnati,  as  desired  by  the  United  States  agents.  They  en- 
camped on  Tecumseh's  point,  to  the  number  of  several  hundred,  and  remained  a  day  or 
two,  to  take  a  final  farewell  of  a  place  so  dear  to  their  memories. 

New  Madison,  10  miles  southwest  of  Greenville,  near  the  site  of 
old  Fort  Black,  is  a  new  and  thriving  village,  containing  about  50 
houses.  Fort  Jefferson,  Fort  Recovery,  New  Castine,  Ithaca,  New 
Harrison,  Gettysburg,  Versailles,  Beamsville  and  Palestine  are  small 
towns. 


DEFIANCE. 

Defiance  was  erected  March  4th,  1845,  from  Williams,  Henry  and 
Paulding,  and  named  from  Fort  Defiance.  It  is  watered  by  the 
Auglaize,  the  Tiffin  and  the  Maumee  :  this  last  named  stream  was 
anciently  called  "  Miami  of  the  Lake"  and  sometimes  "  Omee."  The 
Maumee  is  navigable  by  steamers,  in  high  water,  to  Fort  Wayne,  and 
in  ordinary  stages  to  that  place  for  keel  boats  carrying  60  tons.  The 
Auglaize  is  navigable  for  keel  boats  to  Wapakoneta,  and  the  Tiffin, 
which  is  a  narrow,  deep  stream,  is  navigable,  for  pirogues  of  a 
few  tons,  about  50  miles.  Much  grain  comes  down  those  various 
streams.  Prior  to  the  building  of  the  Wabash  canal,  Northern  Indi- 
ana received  a  large  part  of  its  supplies  by  the  Maumee.  Much  of 
this  county  is  covered  by  the  Black  Swamp,  and  the  surface,  where 
cleared  and  drained,  is  very  fertile.  The  county  is  divided  into  the 
following  townships. 

Adams,  Delaware,  Highland,  Tiffin, 

Crane,  Farmer,  Hicksford,  Washington. 

Defiance,  Hicksville,  Richland, 


144 


DEFIANCE    COUNTY. 


Fort  Defiance. 


Defiance  having  been  formed  since  the  last  census,  its  population 
is  unknown. 

The  annexed  plan  and  description 
of  Fort  Defiance,  is  found  in  the  mem- 
'  oranda  of  Benj.  Van  Cleve,  commu- 
nicated by  his  son,  John  W.  Van 
Cleve,  of  Dayton,  to  the  American 
Pioneer. 

At  each  angle  of  the  fort  was  a  block-house. 
The  one  next  the  Maumee  is  marked  A,  hav- 
ing port-holes  B,  on  the  three  exterior  sides,  and 
door  D  and  chimney  C  on  the  side  facing  to  the 
interior.  There  was  a  line  of  pickets  on  each 
side  of  the  fort,  connecting  the  block-houses  by 
their  nearest  angles.  Outside  of  the  pickets  and 
around  the  block-houses  was  a  glacis,  a  wall  of 
earth  eight  feet  thick,  sloping  upwards  and  out- 
wards from  the  feet  of  the  pickets,  supported  by 
a  log  wall  on  the  side  of  the  ditch  and  by  facines, 
a  wall  of  faggots,  on  the  side  next  the  Auglaize. 
The  ditch,  fifteen  feet  wide  and  eight  feet  deep, 
surrounded  the  whole  work  except  on  the  side 
toward  the  Auglaize ;  and  diagonal  pickets, 
eleven  feet  long  and  one  foot  apart,  were  secu- 
red to  the  log  wall  and  projected  over  the  ditch. 
E  and  E  were  gateways.  F  was  a  bank  of 
earth,  four  feet  wide,  left  for  a  passage  across 
the  ditch.  G  was  a  falling  gate  or  drawbridge,  which  was  raised  and  lowered  by  pullies, 
across  the  ditch,  covering  it  or  leaving  it  uncovered  at  pleasure.  The  officers'  quarters 
were  at  H,  and  the  storehouses  at  I.  At  K,  two  lines  of  pickets  converged  towards  L, 
which  was  a  ditch  eight  feet  deep,  by  which  water  was  procured  from  the  river  without  ex- 
posing the  carrier  to  the  enemy.     M  was  a  small  sand-bar  at  the  point. 

Defiance,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Maumee,  at 
its  junction  with  the  Auglaize,  on  the  line  of  the  canal,  152  miles  nw. 
of  Columbus,  58  from  Toledo  and  50  from  Fort  Wayne.  It  was  laid 
out  in  1822,  by  Benj.  Level  and  Horatio  G.  Philips,  and  contains  1 
Methodist  and  1  Catholic  church,  5  mercantile  stores  and  a  popula- 
tion of  about  700.  It  is  destined,  from  its  natural  position,  to  be, 
when  the  country  is  fully  settled,  a  large  and  flourishing  place  ;  it 
already  has  an  extensive  trade  with  a  large  district  of  country. 

Defiance  is  on  the  site  of  a  large  Indian  settlement,  which  extend- 
ed for  miles  up  and  down  the  river.  Gen.  Wayne,  on  his  advance 
march,  arrived  at  this  place,  Aug.  8th,  1794.  His  army  found  it 
surrounded  by  a  highly  cultivated  country,  there  being  vegetables  of 
every  kind  in  abundance,  and  not  less  than  one  thousand  acres  of 
corn  around  the  Indian  town,  beside  immense  apple  and  peach  or- 
chards. It  had  been  a  great  trading  point  between  the  Canadian 
French  and  the  Indians.  On  the  9th  of  August,  Wayne  commenced 
the  erection  of  a  fort,  which  he  called  Fort  Defiance.  The  army 
remained  here  several  days  and  then  moved  northward,  and  on  the 
20th,  routed  the  Indians  at  the  Maumee  rapids.  On  their  return, 
they  completed  the  fortress.  Fort  Defiance  was  built  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Auglaize  and  Maumee,  traces  of  which  work  are  now 
plainly  discernable.     The  situation  is  beautiful  and  commanding  :  it 


DELAWARE    COUNTY. 


145 


is  indicated  in  the  view  of  Defiance  by  the  flag  shown  on  the  left, 
Gen.  Winchester,  previous  to  his  defeat  at  the  river  Raisin,  in  the  war 


Defiance  from  the  North  bank  of  the  Maumee. 

of  1812,  encamped  in  a  picketed  fort,  which  he  built  on  the  Auglaize, 
about  100  yards  south  of  the  other,  and  named  Fort  Winchester. 

Brunersburg,  Independence,  Clarksville,  Evansport,  Delaware  and 
Hicksville,  are  small  places.     {See  Addenda.) 


DELAWARE. 

Delaware  was  formed  from  Franklin  county,  Feb.  10th,  1808. 
The  surface  is  generally  level  and  the  soil  clay,  except  the  river 
bottoms.  About  one  third  of  the  surface  is  adapted  to  meadow  and 
pasture  and  the  remainder  to  the  plough.  The  principal  products 
are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  pork  and  wool.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
21_townships,  with  their  population  in  1840. 

Harlem, 
Harmony, 
Kingston, 
Liberty, 
Lincoln, 
Oxford, 
Orange, 
The  population  of  Delaware  county,  in  1820,  was  7,639  ;  in  1830, 
11,522,  and  in  1840,  22,000  or  36  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  name  of  this  county  originated  from  the  Delaware  tribe, 
some  of  whom  once  dwelt  within  its  limits,  and  had  extensive  corn- 
fields adjacent  to  its  seat  of  justice.     John  Johnston  says : 

"  The  true  name  of  this  once  powerful  tribe  is  Wa,be,nugh,ka, 

19 


Bennington, 

1051 

Berkshire, 

1407 

Berlin, 

827 

Brown, 

908 

Concord, 

1185 

Delaware, 

1019 

Genoa, 

1193 

963 

Peru, 

737 

676 

Porter, 

678 

657 

Radnor, 

1174 

811 

Scioto, 

877 

549 

Thompson, 

660 

774 

Trenton, 

1188 

789 

Troy, 

838 

146  DELAWARE  COUNTY. 

that  is,  'the  people  from  the  east,'  or  'the  sun  rising.'  The  tradition 
among  themselves  is,  that  they  originally,  at  some  very  remote  pe- 
riod, emigrated  from  the  west,  crossed  the  Mississippi,  ascending  the 
Ohio,  fighting  their  way,  until  they  reached  the  Delaware  river,  [so 
named  from  Lord  Delaware,]  near  where  Philadelphia  now  stands, 
in  which  region  of  county  they  became  fixed. 

"  About  this  time,  they  were  so  numerous  that  no  enumeration 
could  be  made  of  the  nation.  They  welcomed  to  the  shores  of  the 
new  world  that  great  law-giver,  Wm.  Penn,  and  his  peaceful  follow- 
ers, and  ever  since  this  people  have  entertained  a  kind  and  grateful 
recollection  of  them  ;  and  to  this  day,  speaking  of  good  men,  they 
would  say,  '  wa,she,a,  E,le,ne' — such  a  man  is  a  Quaker,  i.  e.  all  good 
men  are  Quakers.  In  1823, 1  removed  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi 
persons  of  this  tribe,  who  were  born  and  raised  within  30  miles  of 
Philadelphia.  These  were  the  most  squalid,  wretched  and  degraded 
of  their  race,  and  often  furnished  chiefs  with  a  subject  of  reproach 
against  the  whites,  pointing  to  these  of  their  people  and  saying  to  us, 
'  see  how  you  have  spoiled  them' — meaning,  they  had  acquired  all 
the  bad  habits  of  the  white  people,  and  were  ignorant  of  hunting  and 
incapable  of  making  a  livelihood  as  other  Indians. 

"In  1819,  there  were  belonging  to  my  agency  in  Ohio,  80  Dela- 
wares,  who  were  stationed  near  Upper  Sandusky,  and  in  Indiana, 
2,300  of  the  same  tribe. 

"  Bockinghelas  was  the  principal  chief  of  the  Delawares  for  many 
years  after  my  going  into  the  Indian  country  :  he  wTas  a  distinguished 
warrior  in  his  day,  and  an  old  man  when  I  knew  him.  Killbuck, 
another  Delaware  chief,  had  received  a  liberal  education  at  Prince 
ton  College,  and  retained  until  his  death  the  great  outlines  of  the 
morality  of  the  Gospel." 

Delaware,  the  county  seat,  is  pleasantly  situated,  on  rolling  ground, 
upon  the  western  bank  of  the  Olentangy  river,  24  miles  n.  from 
Columbus.  It  was  laid  out  in  the  spring  of  1808,  by  Moses  Byxbe, 
Esq.  The  engraving  shows  the  public  buildings  on  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal streets  of  this  neat  and  thriving  town.  The  churches  shown 
are  respectively,  commencing  on  the  right,  the  1st  Presbyterian,  the 
Episcopal  and  the  2d  Presbyterian :  between  the  two  first,  the 
Methodist  church,  a  substantial  stone  structure,  partially  appears  in 
the  distance.  The  large  building  seen  beyond  the  2d  Presbyterian 
church,  is  the  "  Hinton  House,"  one  of  the  largest  and  best  construct- 
ed hotels  in  Ohio. 

The  Delaware  Springs  are  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
village,  and  large  numbers  of  persons  come  here  for  the  benefit  of 
its  waters.  "  Tradition  states  that  the  Indians  resorted  to  these 
springs,  to  use  the  waters  and  kill  the  deer  and  buffalo,  which  came 
here  in  great  numbers.  Before  the  grounds  were  enclosed,  in 
the  early  settlement  of  the  country,  the  domestic  animals  for  miles 
around  made  this  a  favorite  resort  in  the  heats  of  summer,  and  ap- 
peared satisfied  with  no  other  water. 

"  The  principal  spring  is  a  fine  fountain  of  water,  issuing  forth  into 


DELAWARE    COUNTY.  147 

an  artificial  stone  basin  at  the  rate  of  12  or  15  gallons  per  minute. 
The  spring  is  of  that  class  termed  white  sulphur,  or  cold  hydro- 
sulphurous  water.     The  water  is  said  to  be  similar  to  that  of  the 


View  in  Winter  Street,  Delaware. 

celebrated  white  sulphur  springs  of  Virginia,  and  equal  in  their  min- 
eral and  medicinal  qualities.  The  water  is  cooler,  being  as  low  as 
53°,  contains  more  gas  and  is  therefore  lighter  and  more  pleasant 
than  that  of  the  Virginia  water.  Many  cures  have  been  effected  of 
persons  afflicted  with  scrofulous  diseases,  dyspepsia,  bilious  derange- 
ments of  the  liver  and  stomach,  want  of  appetite  and  digestion,  cases 
of  erysipelas,  when  all  the  usual  remedies  had  failed,  and  injuries 
inflicted  by  the  excessive  use  of  calomel. 

Prof.  H.  Michell,  in  giving  his  analysis  of  the  waters,  says;  "Of 
gaseous  products,  I  find  that  one  wine  pint  of  the  water,  taken  im- 
mediately from  the  spring,  contains  of  sulphurated  hydrogen  gas,  12 
cubic  inches  ;  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  3  do.  One  hundred  grains  of  the- 
deposit,  which  resulted  from  evaporating  several  gallons  of  the  water, 
yielded,  on  analysis,  of  muriate  of  soda,  48  grains ;  do.  of  lime,  20 
do. ;  sulphate  of  magnesia,  16  do. ;  do.  of  lime,  8  do. ;  carbonate  of 
soda,  5  do. ;  total  of  the  above,  97  grains.  The  above  results  show 
that  these  waters  approach  as  nearly  to  the  well-known  waters  of 
Aix  la  Chappelle  and  Harrowgate  as  those  do  respectively  to  each 

other They  are  decidedly  deobstruent,  and  calculated  to  remove 

glandular  enlargements,  as  well  of  the  liver  as  of  the  other  viscera. 
In  cases  of  slow  fever,  disturbed  state  of  the  functions  of  digestion,  or 
more  confirmed  dyspepsia — morbid  secretions  from  the  kidneys  or 
bladder,  gravel  and  chronic  eruptions  on  the  skin,  1  can  strongly  re- 
commend their  use  ;  and,  though  last,  not  least,  their  power  of  subdu- 
ing general  constitutional  irritation,  and  quieting  and  restoring  tone 
to  the  system,  when  it  has  been  necessarv  to  have  recourse  to  the 


148 


DELAWARE    COUNTY. 


frequent  and  long-continued  action  of  calomel  or  other  mercurial 
preparations,  is,  I  am  persuaded,  of  the  greatest  efficacy." 


Ohio  Wesleyan  University. 

The  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  has  been  recently  established  at 
Delaware,  with  fine  prospects  of  success — the  Rev.  Edward  Thom- 
son, D.  D.,  President.  The  college  edifice  stands  on  a  pleasant 
elevation,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  village,  and  embraces  within  its 
grounds  ten  acres  of  land,  including  the  sulphur  spring,  the  position 
■of  which  is  indicated  in  the  engraving  by  the  figures  seen  in  the  dis- 
tance among  the  trees  on  the  left.  The  population  of  Delaware,  in 
1840,  was  898 — since  which,  it  has  probably  doubled  its  number  of 
inhabitants. 


The  White  Sulphur  Fountain. 

The  White  Sulphur  Fountain  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  rapids 


ERIE    COUNTY.  149 

of  the  Scioto,  18  miles  above  Columbus  and  10  sw.  of  Delaware,  and 
is  surrounded  for  miles  by  a  fine  undulating  and  healthy  country. 

The  buildings  are  neat,  entirely  new  and,  for  the  first  time,  opened  this  season  (1847)  to 
visitors.  The  fountain  is  a  most  remarkable  curiosity,  and  rises  from  the  bed  of  the  Scioto 
through  solid  rock.  It  was  first  discovered  in  1820,  while  boring  for  salt  water,  a  hole  of 
about  2.J  inches  in  diameter.  The  operators  had  pierced  through  about  90  feet  of  solid 
rock,  when  the  auger  suddenly  fell  two  feet  and  up  gushed  with  great  force  a  stream  of 
etrong  white  sulphur  water,  which  has  continued  to  rise  with  its  original  force  and  violence 
to  the  present  time.  Experiments  have  shown  some  curious  results  ;  among  which  was 
that  of  placing  an  air-tight  tube  in  an  upright  position,  one  end  being  inserted  into  the 
hole,  when  the  water  shot  out  of  its  top  with  as  much  force  as  when  issuing  from  the  rock 
beneath.  The  water,  which  is  pure,  is  supposed  to  be  driven  by  its  own  gas  :  its  tempera- 
ture is  50°,  and  it  deposits  on  the  ground  around  a  very  heavy  white  deposit. 

On  the  grounds  of  the  establishment  is  a  beautiful  chalybeate  spring,  having  a  tempe- 
rature of  47°.  "  This  place  has  every  natural  advantage  that  can  be  desired  for  making  it 
one  of  the  greatest  places  of  resort  for  health  and  recreation,  west  of  the  mountains.  From 
present  indications,  it  is  evidently  destined  to  become  so,  as  soon  as  preparations  can  be 
made  to  accommodate  the  public  to  a  sufficient  extent,  which  will  soon  be  done,  as  im- 
provements here  are  making  rapid  progress." 

There  are  several  small  towns  in  the  county  :  the  most  important 
of  these  are  Sunbury  and  Berkshire — the  first  of  which  is  12  miles 
e.  of  Delaware,  and  is  a  neat  village,  containing  4  stores,  3  churches 
and  about  300  inhabitants.     (See  Addenda.) 


ERIE. 


Erie  was  formed  in  1838,  from  Huron  and  Sandusky  counties. 
The  surface  is  level,  with  some  prairie  land.  Inexhaustible  quarries 
of  limestone  and  freestone  abound.  The  freestone  from  Margaretta 
township  resembles  the  famous  Portland  stone :  when  taken  from 
the  quarry  it  is  soft  and  is  frequently  sawed  with  the  hand-saw,  and 
hardens  on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere.  The  limestone  is  of  the 
species  called  marine-shell  marble.  It  is  of  the  best  quality,  full  of 
organic  remains,  and  susceptible  of  an  exquisite  polish.  Quantities 
of  bog  iron  ore  are  found.  The  soil  is  generally  alluvial  and  very 
fertile.  The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  potatoes. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  popula- 
tion. 

Berlin, 
Florence, 
Groton, 
Huron, 

The  population  of  Erie  in  1840,  was  12,457,  or  about  48  inhabi- 
tants to  a  square  mile. 

The  name  of  this  county  was  originally  applied  to  the  Erie  tribe 
of  Indians.  This  nation  is  said  to  have  had  their  residence  at  the 
east  end  of  the  lake,  near  where  Buffalo  now  stands.  They  are 
represented  to  have  been  the  most  powerful  and  warlike  of  all  the 


1628 

Margaretta, 

1104 

Perkins, 

839 

1655 

Milan, 

1531 

Portland, 

1434 

854 

Oxford, 

736 

Vermillion, 

1334 

1488 

150 


ERIE    COUNTY. 


Indian  tribes,  and  to  have  been  extirpated  by  the  Five  Nations  or 
Iroquois,  two  or  three  centuries  since.* 

Father  Lewis  Hennepin,  in  his  work  published  about  1684,  in  speaking  of  certain  Catho- 
lic priests,  thus  alludes  to  the  Erie9 :  "  These  good  fathers  were  great  friends  of  the  Hurons, 
who  told  them  that  the  Iroquois  went  to  war  beyond  Virginia,  or  New  Sweden,  near  a  lake 
which  they  called  '  Erige,'  or  '  Erie,'  which  signifies, '  the  cat,'  or  '  nation  of  the  cat ;'  and 
because  these  savages  brought  captives  from  the  nation  of  the  cat  in  returning  to  their 
cantons  along  this  lake,  the  Hurons  named  it,  in  their  language, '  Erige,'  or  '  Ericke,'  '  the 
lake  of  the  cat.,'  and  which  our  Canadians,  in  softening  the  word,  have  called  '  Lake  Erie.' " 

Charlevoix,  writing  in  1721,  says  respecting  Lake  Erie  :  "  The  name  it  bears  is  that  of 
an  Indian  nation  of  the  Huron  [Wyandot]  language,  which  was  formerly  seated  on  its 
banks,  and  who  have  been  entirely  destroyed  by  the  Iroquois.  Erie,  in  that  language,  sig- 
nifies cat,  and  in  some  accounts,  this  nation  is  called  the  cat  nation.  This  name  probably 
comes  from  the  large  number  of  that  animal  formerly  found  in  this  country." 

The  French  established  a  small 
trading  post  at  the  mouth  of  Huron 
river,  and  another  on  the  shore  of 
the  bay  on  or  near  the  site  of  San- 
dusky city,  which  were  abandoned 
before  the  war  of  the  revolution. 
The  small  map  annexed  is  copied 
from  part  of  Evans's  map  of  the  Mid- 
dle British  Colonies,  published  in 
1755.  The  reader  will  perceive 
upon  the  east  bank  of  Sandusky 
river,  near  the  bay,  a  French  fort 
there  described  as  "  Fort  Junandat, 
built  in  1754."  The  words  Wan- 
dots  are  doubtlesss  meant  for  Wyan- 
dot towns. 

In  1764,  while  Pontiac  was  besieging  Detroit,  Gen.  Bradstreet  col- 
lected a  force  of  3,000  men,  which  embarked  at  Niagara  in  boats  and 
proceeded  up  the  lake  to  the  relief  of  that  post.  Having  burned  the 
Indian  corn-fields  and  villages  at  Sandusky  and  along  the  rich  bot- 
toms of  the  Maumee,  and  dispersed  the  Indians  whom  they  there  then 
found,  he  reached  Detroit  without  opposition.!  Having  dispersed 
the  Indians  besieging  Detroit,  he  passed  into  the  Wyandot  country 
by  way  of  Sandusky  bay.  He  ascended  the  bay  and  river  as  far 
as  it  was  navigable  for  boats  and  there  made  a  camp.  A  treaty  of 
peace  and  friendship  was  signed  by  the  chiefs  and  head  men.  J 

Erie,  Huron,  and  a  small  part  of  Ottawa  counties  comprise  that 
portion  of  the  Western  Reserve  known  as  "  the  fire-lands,"  being  a 
tract  of  about  500,000  acres,  granted  by  the  State  of  Connecticut  to 
the  sufferers  by  fire  from  the  British  in  their  incursions  into  that 
State. §     The  history  which  follows  of  the  fire-lands  and  the  settle- 


*  These  facts  are  derived  from  the  beautiful  "  tradition  of  the  Eries,"  published  in  the 
Buffalo  Commercial,  in  the  summer  of  1845.  That  tradition  (says  the  editor)  "may  be 
implicitly  relied  upon,  every  detail  having  been  taken  from  the  lips  of  Blacksnake  and  other 
venerable  chiefs  of  the  Senecas  and  Tonawandas,  who  still  cherish  the  traditions  of  their 
fathers."  t  Lanman's  Michigan.  X  Whittlesey's  address  on  Boquet's  expedition. 

§  For  some  facts  connected  with  the  history  of  the  fire-lands,  see  sketch  of  the  Western 
Reserve,  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 


ERIE    COUNTY.  151 

ment  of  this  county,  is  from  the  mss.  history  of  the  fire-lands,  by  the 
late  C.  B.  Squier,  Esq.,  of  Sandusky  City. 

The  largest  sufferers,  and,  consequently,  those  who  held  the  largest  interest  in  the  fire-lands, 
purchased  the  rights  of  many  who  held  smaller  interests.  The  proprietors  of  the  fire-lands, 
anxious  that  their  new  territory  should  be  settled,  offered  strong  inducements  for  persons  to 
settle  in  this  then  unknown  region.  But,  aside  from  the  ordinary  difficulties  attending  a 
new  settlement,  the  Indian  title  to  the  western  part  of  the  reserve  was  not  then  extinguished ; 
but  by  a  treaty  held  at  Fort  Industry,  on  the  Maumee,  in  July,  1805,  this  object  was 
accomplished,  and  the  east  line  of  the  Indian  territory  was  established  on  the  west  line  of 
the  reserve. 

The  proprietors  of  the  fire-lands  were  deeply  interested  in  this  treaty,  upon  the  result  of 
which  depended  their  ability  to  possess  and  settle  their  lands.  Consequently,  the  Hon. 
Isaac  Mills,  secretary  of  the  company,  with  others  interested,  left  Connecticut  to  be  present 
at  these  negotiations.  Cleveland  was  the  point  first  designated  for  holding  the  treaty.  But 
upon  their  arrival,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  influence  of  the  British  agents  among  the 
Indians  was  so  great  as  to  occasion  them  to  refuse  to  treat  with  the  agents  of  the  United 
States,  unless  they  would  come  into  their  own  territory,  on  the  Miami  of  the  Lakes,  as  the 
Maumee  was  then  termed.  Having  arrived  at  the  Maumee,  they  found  several  agents  of 
the  British  government  among  the  Indians,  using  every  possible  effort  to  prevent  any  nego- 
tiation whatever,  and  it  was  fifteen  or  twenty  days  before  they  could  bring  them  to  any 
reasonable  terms.  Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty,  the  settlements  commenced 
upon  the  fire-lands. 

It  is  quite  difficult  to  ascertain  who  the  first  settlers  were  upon  the  fire-lands.  As  early, 
if  not  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  state,  several  persons  had  squatted  upon  the  lands,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  streams  and  near  the  shore  of  the  lake,  led  a  hunter's  life  and  trafficked 
with  the  Indians.  But  they  were  a  race  of  wanderers  and  gradually  disappeared  before  the 
regular  progress  of  the  settlements.  Those  devoted  missionaries,  the  Moravians,  made  a 
settlement,  which  they  called  New  Salem,  as  early  as  1790,  on  Huron  river,  about  two 
miles  below  Milan,  on  the  Hathaway  farm.     They  afterwards  settled  at  Milan. 

The  first  regular  settlers  upon  the  fire-lands  were  Col.  Jerard  Ward,  who  came  in  the 
spring  of  1808,  and  Almon  Ruggles  and  Jabez  Wright,  in  the  autumn  succeeding.  Ere  the 
close  of  the  next  year,  quite  a  number  of  families  had  settled  in  the  townships  of  Huron, 
Florence,  Berlin,  Oxford,  Margaretta,  Portland  and  Vermillion.  These  early  settlers  gen- 
erally erected  the  ordinary  log  cabin,  but  others  of  a  wandering  character  built  bark  huts, 
which  were  made  by  driving  a  post  at  each  of  the  four  corners  and  one  higher  between 
each  of  the  two  end  corners,  in  the  middle,  to  support  the  roof,  which  were  connected  to- 
gether by  a  ridge  pole.  Layers  of  bark  were  wound  around  the  side  of  the  posts,  each  upper 
layer  lapping  the  one  beneath  to  shed  rain.  The  roof  was  barked  over,  strips  being  bent 
across  from  one  eave  over  the  ridge  pole  to  the  other  and  secured  by  poles  on  them.  The 
occupants  of  these  bark  huts  were  squatters,  and  lived  principally  by  hunting.  They  were 
the  semi-civilized  race  that  usually  precedes  the  more  substantial  pioneer  in  the  western 
wilderness. 

For  two  or  three  years  previous  to  the  late  war,  the  inhabitants  were  so  isolated  from 
other  settlements  that  no  supplies  could  be  had,  and  there  was  much  suffering  for  want  of 
food  and  clothing  ;  at  times,  whole  families  subsisted  for  weeks  together  on  nothing  but 
parched  and  pounded  corn,  with  a  very  scanty  supply  of  wild  meat.  Indeed,  there  was  not 
a  family  in  the  fire-lands,  between  1809  and  '15,  who  did  not  keenly  feel  the  want  of  both 
food  and  clothing.  Wild  meat,  it  is  true,  could  usually  be  procured  ;  but  living  on  this 
alone  would  much  enfeeble  and  disease  any  one  but  an  Indian  or  a  hunter  accustomed  to  it 
for  years. 

For  even  several  years  after  the  war,  raccoon  caps,  with  the  fur  outside,  and  deerskin 
jackets  and  pantaloons,  were  almost  universally  worn.  The  deerskin  pantaloons  could  not 
be  very  well  tanned,  and  when  dried,  after  being  wet,  were  hard  and  inflexible  :  when 
thrown  upon  the  floor  they  bounded  and  rattled  like  tin  kettles.  A  man,  in  a  cold  winter's 
morning,  drawing  on  a  pair,  was  in  about  as  comfortable  a  position  as  if  thrusting  his  limbs 
into  a  couple  of  frosty  stove  pipes. 

To  add  to  the  trials  and  hardships  of  the  early  settlers,  it  soon  became  very  sickly,  and 
remained  so  for  several  years.  The  following  is  but  one  of  the  many  touching  scenes  of 
privation  and  distress  that  might  be  related  : 

A  young  man  with  his  family  settled  not  far  from  the  Huron  river,  building  his  cabin  in 
the  thick  woods,  distant  from  any  other  settlement.  During  the  summer,  he  cleared  a  small 
patch,  and  in  the  fall,  became  sick  and  died.     Soon  after,  a  hunter  on  his  way  home,  pass- 


152  ERIE    COUNTY. 

ing  by  the  clearing,  saw  every  thing  still  about  the  cabin,  mistrusted  all  was  not  right,  and 
knocked  at  the  door  to  inquire.  A  feeble  voice  bade  him  enter.  Opening  the  door  he  was 
startled  by  the  appearance  of  the  woman,  sitting  by  the  fire,  pale,  emaciated,  and  holding  a 
puny,  sickly  babe  !  He  immediately  inquired  their  health.  She  burst  into  tears  and  was 
unable  to  answer.  The  hunter  stood  for  a  moment  aghast  at  the  scene.  The  woman,  re- 
covering from  her  gush  of  sorrow,  at  length  raised  her  head  and  pointed  towards  the  bed, 
saying,  "  there  is  my  little  Edward — I  expect  he  is  dying — and  here  is  my  babe,  so  sick  I 
cannot  lay  it  down  ;  I  am  so  feeble  I  can  scarcely  remain  in  my  chair,  and  my  poor  husband 
lies  buried  beside  the  cabin  !"  and  then,  as  if  frantic  by  the  fearful  recital,  she  exclaimed  in 
a  tone  of  the  deepest  anguish,  "  Oh  !  that  I  was  back  to  my  own  country,  where  I  could  fall 
into  the  arms  of  my  mother  !"  Tears  of  sympathy  rolled  down  the  weather-beaten  cheeks 
of  the  iron-framed  hunter  as  he  rapidly  walked  away  for  assistance.  It  was  a  touching 
scene. 

A  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  period  were  of  upright  characters  ;  bold,  daring  and 
somewhat  restless,  but  generous-minded.  Although  enduring  great  privations,  much  hap- 
piness fell  to  the  kind  of  life  they  were  leading.  One  of  them  says  :  "  When  I  look  back 
upon  the  first  few  years  of  our  residence  here,  I  am  led  to  exclaim,  O !  happy  days  of  prim- 
itive simplicity  !  What  little  aristocratic  feeling  any  one  might  have  brought  with  him  was 
soon  quelled,  for  we  soon  found  ourselves  equally  dependent  an  one  another  ;  and  we  en- 
joyed our  winter  evenings  around  our  blazing  hearths  in  our  log  huts  cracking  nuts  full  as 
well,  aye !  much  better  than  has  fallen  to  our  lots  since  the  distinctions  and  animosities 
consequent  upon  the  acquisition  of  wealth  have  crept  in  among  us." 

Another  pioneer  says :  "  In  illustration  of  that  old  saw, 

'  A  man  wants  but  little  here  below, 
Nor  wants  that  little  long,' 
I  relate  the  following.  A  year  or  two  after  we  arrived,  a  visit  was  got  up  by  the  ladies, 
in  order  to  call  on  a  neighboring  family  who  lived  a  little  out  of  the  common  way.  The 
hostess  was  very  much  pleased  to  see  them,  and  immediately  commenced  preparing  the 
usual  treat  on  such  occasions — a  cup  of  tea  and  its  accompaniments.  As  she  had  but  one 
fire-proof  vessel  in  the  house,  an  old  broken  bake  kettle,  it,  of  course,  must  take  some  time. 
In  the  first  place,  some  pork  was  tried  up  in  the  kettle  to  get  lard — secondly,  some  cakes 
were  made  and  fried  in  it — thirdly,  some  shortcakes  were  made  in  it — fourthly,  it  was 
used  as  a  bucket  to  draw  water — fifthly,  the  water  was  heated  in  it,  and  sixthly  and  lastly, 
the  tea  was  put  in  and  a  very  sociable  dish  of  tea  they  had.  In  those  good  old  times,  per- 
fectly fresh  to  my  recollection,  the  young  men  asked  nothing  better  than  buckskin  pantaloons 
to  go  a  courting  in,  and  the  young  ladies  were  not  too  proud  to  go  to  meeting  barefoot." 

The  following  little  anecdote  illustrates  the  intrepidity  of  a  lady  in  indulging  her  social 
feelings.  A  gentleman  settled  with  his  family  about  two  miles  west  of  the  Vermillion 
river  without  a  neighbor  near  him.  Soon  after,  a  man  and  wife  settled  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river,  three  miles  distant ;  the  lady  on  the  west  side  was  very  anxious  to  visit  her 
stranger  neighbor  on  the  east,  and  sent  her  a  message  setting  a  day  when  she  should 
make  her  visit,  and  at  the  time  appointed  went  down  to  cross  the  river  with  her  husband, 
but  found  it  so  swollen  with  recent  rains  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  cross  on  foot.  There 
was  no  canoe  or  horse  in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  obstacle  was  apparently  insur- 
mountable. Fortunately  the  man  on  the  other  side  was  fertile  in  expedients ;  he  yoked 
up  his  oxen,  anticipating  the  event,  and  arrived  at  the  river  just  as  the  others  were  about  to 
leave.  Springing  upon  the  back  of  one  of  the  oxen  he  rode  him  across  the  river,  and  when 
he  had  reached  the  west  bank,  the  lady,  Europa-like,  as  fearlessly  sprang  on  the  back  of 
the  other  ox,  and  they  were  both  borne  across  the  raging  waters,  and  safely  landed  upon 
the  opposite  bank  ;  and  when  she  had  concluded  her  visit,  she  returned  in  the  same  man- 
ner. The  lady  still  lives  on  the  same  spot,  and  is  noted  for  her  goodness  of  heart,  and  cul- 
tivated manners. 

Early  in  the  settlement  of  the  fire-lands  the  landholders  injudiciously  raised  the  price  of 
land  to  $5  per  acre.  The  lands  belonging  to  the  general  government  on  the  west  were 
opened  for  sale  at  $2  per  acre  ;  immigration  ceased,  and  as  most  of  the  settlers  had  bought 
their  land  on  a  credit,  the  hard  times  which  followed  the  last  war  pressed  severely  upon 
them,  and  the  settlements  languished.  Money  was  so  scarce  in  1820  and  1822,  that  even 
those  who  had  their  farms  paid  for,  were  in  the  practice  of  laying  up  sixpences  and  shillings 
for  many  months  to  meet  their  taxes.  All  kinds  of  trade  was  carried  on  by  barter.  Many 
settlers  left  their  improvements  and  removed  further  west,  finding  themselves  unable  to  pay 
for  their  lands. 

The  first  exports  of  produce  of  any  consequence  commenced  in  1817  ;  in  1818  the  arti- 
cle of  salt  was  $8  per  barrel ;  flour  was  then  $10,  and  a  poor  article  at  that. 


KR1E    COUNTY.  153 

There  was  no  market  for  several  years  beyond  the  wants  of  the  settlers,  which  was  suf- 
ficient to  swallow  up  all  the  surplus  products  of  the  farmer  ;  but  when  such  an  outlet  was 
wanted,  it  was  found  at  Detroit,  Monroe,  and  the  other  settlements  in  the  upper  regions  of 
Lake  Erie.  As  to  the  commercial  advantages,  there  was  a  sufficient  number  of  vessels  on 
the  lake  to  do  the  business  of  the  country,  which  was  done  at  the  price  of  $2,50  per  barrel 
bulk,  from  Buffalo  to  this  place,  a  distance  of  250  miles.  Now  goods  are  transported  from 
New  York  to  Sandusky  City  as  low  as  forty-seven  cents  per  hundred,  or  $9  per  ton. 
Most  kinds  of  merchandize  sold  at  a  sale  corresponding  to  the  prices  of  freight.  Domestic 
shirtings  from  fifty  to  sixty-two  cents  per  yard  ;  satinets  $2,50  to  $3,50  do. ;  green  teas 
$1,50  to  $2,50  per  lb. ;  brown  sugar  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  cents  per  lb.;  loaf  do. 
from  forty  to  fifty  per  do.,  etc.,  etc.  Butter  was  worth  twenty-five  cents,  and  corn  $1,00 
per  bushel.  As  to  wheat  there  was  scarcely  a  price  known  for  some  of  the  first  years,  the 
inhabitants  mostly  depended  on  buying  flour  by  the  barrel  on  account  of  the  want  of  mills. 

The  Indians  murdered  several  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  fire-lands.  One  of  the  most  bar- 
barous murders  was  committed  in  the  spring  of  1812,  upon  Michael  Gibbs  and  one  Buel, 
who  lived  together  in  a  cabin  about  a  mile  southeast  of  the  present  town  of  Sandusky. 
The  murderers  were  two  Indians  named  Semo  and  Omic.  The  whi'es  went  in  pursuit  of 
them;  Omic  was  taken  to  Cleveland,  tried,  found  guilty  and  executed.  Semo  was  after- 
wards demanded  of  his  tribe,  and  they  were  about  to  give  him  up,  when,  anticipating  his 
fate,  he  gave  the  war-whoop,  and  shot  himself  through  the  heart. 

In  the  late  war,  previous  to  Perry's  victory,  the  inhabitants  were  in  much  dread  of  the  In- 
dians. Some  people  upon  Huron  river  were  captured  by  them  ;  and  also  at  the  head  of  Cold 
creek,  where  a  Mrs.  Putnam  and  a  whole  family  by  the  name  of  Snow  (the  man  excepted) 
were  attacked.  Mrs.  Snow  and  one  little  child  was  cruelly  butchered,  and  the  rest  taken 
captive,  together  with  a  Mrs.  Butler  and  a  girl  named  Page,  and  carried  to  Canada.  They 
were,  however,  released  or  purchased  by  the  whites  a  few  months  after.  Other  depreda- 
tions and  murders  were  committed  by  the  savages. 

Sandusky  City,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  Sandusky  bay,  105 
miles  north  of  Columbus,  and  60  from  Cleveland  and  Detroit.  Its 
situation  is  pleasant,  rising  gradually  from  the  lake,  and  commanding 
a  fine  view  of  it.  The  town  is  based  upon  an  inexhaustible  quarry 
of  the  finest  limestone,  which  is  not  only  used  in  building  elegant 
and  substantial  edifices  in  the  town,  but  is  an  extensive  article  of  ex- 
port. A  few  hundred  yards  back  from  the  lake  is  a  large  and  hand- 
some public  square,  on  which,  fronting  the  lake,  are  the  principal 
churches  and  public  buildings. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  at  Sandusky  City  was  made  in 
June,  1817,  at  which  time  the  locality  was  called  Ogontz  place,  from 
an  Indian  chief  who  resided  here  previous  to  the  war  of  1812.  The 
town  was  laid  out  under  the  name  of  Portland  in  1817,  by  its  pro- 
prietors, Hon.  Zalmon  Wildman  of  Danbury,  Ct.,  and  Hon.  Isaac 
Mills  of  New  Haven,  in  the  same  state.  On  the  first  of  July  of 
that  year,  a  small  store  of  goods  was  opened  by  Moores  Farwell,  in 
the  employment  of  Mr.  Wildman.  The  same  building  is  now  stand- 
ing on  the  bay  shore,  and  is  occupied  by  Mr.  West.  There  were 
at  this  time  but  two  log  huts  in  the  place  besides  the  store,  which 
was  a  frame,  and  had  been  erected  the  year  previous.  One  of  the 
huts  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Verandah  hotel,  and  the  other  some 
sixty  rods  east.  The  first  frame  dwelling  was  erected  by  Wm.  B. 
Smith  in  the  fall  of  1817,  the  second  soon  after  by  Cyrus  W.  Marsh, 
and  a  third  in  the  succeeding  spring  by  Moores  Farwell.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a  small  frame  building,  and  the  first 
built,  was  erected  in  1830  ;  the  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian  churches 
in  1835 ;  the  Wesleyan  chapel  in  1836,  and  the  rest  since. 

Sandusky  City  contains  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  1  Congregational, 

20 


154 


ERIE    COUNTY, 


1  Reformed  Methodist,  1  Catholic  and  1  German  Lutheran  church, 
1  high  school,  a  large  number  of  dry  goods  and  grocery  stores,  sev- 
eral forwarding  and  commission  houses,  2  furnaces,  1  oil  mill,  2  ex- 
tensive machine  shops  for  the  manufacture  of  the  iron  for  railroad 
cars,  2    printing  offices,   2   banks,   and    a  population  estimated  at 


Milan  from  near  the  Sandusky  City  Boad. 

3000.  This  town  is  now  very  thriving,  and  promises  to  be,  ere  many 
years,  a  large  city.  A  great  impetus  has  been  given  to  its  prosper- 
ity by  the  construction  of  two  railroads  which  terminate  here  ;  the 
first  the  Mad  River  and  Little  Miami  railroad  connect  it  with  Cin- 
cinnati ;  the  other  connects  it  with  Mansfield,  from  which  place  it 
is  constructing  through  Mount  Vernon  and  Newark  to  Columbus : 
a  branch  will  diverge  from  Newark  to  Zanesville.  This  last  is  one 
of  the  best  built  railroads  in  the  country,  and  is  doing  a  very  heavy 
transportation  business.  The  commerce  of  Sandusky  City  is  heavy, 
and  constantly  increasing.  The  arrivals  at  this  port  in  1846  were 
447,  clearances  441  ;  and  843,746  bushels  of  wheat  were  among  the 
articles  exported. 

On  the  farm  of  Isaac  A.  Mills,  west  of  the  town,  are  some  ancient 
works  and  mounds.  In  the  late  Canadian  "  patriot  war,"  this  city 
was  a  rendezvous  for  "  patriots ;"  they  had  an  action  on  the  ice 
near  Point-au-Pelee  island  with  British  cavalry  in  the  winter  of  1838. 
They  were  under  Captain  Bradley  of  this  city,  who  has  since  com- 
manded a  company  of  volunteers  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  In  this 
action  the  "  patriots"  behaved  with  cool  bravery,  and  although  at- 
tacked by  a  superior  force,  delivered  their  fire  with  steadiness,  and 
repelled  their  enemy  with  considerable  loss. 

Twelve  miles  from  Sandusky  City,  and  eight  from  Lake  Erie  is  the 
flourishing  town  of  Milan,  in  the  township  of  the  same  name.  It 
stands  upon  a  .commanding  bluff  on  the  right  bank  of  Huron  river. 
The  above  engraving  shows  its  appearance  from  a  hill  west  of  the 
road  to  Sandusky  City,  and  a  few  rods  back  of  Kneeland  Towns- 


ERIE    COUNTY.  155 

« 

end's  old  distillery  building,  which  appears  n  front.  In  the  middle 
ground  is  shown  the  Huron  river  and  the  canal ;  on  the  right  the 
bridge  across  the  river ;  on  the  hill,  part  of  the  town  appears,  with 
the  tower  of  the  Methodist,  and  spire  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Below  we  give  in  a  communication  from  the  Rev.  E.  Judson,  of 
Milan,  a  historical  and  descriptive  sketch  of  the  village  and  township : 

On  the  spot  where  the  town  of  Milan  now  stands,  there  was,  at  the  time  of  the  survey 
of  the  fire-lands,  in  1807,  an  Indian  village,  containing  within  it  a  Christian  community,  un- 
der the  superintendance  of  Rev.  Christian  Frederic  Dencke,a  Moravian  missionary.  The 
Indian  name  of  the  town  was  Petquotting.  The  mission  was  established  here  in  1804. 
Mr.  Dencke  brought  with  him  several  families  of  Christian  Indians,  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  Thames  river,  in  Upper  Canada.  They  had  a  chapel  and  a  mission  house,  and  were 
making  good  progress  in  the  cultivation  of  Christian  principles,  when  the  commencement 
of  the  white  settlements,  induced  them,  in  1809,  to  emigrate  with  their  missionary  to  Canada. 
There  was  a  Moravian  mission  attempted  as  early  as  1787.  A  considerable  party  of  Christian 
Indians  had  been  driven  from  their  settlement  at  Gnadenhutten,  on  the  Tuscarawas  river, 
by  the  inhuman  butchery  of  a  large  number  of  the  inhabitants  by  the  white  settlers.  After 
years  of  wandering,  with  Zeisberger  for  their  spiritual  guide,  they  at  length  formed  a  home 
on  the  banks  of  the  Cuyahoga  river,  near  Cleveland,  which  they  named  Pilgerruh,  ("  Pil- 
grim's rest.")  They  were  soon  driven  from  this  post,  whence  they  came  to  the  Huron,  and 
commenced  a  settlement  on  its  east  bank,  and  near  the  north  line  of  the  township.  To  this 
village  they  gave  the  name  of  New  Salem.  Here  the  labors  of  their  indefatigable  mission- 
ary, were  crowned  with  very  considerable  success.  They  were  soon  compelled  to  leave, 
however,  by  the  persecutions  of  the  pagan  Indians.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  portion  of 
these  exiles  who  returned,  in  1804,  to  commence  the  new  mission. 

The  ground  on  both  sides  of  the  Huron  river,  through  the  entire  length  of  the  township, 
is  distinctly  marked  at  short  intervals,  by  the  remains  of  a  former  race.  Mounds  and  en- 
closures, both  circular  and  angular,  same  of  which  have  strongly  marked  features,  occur  at 
different  points  along  the  river. 

The  land  in  the  township  of  Milan,  was  brought  into  market  in  1808.  In  the  summer 
of  the  following  year,  David  Abbott  purchased  1800  acres,  in  the  northeast  section  of  the 
township,  and  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  Huron,  for  the  purpose  of  commencing  a  settle- 
ment. He  removed  here,  with  his  family,  in  1810.  Jared  Ward  purchased  a  part  of  Mr. 
Abbott's  tract,  and  removed  here,  in  1809.  He  was  the  first  "  actual  white  settler,"  who 
had  an  interest  in  the  soil.  The  progress  of  the  settlement  was  at  first  rapid.  When  hos- 
tilities with  Great  Britain  commenced,  in  1812,  there  were  within  the  township  twenty  three 
families,  and  about  forty  persons  capable  of  bearing  arms.  The  progress  of  the  settlement 
was  interrupted  by  the  war,  and  few  or  no  emigrants  arrived  between  1812  and  1816. 
This  interruption  was  not  the  only  evil  experienced  by  the  inhabitants.  The  British,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  war,  commanded  Lake  Erie,  and  could  at  any  moment  make  a  descent 
upon  the  place.  Many  of  the  Indians  were  hostile,  and  were  supposed  to  be  instigated  to 
acts  of  cruelty,  by  the  willingness  of  the  British  commander  at  Fort  Maiden,  to  purchase 
the  scalps  of  American  citizens.  Occasional  outrages  were  perpetrated ;  houses  were 
burned,  and  in  a  few  instances  individuals  were  murdered  in  cold  blood,  while  others  were 
taken  prisoners.  Near  the  southwestern  corner  of  the  township,  at  a  place  known  as  the 
Parker  farm, — from'  its  having  been  first  purchased  and  occupied  by  Charles  Parker, — there 
was  a  block-house,  used  as  a  place  of  resort  during  the  war.  A  military  guard  was  kept 
here.  Two  young  men,  apprehensive  of  no  immediate  danger,  on  a  pleasant  morning,  in 
the  fall  of  1812,  left  the  block-house  and  wandered  to  the  distance  of  a  mile,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  collecting  honey  from  a  "  bee  tree."  While  in  the  act  of  cutting  down  the  tree, 
they  were  surprised  by  the  Indians,  who,  it  seems,  had  been  for  sometime  watching  for  their 
prey  ;  one  of  them  named  Seymour,  was  killed  on  the  spot ;  the  other  was  recognized  by 
one  of  the  Indians,  made  a  captive  and  treated  kindly.  The  Indian  who  captured  him, 
had  been  a  frequent  guest  in  the  family  where  the  young  man  had  resided. 

Sometime  previous  two  men,  Buell  and  Gibbs,  had  been  murdered  by  the  Indians,  near 
Sandusky.  Thirteen  persons,  women  and  children,  had  been  captured  near  the  present 
village  of  Castalia,  some  six  miles  to  the  westward  of  Sandusky.  Of  these,  five,  most  of 
whom  belonged  to  the  family  of  D.  P.  Snow,  were  massacred.  All  the  men  belonging 
to  the  settlement  were  absent  at  the  time  of  the  massacre.  These  repeated  butcheries,  sup- 
posed at  the  time  to  be  instigated  by  the  British  commander  at  Fort  Maiden,  whither  the 
scalps  of  all  who  were  murdered  were  carried,  kept  the  people  of  Milan  in  a  constant  state  of 


156  ERIE    COUNTY. 

alarm.  In  August,  Gen.  Hull  surrendered  Detroit  to  the  British,  and  from  this  time  to  the 
achievement  of  Perry's  victory,  in  September  of  the  following  year,  the  inhabitants  were  in 
constant  apprehension  for  their  personal  safety.  The  sighing  of  the  breeze,  and  the  dis- 
charge of  the  hunter's  rifle,  alike  startled  the  wife  and  the  mother,  as  she  trembled  for  her 
absent  husband,  or  her  still  more  defenceless  "  little  one."  During  this  interval,  General 
Simon  Perkins,  of  Warren,  with  a  regiment  of  militia,  had  been  stationed  at"  Fort  Avery," 
a  fortification  hastily  thrown  up  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Huron  river,  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  north  of  the  present  town  of  Milan  ;  but  the  inexperience  of  the  militia,  and  the  con- 
stant presence  in  the  neighborhood  of  scouting  parties  of  Indians,  whom  no  vigilance  could 
detect,  and  no  valor  defeat,  rendered  the  feeling  of  insecurity  scarcely  less  than  before. 
Some  left  the  settlements,  not  to  return  till  peace  was  restored.  Those  who  remained  were 
compelled,  at  frequent  intervals,  to  collect  in  the  fort  for  safety,  or  made  sudden  flights  to  the 
interior  of  the  state,  or  to  the  more  populous  districts  in  the  vicinity  of  Cleveland,  where  a 
few  days  of  quiet  would  so  far  quell  their  fears  as  to  lead  them  to  return  to  their  homes, 
to  be  driven  off  again  by  fresh  alarms.  With  the  return  of  peace,  in  1815,  prosperity  was 
restored  to  the  settlements,  and  the  emigration  was  very  considerable.  The  emigrants  were 
almost  exclusively  of  the  New  England  stock,  and  the  establishment  of  common  schools 
and  the  organization  of  Christian  churches,  were  among  the  earliest  fruits  of  their  enter- 
prising spirit.  The  town  of  Milan  was  "  laid  out"  in  1816,  by  Ebenezer  Merry,  who  had 
two  years  previously  removed  to  its  township.  Mr.  Merry  wras  a  native  of  West  Hart- 
ford, in  Connecticut,  and  by  his  example  contributed  much,  as  the  proprietor  of  the  town, 
to  promote  good  morals  among  the  early  inhabitants.  He  took  measures  immediately  for 
the  erection  of  a  flouring  mill  and  saw  mill,  which  contributed  materially  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  town,  and  were  of  great  service  to  the  infant  settlements  in  the  vicinity.  In 
the  first  settlement  of  the  place,  grain  was  carried  more  than  fifty  miles  down  the  lake  in 
open  boats,  to  be  ground  ;  and  sometimes  from  points  more  in  the  interior,  on  the  shoulders 
of  a  father,  whose  power  of  endurance  was  greatly  heightened  by  the  anticipated  smiles  of 
a  group  of  little  ones,  whose  subsistence  for  weeks  together  had  been  venison  and  hommony. 

Mr.  Merry  was  a  man  of  acute  observation,  practical  benevolence  and  unbounded  hos- 
pitality. He  repeatedly  represented  the  county  in  the  legislature  of  the  state,  was  twice 
elected  to  a  seat  on  the  bench  of  the  common  pleas ;  an  honor  in  both  instances  declined. 
He  died,  Jan.  1,  1846,  at  the  age  of  73,  greatly  beloved. 

David  Abbott,  as  the  first  purchaser  of  land  in  the  township,  with  a  view  to  its  occu- 
pancy as  a  permanent  "  settler,"  deserves  some  notice  in  this  brief  sketch.  Mr.  Abbott 
was  a  native  of  Brookfield,  Mass.  He  was  educated  at  Yale  College.  His  health  failed, 
and  he  was  obliged  to  forego  a  diploma,  by  leaving  college  in  the  early  part  of  his  senior 
year.  He  soon  after  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law,  and  located  himself  at  Rome, 
Oneida  co.,N.  Y.,  whence  he  came  to  Ohio,  in  1798,  and  spent  a  few  years  at  Willoughby, 
whence  he  removed  to  Milan,  in  1809.  He  w"as  sheriff  of  Trumbull  county,  when  the 
whole  Western  Reserve  was  embraced  within  its  limits ;  was  a  member  of  the  conven- 
tion for  the  formation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  State,  previous  to  its  admission  to  the 
Union,  in  1802  ;  was  one  of  the  electors  of  President  and  Vice  President,  in  1812 ;  clerk 
of  the  supreme  court  for  the  county,  and  repeatedly  a  member  of  both  houses  of  the  state 
legislature.  He  was  a  man  of  eccentric  habits,  and  his  life  was  filled  up  with  the  stirring 
incidents,  peculiar  to  a  pioneer  in  the  new  settlements  of  the  west.  He  several  times  trav- 
ersed the  entire  length  of  Lake  Erie,  in  an  open  boat,  of  which  he  was  both  helmsman  and 
commander,  and  in  one  instance  was  driven  before  a  tempest,  diagonally  across  the  lake, 
a  distance  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles,  and  thrown  upon  the  Canada  shore.  There  was 
but  one  person  with  him  in  the  boat,  and  he  was  employed  most  of  the  time  in  bailing  out 
the  water  with  his  hat,  the  only  thing  on  board  capable  of  being  appropriated  to  such  use. 
When  the  storm  had  subsided  and  the  wind  veered  about,  they  retraced  their  course  in  the 
frail  craft  that  had  endured  the  tempest  unscathed  ;  and  after  a  weeks  absence  were  hailed 
by  their  friends  with  great  satisfaction,  having  been  given  up  as  lost.  Mr.  Abbott  died  in 
1^22,  at  the  age  of  57.  Of  the  other  citizens  who  have  deceased,  and  whose  names  de- 
serve honorable  mention  as  having  contributed  in  various  ways  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
town,  are  Ralph  Loekwood,  Dr.  A.  B.  Harris  and  Hon.  G.  W.  Choate. 

The  religious  societies  of  the  place,  are  a  Presbyterian,  Methodist  and  Protestant  Epis- 
copal church,  each  of  which  enjoys  the  stated  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  is  in  a  flour- 
ishing state.  The  two  former  have  substantial  and  valuable  church  edifices,  the  latter  so- 
ciety have  one  in  process  of  erection. 

In  1832,  a  substantial  and  commodious  brick  edifice  was  erected  as  an  academy,  furnish- 
ing, beside  two  public  school  rooms  and  suitable  apartments  for  a  library,  and  apparatus,  ten 
rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  students.  The  annual  catalogue  for  the  last  ten  years, 
has  exhibited  an  average  number  of  about  150  pupils. 


FAIRFIELD    COUNTY.  157 

In  1833,  a  company  of  citizens,  who  had  been  previously  incorporated  for  the  purpose, 
entered  vigorously  upon  the  work  of  extending  the  navigation  of  Lake  Erie,  to  this  place 
by  improving  the  navigation  of  the  river  some  five  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  excavating  a 
ship  canal  for  the  remaining  distance  of  three  miles.  After  much  delay,  occasioned  by 
want  of  funds,  and  an  outlay  of  about  $>75,000,  the  work  was  completed,  and  the  first  ves- 
sel, a  schooner  of  100  tons,  floated  in  the  basin,  July  4th,  1839.  The  canal  is  capable  of 
being  navigated  by  vessels,  of  from  200  to  250  tons  burden.  The  chief  exports  of  the 
place,  are  wheat,  flour,  pork,  staves,  ashes,  wool  and  grass  seeds.  The  surrounding  country 
is  rapidly  undergoing  the  improvements  incident  to  the  removal  of  the  primitive  forests,  and 
with  the  increased  productiveness,  the  business  of  the  town  has  rapidly  increased. 

The  value  of  exports  for  the  year  1844,  was  $825,098  ;  of  this,  more  than  three  fourths 
consisted  of  wheat  and  flour.  The  importation  of  merchandize,  salt,  plaster,  etc.,  for  the 
same  period,  was  in  value  $634,711.  The  almost  entire  loss  of  the  wheat  crop  for  1845. 
very  essentially  diminished  the  amount  of  business  from  the  harvest  of  1845,  to  that  of  the 
following  year.     The  last  half  of  1846,  shows  a  decided  increase  over  any  previous  season. 

In  the  foregoing  sketch,  our  correspondent  does  not  give  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  town.     We  should  judge  it  to  be  not  far  from  ?O0O. 

Castalia,  a  neat  village,  5  miles  southwest  of  Sandusky  City,  at 
the  head  of  Coal  creek,  and  bordering  on  a  beautiful  prairie  of  about 
3000  acres,  was  laid  out  in  1336,  by  Marshall  Burton,  and  named 
from  the  Grecian  fount.  It  contains  2  churches,  5  stores,  and  about 
400  inhabitants. 

The  source  of  Coal  creek,  is  a  beautiful  and  curious  flooding  spring,  rising  from  a  level 
prairie  at  the  village.  This  spring  is  about  200  feet  in  diameter,  and  60  feet  deep.  The 
water  is  so  pure,  that  the  smallest  particle  can  be  seen  at  the  bottom,  and  when  the  sun  is 
in  the  meridian,  all  the  objects  at  the  bottom,  logs,  stumps,  Sec,  reflect  the  hues  of  the 
rainbow,  forming  a  view  of  great  beauty.  The  constituents  of  the  water  are  lime,  soda, 
magnesia  and  iron,  and  it  petrifies  all  objects,  such  as  grass,  stumps,  bushes,  moss,  &c, 
which  come  in  contact  with  it.  The  stream  courses  about  three  miles  through  the  prairie, 
and  empties  into  Lake  Erie.  The  water  is  very  cold,  but  never  freezes,  and  at  its  point  of 
entrance  into  the  lake,  prevents  the  formation  of  ice.  The  stream  at  present  furnishes 
power  for  twenty  two  runs  of  stone.  Upon  it,  are  the  well-known  Castalia  and  Coal  creek 
mills,  the  water  wheels  of  which  are  imperishable  from  decay,  in  consequence  of  their  being 
incrusted  by  petrifaction.  About  two  miles  north  of  Castalia,  is  a  cave,  lately  discovered 
and  not  as  yet  fully  explored.  Seven  apartments  have  been  entered,  which  abound  in 
beautiful  stalactites  and  stalagmites.  A  dog  running  into  an  aperture  at  the  mouth  of  the 
cave,  in  pursuit  of  a  rabbit,  led  to  its  discovery.  The  fountain  and  cave  attract  many 
visiters. 

Huron,  at  the  mouth  of  Huron  river,  10  miles  east  of  Sandusky 
City,  is  an  older  town  than  the  county  seat,  and  was  formerly  the 
greatest  business  place  in  the  county.  It  is  as  yet  an  important 
point  for  the  shipment  of  wheat,  and  contains  3  churches,  4  forward- 
ing houses,  4  stores  and  about  400  inhabitants.  Vermillion,  at  the 
mouth  of  Vermillion  river,  is  a  thriving  village,  containing  from  50  to 
70  dwellings.  Birmingham,  a  few  miles  above,  on  the  same  stream. 
is  a  somewhat  smaller  village.  Berlinville,  Berlin  Center  and  Ven- 
ice are  small  places  in  the  county. 


FAIRFIELD. 

Fairfield  was  formed,  December  9th,  1800,  by  proclamation  of 
Gov.  St.  Clair,  and  so  named  from  the  beauty  of  its  fair  fields.  It 
contains  every  variety  of  soil,  from  the  richest  to  the  most  sterile. 


158 


FAIRFIELD    COUNTY. 


The  western  and  northern  parts  are  mostly  level,  the  soil  of  which 
is  very  fertile,  consisting  of  a  rich  loam,  with  a  subsoil  of  clay.  The 
remainder  of  the  northern  and  western  parts,  together  with  the  mid- 
dle and  a  part  of  the  eastern  portion,  is  undulating  ;  the  soil  good, 
consisting  of  a  clayey  loam,  mixed  with  vegetable  mould,  and  in 
many  parts,  interspersed  with  gravel.  The  southern  part  is  hilly  and 
broken,  the  soil  of  which  is  thin  and  barren,  composed  in  many 
places  of  sand  and  gravel.  The  staples  are  wheat,  rye,  oats,  buck- 
wheat, corn,  barley,  potatoes  and  tobacco.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 


Amanda,       1937 
Bern,  2431 

Bloom,  2288 

Clear  Creek,  1716 
Greenfield,   2148 


Hocking, 

Lancaster, 

Liberty, 

Madison, 

Perry, 


2120 
3278 

2778 
1085 
1171 


Pleasant, 
Richland, 
Rush  Creek, 
Violet, 
Walnut, 


The  population  of  the  county,  in   1820,  was  16,508  ; 


24,753  ;  and  in  1840,  31,858,  or  59  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 


2025 
1960 
2426 
2400 

2098 

in  1830, 


View  in  Main  Street,  Lancaster. 

Lancaster,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  the  Hockhocking  river 
and  canal,  on  the  Zanesville  and  Chillicothe  turnpike,  28  miles  south- 
east of  Columbus,  37  from  Zanesville,  18  from  Somerset,  19  from 
Logan,  35  from  Chillicothe,  20  from  Circleville,  and  27  from  New- 
ark. It  stands  in  a  beautiful  and  fertile  valley,  and  is  a  flourishing, 
well-built  town.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist,  1  Cath- 
olic, 1  Lutheran,  1  Protestant  Methodist,  1  Baptist  and  1  German 
Reformed  church,  about  20  mercantile  stores,  2  newspaper  offices, 
and  had,  in  1840,  2,120  inhabitants:  it  has  since  much  increased. 
The  engraving  shows  the  appearance  of  the  principal  street  in  the 
town.  It  was  taken  near  the  court  house,  and  represents  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  street ;  the  court  house  is  shown  on  the  right,  and 
the  market  on  the  left,  of  the  view. 

From  the  lecture  delivered  before  the  Lancaster  Literary  Insti- 
tute, in  March,  1844,  by  George  Sanderson,  Esq.,  we  derive  the 
following  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  town  and  county. 

The  lands  watered  by  the  sources  of  the  Hockhocking  river,  and  now  comprehende 


FAIRFIELD    COUNTY.  159 

within  the  limits  of  Fairfield  county,  when  first  discovered  by  the  early  settlers  at  Mari- 
etta, were  owned  and  occupied  by  the  Wyandot  tribe  of  Indians.  The  principal  town  of 
the  nation  stood  along  the  margin  of  the  prairie,  between  the  south  end  of  Broad  street 
and  T.  Ewing's  canal  basin,  and  the  present  town  of  Lancaster,  and  extending  back  to  the 
base  of  the  hill,  south  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It  is  said,  that  the  town  con- 
tained in  1790,  about  one  hundred  wigwams,  and  a  population  of  500  souls.  It  was 
called  Tarhe,  or  in  English,  the  Crane-town,  and  derived  its  name  from  that  of  the  prin- 
cipal chief  of  the  tribe.  Another  portion  of  the  tribe  then  lived  at  Tobey-town,  nine  miles 
west  of  Tarhetown,  (now  Royalton,)  and  was  governed  by  an  inferior  chief  called  Tobey. 
The  chief's  wigwam,  in  Tarhe,  stood  upon  the  bank  of  the  prairie,  near  where  the  fourth 
lock  is  built  on  the  Hocking  canal,  and  near  where  a  beautiful  spring  of  water  flowed  into 
the  Hockhocking  river.  The  wigwams  were  built  of  the  bark  of  trees,  set  on  poles,  in 
the  form  of  a  sugar  camp,  with  one  square  open,  fronting  a  fire,  and  about  the  height  of  a 

man.     The  Wyandot  tribe  numbered  at  that  day  about  500  warriors By 

the  treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795,  the  Wyandots  ceded  all  their  territory  on  the  Hock- 
hocking river  to  the  United  States. 

The  Crane  chief,  soon  after  the  treaty,  with  many  of  the  tribe,  removed  and  settled  at 
Upper  Sandusky  ;  others  remained  behind  for  four  or  five  years  after  the  settlement  of  the 
country,  as  if  unable  or  unwilling  to  tear  themselves  away  from  the  graves  of  their  fore- 
fathers and  their  hunting  grounds.  They  were,  however,  so  peaceably  disposed  towards 
the  settlers,  that  no  one  felt  willing  to  drive  them  away.  In  process  of  time,  the  game  and 
fur  became  scarce,  and  the  lingering  Indian,  unwilling  to  labor  for  a  living,  was  forced,  by 
stern  necessity,  to  quit  the  country,  and  take  up  his  abode  with  those  of  his  tribe,  who  had 
preceded  him  at  Upper  Sandusky. 

In  1797,  Ebenezer  Zane  opened  the  road,  known  as  "Zane's 
Trace,"  from  Wheeling  to  Limestone,  (now  Maysville.)  It  passed 
through  the  site  of  Lancaster,  at  a  fording  about  300  yards  below 
the  present  turnpike  bridge,  west  of  the  town,  and  then  called  the 
"  crossings  of  the  Hockhocking."  He  located  one  of  his  three 
tracts  of  land,  given  by  congress  for  the  performance  of  this  task, 
on  the  Hockhocking,  at  Lancaster. 

In  1797,  Zane's  trace  having  opened  a  communication  between  the  eastern  states  and 
Kentucky,  many  individuals  in  both  directions,  wishing  to  better  their  condition  in  life,  by 
emigrating  and  settling  in  the  "  backwoods,"  so  called,  visited  the  Hockhocking  valley  for 
that  purpose.  Finding  the  country  surpassingly  fertile,  abounding  in  fine  springs  of  the 
purest  water,  they  determined  to  make  it  their  new  homes. 

In  April,  1798,  Capt.  Joseph  Hunter,  a  bold  and  enterprising  man,  with  his  family,  em- 
igrated from  Kentucky,  and  settled  on  Zane's  trace,  upon  the  bank  of  the  prairie,  west  of 
the  crossings,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  northwest  of  the  present  turnpike  road, 
and  which  place  was  called  "  Hunter's  settlement."  Here  he  cleared  off  the  underbrush, 
felled  the  forest  trees  and  erected  a  cabin,  at  a  time  when  he  had  not  a  neighbor  nearer 
than  the  Muskingum  or  Scioto  rivers.  This  was  the  commencement  of  the  first  settlement 
in  the  Upper  Hockhocking  valley,  and  Capt.  Hunter  is  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the  flour- 
ishing and  populous  county  of  Fairfield.  He  lived  to  see  the  county  densely  settled  and  in 
a  high  state  of  improvement,  and  died  about  the  year  1829.  His  wife  was  the  first  white 
woman  that  settled  in  the  valley,  and  shared  with  her  husband  all  the  toils,  sufferings,  hard- 
ships and  privations  incident  to  the  formation  of  the  new  settlement.  During  the  spring 
of  the  same  year,  (1798,)  Nathaniel  Wilson,  the  elder,  John  and  Allen  Green,  John  and 
Joseph  M'Mullen,  Robert  Cooper,  Isaac  Shaeffer  and  a  few  others,  reached  the  valley, 
erected  cabins  and  put  out  a  crop  of  corn. 

In  1799,  the  tide  of  emigration  set  in  with  great  force.  In  the  spring  of  this  year,  two 
settlements  were  made  in  the  present  township  of  Greenfield.  Each  settlement  contained 
twenty  or  thirty  families.  One  was  called  the  Forks  of  the  Hockhocking,  and  the  other 
Yankeetown.  Settlements  were  also  made  along  the  river  below  Hunter's,  on  Rush  creek, 
Raccoon  and  Indian  creeks,  Pleasant  run,  Fetter's  ran,  at  Tobeytown,  Muddy  Prairie,  and 
on  Clear  creek.  In  the  fall  of  1799,  Joseph  Loveland  and  Hezekiah  Smith,  erected  a  log 
grist  mill  at  the  upper  falls  of  the  Hockhocking,  now  called  the  Rock  mill.  This  was  the 
first  grist  mill  built  on  the  Hockhocking. 

In  April,  1799,  Samuel  Coates,  sen.,  and  Samuel  Coates,  jr.,  from  England,  built  a 
cabin  in  the  prairie  at  the  "  Crossings  >f  the  Hockhocking,"  kept  bachelors  hall  and  raised 


160  FAIRFIELD    COUNTY. 

a  crop  of  corn.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  a  mail  route  was  established  along  Zanes's 
trace,  from  Wheeling  to  Limestone.  The  mail  was  carried  through  on  horseback,  and  at 
first,  only  once  a  week.  Samuel  Coates,  sen.,  was  the  postmaster,  and  kept  his  office  at  the 
Crossings.  This  was  the  first  established  mail  route  through  the  interior  of  tht-  territory, 
and  Samuel  Coates  was  the  first  postmaster  at  the  new  settlements. 

The  settlers  subsisted  principally  on  corn  bread,  potatoes,  milk  and  butter,  and  wild 
meats.  Flour,  tea  and  coffee  were  scarcely  to  be  had  ;  and  when  brought  to  the  country, 
such  prices  were  asked,  as  to  put  it  out  of  the  reach  of  many  to  purchase.  Salt  was  an 
indispensable  article,  and  cost  at  the  Scioto  salt  works,  $5  per  50  pounds.  Flour  brought 
§16  per  barrel  ;  tea,  $2,50  ;  coffee,  $1,50  ;  spice  and  pepper,  $1  per  pound. 

In  the  fall  of  1800,  Ebenezer  Zane  laid  out  Lancaster,  and  by  way 
of  compliment  to  a  number  of  emigrants  from  Lancaster  co.,  Pa., 
called  it  New  Lancaster.  It  retained  that  name  until  1805,  when, 
by  an  act  of  the  legislature,  the  word  "  New"  was  dropped.  A 
sale  of  lots  took  place  soon  after  the  town  was  laid  off,  and  sold  to 
purchasers  at  prices  ranging  from  five  to  fifty  dollars  each.  The 
greater  portion  of  the  purchasers  were  mechanics,  and  they  imme- 
diately set  about  putting  up  log  buildings.  Much  of  the  material 
needed  for  that  purpose,  was  found  upon  their  lots  and  in  the  streets, 
and  so  rapidly  did  the  work  of  improvement  progress,  during  the 
fall  of  1800  and  following  winter,  that  in  the  spring  of  1801,  the 
principal  streets  and  alleys  assumed  their  present  shapes,  and  gave 
assurance  that  New  Lancaster  would,  at  no  distant  day,  become  a 
town  of  some  importance. 

About  this  time,  merchants  and  professional  men  made  their  appearance.  The  Rev. 
John  Wright,  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  settled  in  Lancaster,  in  1801,  and  the  Rev.  Asa 
Shinn  and  Rev.  James  Quinn,  of  the  Methodist  church,  travelled  on  the  Fairfield  circuit. 

Shortly  after  the  settlement,  and  while  the  stumps  yet  remained  in  the  streets,  a  small 
portion  of  the  settlers  occasionally  indulged  in  drinking  frolics,  ending  frequently  in  fights. 
In  the  absence  of  law,  the  better  disposed  part  of  the  population,  determined  to  stop  the 
growing  evil.  They  accordingly  met  and  resolved,  that  any  person  of  the  town  found  in- 
toxicated, should,  for  every  such  offence,  dig  a  stump  out  of  the  streets,  or  suffer  personal 
chastisement.  The  result  was,  that  after  several  offenders  had  expiated  their  crimes,  dram 
drinking  censed,  and  for  a  time  all  became  a  sober,  temperate  and  happy  people. 

On  the  9th  day  of  December,  1800,  the  Governor  and  Council  of  the  N.  W.  Terri- 
tory, organized  the  county  of  Fairfield,  and  designated  New  Lancaster  as  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice. The  county  then  contained  within  its  limits,  all,  or  nearly  all,  of  the  present  counties 
of  Licking  and  Knox ;  a  large  portion  of  Perry,  and  small  parts  of  Pickaway  and  Hocking 
counties. 

The  first  white  male  child  born  in  Fairfield,  was  the  son  of  Mrs. 
Ruhama  Greene.  This  lady  emigrated  to  this  region  in  1798,  and 
settled  three  miles  west  of  Lancaster,  where  her  child  was  born. 
The  sketch  appended  of  her,  is  from  Col.  John  M'Donald,  of  Ross 
county. 

Mrs.  Ruhama  Greene  was  born  and  raised  in  Jefferson  county,  Virginia.  In  1785,  she 
married  a  Mr.  Charles  Builderback,  and  with  him  crossed  the  mountains  and  settled  at 
the  mouth  of  Short  creek,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Ohio,  a  few  miles  above  Wheeling. 
Her  husband,  a  brave  man,  had  on  many  occasions  distinguished  himself  in  repelling  the 
Indians,  who  had  often  felt  the  sure  aim  of  his  unerring  rifle.  They  therefore  determined 
at  all  hazards  to  kill  him. 

On  a  beautiful  summer  morning  in  June,  1789,  at  a  time  when  it  was  thought  the  enemy 
had  abandoned  the  western  shores  of  the  Ohio,  Capt.  Charles  Builderback,  his  wife  and 
brother,  Jacob  Builderback,  crossed  the  Ohio  to  look  after  some  cattle.  On  reaching  the 
shore,  a  party  of  fifteen  or  twenty  Indians  rushed  out  from  an  ambush,  and  firing  upon 
them,  wounded  Jacob  in  the  shoulder.  Charles  was  taken  while  he  was  running  to  es- 
cape.    Jacob  returned  to  the  canoe  and  got  away.     In  the  mean  time,  Mrs.  Builderback 


FAIRFIELD  COUNTY.  161 

secreted  herself  in  some  drift-wood,  near  the  bank  of  the  river.  As  soon  as  the  Indiana 
had  secured  and  tied  her  husband,  and  not  being  enabled  to  discover  her  hiding-place,  they 
compelled  him,  with  threats  of  immediate  death,  to  call  her  to  him.  With  a  hope  of  ap- 
peasing their  fury,  he  did  so.  She  heard  him,  but  made  no  answer.  "  Here,"  to  use  her 
words,  "a struggle  took  place  in  my  breast,  which  I  cannot  describe.  Shall  I  go  to  him 
and  become  a  prisoner,  or  shall  I  remain,  return  to  our  cabin  and  provide  for  and  take  care 
of  our  two  children."  He  shouted  to  her  a  second  time  to  come  to  him,  saying,  "  that  if 
she  obeyed,  perhaps  it  would  be  the  means  of  saving  his  life."  She  no  longer  hesitated, 
left  her  place  of  safety,  and  surrendered  herself  to  his  savage  captors.  All  this  took  place 
in  full  view  of  their  cabin,  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  where  they  had  left  their  two  chil- 
dren, one  a  son  about  three  years  of  age,  and  an  infant  daughter.  The  Indians,  knowing 
that  they  would  be  pursued  as  soon  as  the  news  of  their  visit  reached  the  stockade,  at 
Wheeling,  commenced  their  retreat.  Mrs.  Builderback  and  her  husband  travelled  together 
that  day  and  the  following  night.  The  next  morning,  the  Indians  separated  into  two 
bands,  one  taking  Builderback,  and  the  other  his  wife,  and  continued  a  westward  course  by 
different  routes. 

In  a  few  days,  the  band  having  Mrs.  Builderback  in  custody,  reached  the  Tuscarawas 
river,  where  they  encamped,  and  were  soon  rejoined  by  the  band  that  had  had  her  husband 
in  charge.  Here  the  murderers  exhibited  his  scalp  on  the  top  of  a  pole,  and  to  convince 
her  that  they  had  killed  him,  pulled  it  down  and  threw  it  into  her  lap.  She  recognized  it 
at  once  by  the  redness  of  his  hair.  She  said  nothing,  and  uttered  no  complaint.  It  was 
evening  ;  her  ears  pained  with  the  terrific  yells  of  the  savages,  and  wearied  by  constant 
travelling,  she  reclined  against  a  tree  and  fell  into  a  profound  sleep,  and  forgot  all  her  suf- 
ferings, until  morning.*  When  she  awoke,  the  scalp  of  her  murdered  husband  was  gone, 
and  she  never  learned  what  became  of  it. 

As  soon  as  the  capture  of  Builderback  was  known  at  Wheeling,  a  party  of  scouts  set 
off  in  pursuit,  and  taking  the  trail  of  one  of  the  bands,  followed  it  until  they  found  the 
body  of  Builderback.  He  had  been  tomahawked  and  scalped,  and  apparently  suffered  a 
lingering  death. 

The  Indians,  on  reaching  their  towns  on  the  Big  Miami,  adopted  Mrs.  Builderback  into 
a  family,  with  whom  she  resided  until  released  from  captivity.  She  remained  a  prisoner 
about  nine  months,  performing  the  labor  and  drudgery  of  squaws,  such  as  carrying  in  meat 
from  the  hunting  grounds,  preparing  and  drying  it,  making  moccasins,  leggings  and  other 
clothing  for  the  family  in  which  she  was  raised.  After  her  adoption,  she  suffered  much 
from  the  rough  and  filthy  manner  of  Indian  living,  but  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  ill- 
treatment  otherwise. 

In  a  few  months  after  her  capture,  some  friendly  Indians  informed  the  commandant  at 
Fort  Washington,  that  there  was  a  white  woman  in  captivity  at  the  Miami  towns.  She 
was  ransomed  and  brought  into  the  fort,  and  in  a  few  weeks  was  sent  up  the  river  to  her 
lonely  cabin,  and  to  the  embrace  of  her  two  orphan  children.  She  then  re-crossed  the 
mountains,  and  settled  in  her  native  county. 

In  1791,  Mrs  Builderback  married  Mr.  John  Green,  and  in  1798,  they  emigrated  to  the 
Hockhocking  valley,  and  settled  about  three  miles  west  of  Lancaster,  where  she  continued 
to  reside  until  the  time  of  her  death,  about  the  year  1842.  She  survived  her  last  husband 
about  ten  years. 

Near  the  town  of  Lancaster,  stands  a  bold  and  romantic  emi 
nence,  about  two  hundred  feet  high,  known  as  Mt.  Pleasant,  which, 
was  called  by  the  Indians,  "  the  Standing  Stone."  A  writer  on 
geology  says,  in  reference  to  this  rock :  "  What  is  properly  called 
the  sandstone  formation,  terminates  near  Lancaster,  in  immense  de- 
tached mural  precipices,  like  the  remains  of  ancient  islands  ;  one  of 
these,  called  Mt.  Pleasant,  seated  on  the  borders  of  a  large  plain, 

*  Her  husband  commanded  a  company  at  Crawford's  defeat.  He  was  a  large,  noble 
looking  man,  and  a  bold  and  intrepid  warrior.  He  was  in  the  bloody  Moravian  campaign, 
and  took  his  share  in  the  tragedy,  by  shedding  the  first  blood  on  that  occasion,  when  he 
shot,  tomahawked  and  scalped  Shebosh,  a  Moravian  chief.  But  retributive  justice  was 
meted  to  him.  After  being  taken  prisoner,  the  Indians  inquired  his  name.  "  Charles 
Builderback,"  replied  he,  after  some  little  pause.  At  this  revelation,  the  Indians  stared  at 
each  other  with  a  malignant  triumph.  "  Ha  !"  said  they,  "  you  kill  many  Indians — you 
big  captain — you  kill  Moravians."     From  that  moment,  probably,  his  death  was  decreed. 

21 


162  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

affords  from  its  top  a  fine  view  of  the  adjacent  country.  The  base 
is  a  mile  and  a  half  in  circumference,  while  the  apex  is  only  about 
thirty  by  one  hundred  yards,  resembling,  at  a  distance,  a  huge  pyra- 
mid.    These  lofty  towers  of  sandstone  are  like  so  many  monuments. 


Mount  Pleasant. 

to  point  out  the  boundaries  of  that  ancient  western  Mediterranean, 
which  once  covered  the  present  rich  prairies  of  Ohio." 

It  is  a  place  much  resorted  to  by  parties  of  pleasure.  The  Duke 
of  Saxe  Weimar,  when  in  this  country  some  twenty  years  since, 
visited  this  mount  and  carved  his  name  upon  the  rocks.  The  lecture 
delivered  before  the  Literary  Institute,  gives  a  thrilling  narrative  of 
the  visit  of  two  gallant  scouts  to  this  spot,  at  an  early  day — their 
successful  fight  with  the  Indians — the  re-capture  of  a  female  piis- 
oner,  and  their  perilous  escape  from  the  enemy. 

There  are  several  small  villages  in  the  county,  some  of  which  are 
thriving  business  places.  They  are  Amanda,  Baltimore,  Bazil,  Bre- 
men, Carroll,  Greencastle,  Havenport,  Lockville,  Monticello,  Millers- 
port,  New  Geneva,  New  Strasburg,  New  Salem,  Pickerington, 
Pleasantville,  Royalton,  Rushville,  (East  and  West,)  Waterloo  and 
Winchester. 


Fx\YETTE. 

Fayette  was  formed  in  March,  1810,  from  Ross  and  Highland, 
and  named  from  the  Marquis  De  La  Fayette.  The  surface  is  gen- 
erally level ;  about  half  of  the  soil  is  a  dark,  vegetable  loam,  on  a 
clayey  sub-soil,  mixed  with  a  limestone  gravel ;  the  rest  is  a  yellow, 
clayey  loam.     The  principal  productions  are  wheat  and  corn,  cattle, 


FAYETTE   COUNTY. 


163 


hogs,  sheep  and  wool.  In  the  northeastern  part  is  a  small  tract, 
called  "  the  barrens?  so  termed  from  the  land  being  divested  of  un- 
dergrowth and  tall  timber;  it  is  covered  with  a  grass  well  adapted 
to  pasturage.  The  growth  of  the  county,  in  former  years,  was  re- 
tarded by  much  of  the  land  being  owned  by  non-residents  and  not  in 
market,  and  also  from  the  wet  lands,  which,  contrary  to  the  original 
opinion,  have,  when  drained,  proved  very  productive.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Concord,  1074         Madison,  765         Union,  1945 

Green,  1616         Marion,  879         Wayne,         1540 

Jefferson,  1948         Paint,  1212 

The  population  of  Fayette,  in  1820,  was  6,336  ;  in  1830,  8,183,  and 
in  1840,  10,979  ;  or  26  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 


View  in  Washington. 


Washington,  the  county  seat,  is  on  a  fork  of  Paint  creek,  43  miles 
ssw.  of  Columbus.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  church, 
1  academy,  8  mercantile  stores,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  2 
woollen  factories,  1  saw  and  2  grist  mills  and  97  dwellings.  It  was 
laid  out  in  1810  as  the  county  seat,  on  land  given  for  that  purpose  by 
Benj.  Temple,  of  Kentucky,  out  of  his  survey. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  first  settlers  of  this 
county,  viz. :  Colonel  James  Stewart,  Jesse  Milliken,  Wade  Loof- 
borough,  Thos.  M'Donald,  Doctor  Thomas  M'Gara,  John  Popejoy, 
Gen.  B.  Harrison,  Jesse  Rowe,  John  Dewitt,  Hamilton  and  Benjamin 
Rogers,  William  Harper,  James  Hays,  Michael  Carr,  Peter  Eyeman, 
William  Snider,  Judge  Jacob  Jamison,  Samuel  Waddle,  James  San- 
derson, and  Smith  and  William  Rankin. 

Colonel  Stewart,  at  an  early  date,  settled  near  the  site  of  Bloom- 
ingburg,  about  5  miles  northerly  from  Washington.  His  untiring 
industry  in  improving  the  country  in  his  vicinity,  and  the  moral 
influence  which  he  had  in  the  community,  will  be  long  remembered. 
Jesse  Milliken  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Washington,  was  the 
first  post-master  and  the  first  clerk  of  both  the  Supreme  and  Common 
Pleas  Courts  of  the  county,  in  all  of  which  offices  he  continued  until 
his  death,  in  Aug.,  1835.  ..  He  was  also  an  excellent  surveyor,  per- 
formed much  of  the  first  surveying  done  in  the  county,  and  erected 
some  of  the  first  houses  built  in  the  town.     Wade  Loof  borough,  Esq., 


164  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

was  one  of  the  first  citizens  and  lawyers  in  the  county.  Thomas 
M'Donald  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  this  part  of  Ohio,  built  the 
first  cabin  in  Scioto  county,  was  engaged  with  Gen.  Massie  and 
others  in  laying  off  the  county  into  surveys.  He  rendered  valuable 
services  in  Wayne's  campaign,  in  which  he  acted  as  a  spy,  and  was 
also  in  the  war  of  1812. 

Dr.  Thos.  M'Gara,  now  residing  in  Greenfield,  Highland  county, 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  and  first  physician  of  the  town  of  Wash- 
ington, where  he  practiced  his  profession  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
represented  the  county  in  the  legislature,  and  was  associate  judge. 
John  Popejoy,  Esq.,  was  one  of  the  first  justices  in  the  county ;  he 
built  the  one  story  house  on  Court  street,  on  the  lot  No.  5.  It  is  said 
that  he  kept  his  docket  on  detached  scraps  of  paper  in  the  most  con- 
venient cracks  of  his  cabin,  and  that  his  ink  was  made  of  walnut  bark. 
Although  many  amusing  anecdotes  are  related  of  him,  yet  he  was 
a  good  man,  sincerely  desirous  of  promoting  peace  and  good  will  in 
the  community.  When  a  lawsuit  was  brought  before  him,  his  uni- 
versal practice  was,  if  possible,  to  prevail  upon  the  parties  to  settle 
the  dispute  amicably.  He  always  either  charged  no  costs,  or  took 
it  in  beer,  cider,  or  some  other  innocent  beverage,  of  which  the 
witnesses,  parties  and  spectators  partook,  at  his  request,  and  the 
parties  generally  left  his  court  in  better  humor  and  better  satisfied 
than  when  they  entered. 

The  first  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  the  county  was  held  by  Judge 
Thompson,  at  the  cabin  of  John  Devault,  a  little  north  of  where 
Bloomingburg  now  stands.  The  judge  received  a  severe  lecture 
from  old  Mrs.  Devault,  for  sitting  upon  and  rumpling  her  bed.  The 
grand  jury  held  their  deliberations  in  the  stable  and  in  the  hazel  brush. 
Judge  Thompson  was  a  man  of  strict  and  Puritan-like  morality,  and 
distinguished  for  the  long  (and  in  some  instances  tedious)  moral  lec- 
tures, given  in  open  court,  to  the  culprits  brought  before  him. 

The  pioneers  of  Fayette  county  were  principally  from  Virginia 
and  Kentucky,  and  were  generally  hale  and  robust,  brave  and  gen- 
erous. Among  the  Kentuckians  was  a  family  of  great  notoriety,  by 
the  name  of  Funk.  The  men,  from  old  Adam  down  to  Absalom, 
were  of  uncommonly  large  size,  and  distinguished  for  their  boldness, 
activity  and  fighting  propensities.  Jake  Funk,  the  most  notorious, 
having  been  arrested  in  Kentucky  for  passing  counterfeit  money,  or 
some  other  crime,  was  bailed  by  a  friend,  a  Kentuckian  by  the  name 
of  Trumbo.  Having  failed  to  appear  at  court,  Trumbo,  with  about  a 
dozen  of  his  friends,  well  armed,  proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  Funks 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  Jake,  running  him  off  to  Kentucky  and  de- 
livering him  up  to  the  proper  authorities,  to  free  himself  from  paying 
bail. 

The  Funks,  having  notice  of  the  contemplated  attack,  prepared 
themselves  for  the  conflict.  Old  Adam,  the  father,  took  his  seat  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor  to  give  command  to  his  sons,  who  were  armed 
with  pistols,  knives,  &c.  When  Trumbo  and  his  party  appeared, 
they  were  warned  to  desist ;  instead  of  which,  they  made  a  rush  at 


FAYETTE    COUNTY.  165 

Jake,  who  was  on  the  porch.  A  Mr.  Wilson,  of  the  attacking  party 
grappled  with  Jake,  at  which  the  firing  commenced  on  both  sides. 
Wilson  was  shot  dead.  Ab.  Funk  was  also  shot  down.  Trumbo 
having  clinched  Jake,  the  latter  drew  him  to  the  door,  and  was 
about  to  cut  his  throat  with  a  large  knife,  when  old  Adam  cried  out, 
"  Spare  him  ! — don't  kill  him  ! — his  father  once  saved  me  from  being 
murdered  by  the  Indians  !" — at  which  he  was  let  off,  after  being 
severely  wounded,  and  his  companions  were  glad  to  escape  with 
their  lives.  The  old  house  at  which  this  fight  occurred  is  still  stand- 
ing, on  the  east  fork,  about  8  miles  n.  of  Washington,  with  the  bullet- 
holes  in  the  logs  as  a  memento  of  the  conflict. 

The  Funk  family  were  no  enemies  to  whiskey.  Old  Adam,  with 
some  of  his  comrades,  being  one  day  at  Roebuck's  grocery — the  first 
opened  in  the  county,  about  a  mile  below  Funk's  house — became 
merry  by  drinking.  Old  Adam,  wishing  to  carry  a  gallon  of  whis- 
key home,  in  vain  endeavored  even  to  procure  a  wash-tub  for  the 
purpose.  Observing  one  of  Roebuck's  pigs  running  about  the  yard, 
he  purchased  it  for  a  dollar  and  skinned  it  whole,  taking  out  the  bone 
about  two  inches  from  the  root  of  the  tail,  which  served  as  a  neck  for 
the  bottle.  Tying  up  the  other  holes  that  would,  of  necessity,  be  in 
the  skin,  he  poured  in  the  liquor  and  started  for  home  with  his  com- 
panions, where  they  all  got  drunk  from  the  contents  of  the  hog- 
skin.* 

Captain  John  was  a  Shawanee  chief,  well  known  to  the  early 
settlers  of  the  Scioto  valley.  He  was  over  six  feet  in  height,  strong 
and  active,  full  of  spirit  and  fond  of  frolic.  In  the  late  war,  he  joined 
the  American  army,  and  was  with  Logan  at  the  time  the  latter  re- 
ceived his  death  wound.  We  extract  two  anecdotes  respecting  him 
from  the  notice  by  Col.  John  M'Donald.  The  scene  of  the  first  was 
in  Pickaway,  and  the  last,  in  this  county. 

When  Chillicothe  was  first  settled  by  the  whites,  an  Indian  named  John  Cushen,  a  half 
blood,  made  his  principal  home  with  the  M'Coy  family,  and  said  it  was  his  intention  to 
live  with  the  white  people.  He  would  sometimes  engage  in  chopping  wood,  and  making 
rails  and  working  in  the  corn-fields.  He  was  a  large,  muscular  man,  good  humored  and 
pleasant  in  his  interviews  with  the  whites.  In  the  fall  season,  he  would  leave  the  white 
settlement  to  take  a  hunt  in  the  lonely  forest.  In  the  autumn  of  1779,  he  went  up  Darby 
creek  to  make  his  annual  hunt.  There  was  an  Indian  trader  by  the  name  of  Fallenash, 
who  traversed  the  country  from  one  Indian  camp  to  another  with  pack-horses,  laden  with 
whiskey  and  other  articles.  Captain  John's  huntingcamp  was  near  Darby  creek,  and  John 
Cushen  arrived  at  his  camp  while  Fallenash,  the  Indian  trader,  was  there  with  his  goods 
and  whiskey.  The  Indians  set  to  for  a  real  drunken  frolic.  During  the  night,  Capt.  John 
and  John  Cushen  had  a  quarrel,  which  ended  in  a  fight :  they  were  separated  by  Fallenash 
and  the  other  Indians,  but  both  were  enraged  to  the  high.'st  pitch  of  fury.  They  made  an 
arrangement  to  fight  the  next  morning,  with  tomahawks  and  knives.  They  stuck  a  post 
on  the  south  side  of  a  log,  made  a  notch  in  the  log,  and  agreed  that  when  the  shadow  of 
the  post  came  into  the  notch  the  fight  should  commence.  When  the  shadow  of  the  post 
drew  near  the  spot,  they  deliberately,  and  in  gloomy  silence,  took  their  stations  on  the  log. 
At  length  the  shadow  of  the  post  came  into  the  notch,  and  these  two  desperadoes,  thirsting 
for  each  other's  blood,  simultaneously  sprang  to  their  feet,  with  each  a  tomahawk  in  his 
right  hand  and  a  scalping-knife  in  the  left,  and  flew  at  each  other  with  the  fury  of  tigers, 

*  The  preceding  items  of  history  respecting  Fayette,  are  derived  from  a  communication 
from  a  gentleman  residing  in  Washington. 


166  FRANKLIN    COUNTT. 

swinging  their  tomahawks  around  their  heads  and  yelling  in  the  most  terrific  manner. 
Language  fails  to  describe  the  horrible  scene.  After  several  passes  and  some  wounds, 
Captain  John's  tomahawk  fell  on  Cushen's  head  and  left  him  lifeless  on  the  ground.  Thus 
ended  this  affair  of  honor,  and  the  guilty  one  escaped. 

About  the  year  1800,  Captain  John,  with  a  party  of  Indians,  went  to  hunt  on  the  waters 
of  what  is  called  the  Rattlesnake  fork  of  Paint  creek,  a  branch  of  the  Scioto  river.  After 
they  had  been  some  time  at  camp,  Captain  John  and  his  wife  had  a  quarrel  and  mutually 
agreed  to  separate,  which  of  them  was  to  leave  the  camp  is  not  now  recollected.  After 
they  had  divided  their  property, the  wife  insisted  upon  keeping  the  child  ;  they  had  but  one, 
a  little  boy  of  two  or  three  years  of  age.  The  wife  laid  hold  of  the  child,  and  John  at- 
tempted to  wrest  it  from  her ;  at  length  John's  passion  was  roused  to  a  fury,  he  drew  his 
fist,  knocked  down  his  wife,  seized  the  child  and  carrying  it  to  a  log  cut  it  into  two  parts, 
and  then,  throwing  one  half  to  his  wife,  bade  her  tak,e  it,  but  never  again  show  her  face, 
or  he  would  treat  her  in  the  same  manner.  Thus  ended  this  cruel  and  brutal  scene  of 
savage  tragedy. 

Bloomingburg,  on  the  east  fork  of  Paint,  5  miles  easterly  from 
Washington,  has  4  stores,  3  churches  and  about  300  inhabitants. 
Jeffersonville,  10  nvv.  from  Washington,  has  one  church,  2  stores  and 
about  200  inhabitants.  Waterloo,  Martinsburg,  Staunton  and  Mount 
Vernon  are  small  places. 


FRANKLIN. 

Franklin  was  formed  from  Ross,  April  30th,  1803,  and  named 
from  Benj.  Franklin.  The  prevailing  character  of  the  soil  is  clay, 
and  the  surface  is  generally  level.  It  contains  much  low  and  wet 
land,  and  is  better  adapted  to  grazing  than  grain,  but  along  the  nu- 
merous water  courses  are  many  fertile  and  well-cultivated  farms. 
The  principal  products  are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  hay,  potatoes,  pork  and 
wool.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 

Blendon,       972         Jefferson,  1040 

Brown,         425         Madison,  1815 

Clinton,        9G5         Mifflin,  832 

Franklin.    1345         Montgomery,    7497 

Hamilton,  1238         Norwich,  740 

Jackson,       787         Perry,  1039 

The  population  of  Franklin,  in  1820,  was  10,300;  in  1830,  14,756, 
and  in  1840,  24,880,  or  49  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  tract  comprised  within  the  limits  of  the  county,  was  once  the 
residence  of  the  Wyandot  Indians.  They  had  a  large  town  on  the 
site  of  the  city  of  Columbus,  and  cultivated  extensive  fields  of  corn 
on  the  river  bottoms  opposite  their  town.  Mr.  Jeremiah  Armstrong, 
who  now  or  recently  kept  a  hotel  at  Columbus,  was  taken  prisoner 
when  a  boy  from  the  frontier  of  Pennsylvania,  and  brought  captive 
to  this  place  :  after  residing  with  them  a  number  of  years,  he  was 
ransomed  and  returned  to  his  friends.  Mr.  Robert  Armstrong,  also 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  being  an  orphan  boy,  was  bound  to  a  trader, 
and  while  trapping  and  trading  on  the  Alleghany,  himself  and  em- 
ployer were  surprised  by  some  Wyandots  and  Senecas.     The  mas- 


Plain, 

1263 

Pleasant, 

811 

Prairie, 

603 

Sharon, 

1168 

Truro, 

1418 

Washington, 

842 

FRANKLIN    COUNTY.  167 

ter  was  killed  and  Armstrong  brought  to  their  town  at  Franklinton. 
He  was  raised  by  the  Indians,  became  a  great  favorite,  lived,  married 
and  died  among  them.  He  was  occasionally  an  interpreter  for  the 
United  States.  He  left  two  sons,  now  with  the  Wyandots  in  the 
far  west ;  both  of  them  were  educated,  and  one  of  them  admitted  to 
the  Ohio  bar.* 

In  the  year  1780,  a  party  of  whites  followed  a  band  of  Indians  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Kanawha,  overtook  them  on  or  near  the  site  of 
Columbus  and  gave  them  battle  and  defeated  them.  During  the 
fight,  one  of  the  whites  saw  two  squaws  secrete  themselves  in  a  large 
hollow  tree,  and  when  the  action  was  over  they  drew  them  out  and 
carried  them  captive  to  Virginia.  This  tree  was  alive  and  standing, 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Scioto,  as  late  as  1845.f 

In  June,  1810,  there  was  an  old  Wyandot  chief,  named  Leather- 
lips,  executed  in  this  county  on  the  charge  of  withcraft.  We  take 
the  account  of  this  event  from  Drake's  life  of  Tecumseh,  where  it  is 
abridged  from  an  article  by  Otway  Curry,  in  the  Hesperian. 

General  Harrison  entertained  the  opinion  that  his  death  was  the  result  of  the  prophet's 
command,  and  that  the  party  who  acted  as  executioners  went  directly  from  Tippecanoe  to 
the  banks  of  the  Scioto,  where  the  tragedy  was  enacted.  Leatherlips  was  found  encamped 
upon  that  stream,  twelve  miles  above  Columbus.  The  six  Wyandots  who  put  him  to  death, 
were  headed,  it  is  supposed,  by  the  chief  Roundhead.  An  effort  was  made  by  some  white 
men,  who  were  present,  to  save  the  life  of  the  accused,  but  without  success.  A  council  of 
two  or  three  hours  took,  place :  the  accusing  party  spoke  with  warmth  and  bitterness  of 
feeling :  Leatherlips  was  calm  and  dispassionate  in  his  replies.  The  sentence  of  death, 
which  had  been  previously  passed  upon  him,  was  reaffirmed.  "  The  prisoner  then  walked 
slowly  to  his  camp,  partook  of  a  dinner  of  jerked  venison,  washed  and  arrayed  himself  in 
his  best  apparel,  and  afterwards  painted  his  face.  His  dress  was  very  rich — his  hair  gray, 
and  his  whole  appearance  graceful  and  commanding."  When  the  hour  for  the  execution 
had  arrived,  Leatherlips  shook  hands  in  silence  with  the  spectators.  "  He  then  turned  from 
his  wigwam,  and  with  a  voice  of  surpassing  strength  and  melody  commenced  the  chant  of 
the  death  song.  He  was  followed  closely  by  the  Wyandot  warriors,  all  timing  with  their 
slow  and  measured  march  the  music  of  his  wild  and  melancholy  dirge.  The  white  men 
were  likewise  all  silent  followers  in  that  strange  procession.  At  the  distance  of  seventy  or 
eighty  yards  from  the  camp,  they  came  to  a  shallow  grave,  which,  unknown  to  the  white 
men,  had  been  previously  prepared  by  the  Indians.  Here  the  old  man  knelt  down,  and  in 
an  elevated  but  solemn  tone  of  voice,  addressed  his  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit.  As  soon  aa 
he  had  finished,  the  captain  of  the  Indians  knelt  beside  him  and  prayed  in  a  similar  man- 
ner.    Their  prayers,  of  course,  were  spoken  in  the  Wyandot  tongue "  After  a 

few  moments  delay,  the  prisoner  again  sank  down  upon  his  knees  and  prayed,  as  he  had 
done  before.  When  he  had  ceased,  he  still  continued  in  a  kneeling  position.  All  the  rifles 
belonging  to  the  party  had  been  left  at  the  wigwam.  There  was  not  a  weapon  of  any  kind 
to  be  seen  at  the  place  of  execution,  and  the  spectators  were  consequently  unable  to  form 
any  conjecture  as  to  the  mode  of  procedure  which  the  executioners  had  determined  on  for 
the  fulfilment  of  their  purpose.  Suddenly  one  of  the  warriors  drew  from  beneath  the  skirts 
of  his  capote,  a  keen,  bright  tomahawk — walked  rapidly  up  behind  the  chieftain — brandish- 
ed the  weapon  on  high  for  a  single  moment,  and  then  struck  with  his  whole  strength.  The 
blow  descended  directly  upon  the  crDwn  of  the  head,  and  the  victim  immediately  fell  pros- 
trate. After  he  had  lain  awhile  in  the  agonies  of  death,  the  Indian  captain  directed  the 
attention  of  the  white  men  to  the  drops  of  sweat  which  were  gathering  upon  his  neck  and 
face  ;  remarked  with  much  apparent  exultation,  that  it  was  conclusive  proof  of  the  sufferer's 
guilt.  Again  the  executioner  advanced,  and  with  the  same  weapon  inflicted  two  or  three 
additional  and  heavy  blows.  As  soon  as  life  was  entirely  extinct,  the  body  was  hastily 
buried,  with  all  its  apparel  and  decorations,  and  the  assemblage  dispersed." 

One  of  Mr.  Heckewelder's  correspondents,  as  quoted  in  his  historical  account  of  the  In- 
dian nations,  makes  Tarhe,  better  known  by  the  name  of  Crane,  the  leader  of  this  party. 

*  Col.  John  Johnston.  t  Jonathan  Alder,  of  Madison  county. 


168  FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 

This  has  been  denied  ;  and  the  letter  of  Gen.  Harrison  on  the  subject,  proves  quite  conclu- 
sively that  this  celebrated  chief  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  execution  of  Leatherlips.  Mr. 
Heckewelder"s  correspondent  concurs  in  the  opinion  that  the  original  order  for  the  death  of 
this  old  man,  was  issued  from  the  head-quarters  of  the  prophet  and  his  brother  Tecumseh. 

The  annexed  anecdote,  derived  from  J.  W.  Van  Cleve,  of  Dayton, 
shows  a  more  pleasing  feature  in  the  character  of  the  Indian. 

A  party,  surveying  on  the  Scioto,  above  the  site  of  Columbus,  in  '97,  had  been  reduced 
to  three  scanty  meals  for  four  days.  They  came  to  the  camp  of  a  Wyandot  Indian  with 
his  family,  and  he  gave  them  all  the  provisions  he  had,  which  comprised  only  two  rabbits 
and  a  small  piece  of  venison.  This  Wyandot's  father  had  been  murdered  by  the  whites  in 
time  of  peace  :  the  father  of  one  of  the  surveyors  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians  in  time  of 
war.  He  concluded  that  the  Indian  had  more  reason  to  cherish  hostility  towards  the  white 
man  than  he  toward  the  Indian. 

The  first  settlement  of  this  county  was  commenced  in  1797.  Some 
of  the  early  settlers  were  Robert  Armstrong,  George  Skidmore, 
Lucas  Sullivant,  Wm.  Domigan,  the  Deardorfs,  the  M'Elvains,  the 
Sellses,  James  Marshall,  John  Dill,  Jacob  Grubb,  Jacob  Overdier, 
Arthur  O'Harra,  Colonel  Culbertson  and  John  Brickell.  This  last 
named  gentleman  was  taken  prisoner  when  a  boy,  in  Pennsylvania, 
brought  into  Ohio  and  held  captive  four  and  a  half  years  among  the 
Delawares.  He  was  liberated  at  Fort  Defiance,  shortly  after  the 
treaty  of  Greenville.  We  cannot  but  digress  here  and  extract  from 
his  narrative,  published  in  the  Pioneer,  an  affecting  account  of  his 
separation  from  his  Indian  father,  who  bore  the  singular  name  of 
Whingwy  Pooshies. 

On  the  breaking  up  of  spring  we  all  went  up  to  Fort  Defiance,  and  on  arriving  on  the 
shore  opposite,  we  saluted  the  fort  with  a  round  of  rifles,  and  they  shot  a  cannon  thirteen 
times.  We  then  encamped  on  the  spot.  On  the  same  day  Whingwy  Pooshies  told  me  I 
must  go  over  to  the  fort.  The  children  hung  round  me  crying,  and  asked  me  if  I  was 
going  to  leave  them  ?  I  told  them  I  did  not  know.  When  we  got  over  to  the  fort,  and 
were  seated  with  the  officers,  Whingwy  Pooshies  told  me  to  stand  up,  which  I  did ;  he  then 
rose  and  addressed  me  in  about  these  words :  "  My  son,  there  are  men  the  same  color  with 
yourself.  There  may  be  some  of  your  kin  there,  or  your  kin  may  be  a  great  way  off  from 
you.  You  have  lived  a  long  time  with  us.  I  call  on  you  to  say  if  I  have  not  been  a  father 
to  you  1 — if  I  have  not  used  you  as  a  father  would  use  a  son  1"  I  said,  "  You  have  used 
me  as  well  as  a  father  could  use  a  son."  He  said,  "  I  am  glad  you  say  so.  You  have 
lived  long  with  me  ;  you  have  hunted  for  me  ;  but  our  treaty  says  you  must  be  free.  If  you 
choose  to  go  with  the  people  of  your  own  color,  I  have  no  right  to  say  a  word,  but  if  you 
choose  to  stay  with  me,  your  people  have  no  right  to  speak.  Now  reflect  on  it  and  take 
your  choice,  and  tell  us  as  soon  as  you  make  up  your  mind." 

I  was  silent  a  few  minutes,  in  which  time  it  seemed  as  if  I  thought  of  almost  every  thing. 
I  thought  of  the  children  I  had  just  left  crying  ;  I  thought  of  the  Indians  I  was  attached  to, 
and  I  thought  of  my  people  which  I  remembered  ;  and  this  latter  thought  predominated,  and 
I  said,  •'  I  will  go  with  my  kin."  The  old  man  then  said,  "  I  have  raised  you — I  have  learned 
you  to  hunt.  You  are  a  good  hunter — you  have  been  better  to  me  than  my  own  sons.  I 
am  now  getting  old  and  I  cannot  hunt.  I  thought  you  would  be  a  support  to  my  age.  I 
leaned  on  you  as  on  a  staff.  Now  it  is  broken — you  are  going  to  leave  me,  and  I  have  no 
right  to  say  a  word,  but  I  am  ruined."  He  then  sank  back  in  tears  to  his  seat.  I  heartily 
joined  him  in  his  tears — parted  with  him,  and  have  never  seen  nor  heard  of  him  since. 

In  the  month  of  August,  1797,  Franklinton  was  laid  out  by  Lucas 
Sullivant.  The  settlement  at  that  place  was  the  first  in  the  county. 
Mr.  Sullivant  was  a  self-made  man  and  noted  as  a  surveyor.  He 
had  often  encountered  great  peril  from  the  attacks  of  Indians  while 
making  his  surveys. 

Next  after  the  settlement  of  Franklinton,  a  Mr.  Springer  and  his  son-in-law,  Osborn. 
settled  on  Darby  ;  then  next  was  a  scattering  settlement  along  Alum  creek,  which  last  was 


TRANKLIN    COUNTY. 


169 


probably  about  the  summer  of  179S.  Among  the  first  settlers  here  were  Messrs.  White, 
Nelson,  Shaw,  Agler  and  Reed.  About  the  same  time,  some  improvements  were  made 
near  the  mouth  of  Gahannah,  (formerly  called  Big  belly,)  and  the  settlements  thus  gradually 
extended  along  the  principal  water  courses.  In  the  mean  time,  Franklinton  was  the  point 
to  which  emigrants  first  repaired,  to  spend  some  months,  or  probably  years,  prior  to  their 
permanent  location.  For  several  years,  there  was  no  mill  nor  considerable  settlement  nearer 
than  the  vicinity  of  Chillicothe.  In  Franklinton,  the  neighbors  constructed  a  kind  of  hand- 
mill,  upon  which  they  generally  ground  their  corn.  Some  pounded  it,  and  occasionally  a 
trip  was  made  with  a  canoe  or  periogue,  by  way  of  the  river,  to  the  Chillicothe  mill.  About 
the  year  1799,  a  Mr.  John  D.  Rush  erected  an  inferior  mill  on  the  Scioto,  a  short  distance 
above  Franklinton  ;  it  was,  however,  a  poor  concern,  and  soon  fell  to  ruin.  A  horse-mill 
was  then  resorted  to,  and  kept  up  for  some  time  ;  but  the  first  mill  of  any  considerable  ad- 
vantage to  the  country  was  erected  by  Col.  Kilbourne,  near  Worthington,  about  the  year 
1805.  About  the  same  time,  Carpenter's  mill,  near  Delaware,  and  Dyer's,  on  Darby,  were 
erected.  About  one  year,  probably,  after  the  first  settlement  of  Franklinton,  a  Mr.  James 
Scott  opened  the  first  small  store  in  the  place,  which  added  much  to  the  convenience  of  the 
settlers.  For  probably  seven  or  eight  years,  there  was  no  post-office  nearer  than  Chilli- 
cothe, and  when  other  opportunities  did  not  offer,  the  men  would  occasionally  raise  by  con- 
tribution the  means,  and  employ  a  man  to  go  the  moderate  distance  of  forty-five  miles  to 
the  post-office  to  inquire  for  letters  and  newspapers.  During  the  first  years  of  the  settle- 
ment, it  was  extremely  sickly — perhaps  as  much  so  as  any  part  of  the  state.  Although 
sickness  was  so  general  in  the  fall  season  as  to  almost  entirely  discourage  the  inhabitants, 
yet,  on  the  return  of  health,  the  prospective  advantages  of  the  country,  the  luxuriant  crops, 
and  abundance  of  game  of  all  kinds,  together  with  the  gradual  improvement  in  the  health 
of  the  country  generally,  induced  them  to  remain.  The  principal  disease  of  the  country 
being  fever  and  ague,  deaths  were  comparatively  seldom.* 

Franklinton  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the  Scioto,  opposite  Columbus. 
It  was  the  first  town  laid  off  in  the  Scioto  valley  n.  of  Chillicothe. 
From  the  formation  of  the  county,  in  1803,  it  remained  its  seat  of  jus- 
tice until  1824,  when  it  was  removed  to  Columbus.  During  the  late 
War,  it  was  a  place  of  general  rendezvous  for  the  N.  W.  army,  and 
sometimes  from  one  to  three  thousand  troops  were  stationed  there. 
In  those  days,  it  was  a  place  of  considerable  note  :  it  is  now  a  small 
village,  containing,  by  the  census  of  1840,  394  inhabitants. 

Worthington  is  a  neat  town,  9  miles  n.  of  Columbus,  containing 
3  churches,  and   by  the  census  of  1840,  440  inhabitants.     At  this 

place  is  a  classical  academy,  in  the 
old  botanic  college  building,  in  fine 
repute,  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev. 
R.  K.  Nash  ;  also  a  flourishing  female 
seminary,  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Ohio  Methodist  Conference,  of  which 
the  Rev.  Alex.  Nelson  is  the  principal. 
The  building  is  of  brick,  and  stands  in 

Worthington  Female  Seminary.         a  pleasant  green. 

The  township  of  Sharon,  in  which  Worthington  is,  was  very  early 
settled  by  "  the  Scioto  Company,"  formed  in  Granby,  Connecticut,  in 
the  winter  of  1801-2,  and  consisting  at  first  of  eight  associates. 
They  drew  up  articles  of  association,  among  which  was  one  limit- 
ing their  number  to  forty,  each  of  whom  must  be  unanimously  chosen 
by  ballot,  a  single  negative  being  sufficient  to  prevent  an  election. 
Col.  James  Kilbourne  was  sent  out  the  succeeding  spring  to  explore 

*  From  "  A  Brief  History  and  Description  of  Franklin  County,  to  accompany  Wheeler's 
map." 

22 


170  FRANKLIN    COUNTY, 

the  country,  select  and  purchase  a  township  for  settlement.  He  re- 
turned in  the  fall  without  making  a  purchase,  through  fear  that  the 
state  constitution,  then  about  to  be  formed,  should  tolerate  slavery, 
in  which  case  the  project  would  have  been  abandoned. 

It  is  here  worthy  of  notice,  that  Col.  Kilbourne,  on  this  visit,  con- 
structed -the  first  map  of  OHIO,  which  he  compiled  from  maps  of 
its  different  sections  in  the  office  of  Col.,  afterwards  Gov.  Worthing- 
ton,  then  register  of  the  United  States  land  office  at  Chillicothe.  The 
part  delineating  the  Indian  territory  was  from  a  map  made  by  John 
Fitch,  of  steamboat  memory,  who  had  been  a  prisoner  among  the 
Indians,  which,  although  in  a  measure  conjectural,  was  the  most 
accurate  of  that  part  of  the  N.  W.  territory. 

Immediately  upon  receiving  the  information  that  the  constitution 
of  Ohio  prohibited  slavery,  Col.  Kilbourne  purchased  this  township, 
lying  within  the  United  States  military  land  district,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1803,  returned  to  Ohio  and  commenced  improvements.  By 
the  succeeding  December,  one  hundred  settlers,  mainly  from  Hart- 
ford county,  Connecticut,  and  Hampshire  county,  Massachusetts, 
arrived  at  their  new  home.  Obeying  to  the  letter  the  articles  of 
association,  the  first  cabin  erected  was  used  for  a  school-house  and 
church  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  denomination :  the  first  Sabbath 
after  the  arrival  of  the  third  family,  divine  worship  was  held  therein, 
and  on  the  arrival  of  the  eleventh  family,  a  school  was  commenced. 
This  early  attention  to  religion  and  education  has  left  its  favorable 
impress  upon  the  character  of  the  people  to  the  present  day.  The 
succeeding  4th  of  July  was  appropriately  celebrated.  Seventeen 
gigantic  trees,  emblematical  of  the  seventeen  states  forming  the 
Federal  Union,  were  cut  so  that  a  few  blows  of  the  axe,  at  sunrise 
on  the  4th,  prostrated  each  successively  with  a  tremendous  crash, 
forming  a  national  salute  novel  in  the  world's  history. 

Columbus,  the  capital  of  Ohio  and  seat  of  justice  for  Franklin 
county,  "is  106  miles  southerly  from  Sandusky  City,  139  miles  south- 
west from  Cleveland,  148  south  west  wardly  from  Steubenville,  184  in 
the  same  direction  from  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  126  miles  west  from  Wheel- 
ing, Va.,  about  100  northwest  from  Marietta,  105  northwest  from 
Gallipolis,  45  north  from  Chillicothe,  90  in  the  same  direction  from 
Portsmouth,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto  river,  118  northwardly  from 
Maysville,  Ky.,  110  northeast  from  Cincinnati,  68  easterly  from  Day- 
ton, 104  southwardly  from  Lower  Sandusky,  and  175  due  south  from 
Detroit,  Michigan.  North  lat.  39  deg.  57  min.,  west  long.  6  deg. 
from  Washington  city,  or  83  deg.  from  London.  It  is  situated  ex- 
actly on  the  same  parallel  of  latitude  with  Zanesville  and  Philadel- 
phia, from  which  latter  place,  it  is  450  miles  distant ;  and  on  the  same 
meridian  with  Detroit,  Michigan  ;  and  Milledgeville,  Georgia.  The 
National  road  passed  through  it  east  and  west,  and  the  Columbus  and 
Sandusky  turnpike  extends  from  this  point  north  to  Lake  Erie.  In 
all  other  directions  roads  are  laid  out,  and  many  of  them  in  good  re- 
pair. By  the  Columbus  feeder,  water  communication  is  opened  with 
the  Ohio  canal,  and  thence  to  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio  river." 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY.  171 

From  the  first  organization  of  the  state  government  until  1816,  there  was  no  permanent 
state  capital.  The  sessions  of  the  legislature  were  held  at  Chillicothe  until  1810  ;  the  ses- 
sions of  1810-11  and  1811-12,  were  held  at  Zanesville  ;  after  that,  until  December,  1816, 
they  were  again  held  at  Chillicothe,  at  which  time  the  legislature  was  first  convened  at 
Columbus. 

Among  the  various  proposals  to  the  legislature,  while  in  session  at  Zanesville,  for  the 
establishment  of  a  permanent  seat  of  government,  were  those  of  Lyne  Starling,  Jas.  John- 
ston, Alex.  M'Laughlin  and  John  Kerr,  the  after  proprietors  of  Columbus,  for  establishing 
it  on  the  "  high  bank  of  the  Scioto  river,  opposite  Franklinton,"  which  site  was  then  a  native 
forest.  On  the  14th  Feb.,  1812,  the  legislature  passed  a  law  accepting  their  proposals,  and 
in  one  of  its  sections,  selected  Chillicothe  as  a  temporary  seat  of  government  merely.  By 
an  act  amendatory  of  the  other,  passed  Feb.  17th,  1816,  it  was  enacted,  "  that  from  and 
after  the  second  Tuesday  of  October  next,  the  seat  of  government  of  this  state  shall  be 
established  at  the  town  of  Columbus." 

On  the  19th  of  Feb.,  1812,  the  proprietors  signed  and  acknowledged  their  articles  at 
Zanesville,  as  partners,  under  the  law  for  laying  out,  &c.,of  the  town  of  Columbus.  The 
contract  having  been  closed  between  the  proprietors  and  the  state,  the  town  was  laid  out  in 
the  spring  of  1812,  under  the  direction  of  Moses  Wright.  On  the  18th  of  June,  the  same 
day  war  was  declared  with  Great  Britain,  the  first  public  sale  of  lots,  by  auction,  was  held. 
Among  the  first  settlers,  or  as  early  as  1813,  were  George  M'Cormick,  Geo.  B.  Harvey, 
Jno.  Shields,  Michael  Patton,  Alex.  Patton,  Wm.  Altman,  John  Collett,  Wm.  M'Elvain, 
Daniel  Kooser,  Peter  Putnam,  Jacob  Hare,  Christian  Heyl,  Jarvis,  George  and  Benj.  Pike, 
Wm.  Long  and  Dr.  John  M.  Edmiston.  The  first  building  erected  for  public  worship  was 
a  cabin,  on  Spring  street,  in  the  spring  of  1814,  on  a  lot  of  Dr.  Hoge's,  which  was  used  by 
the  Presbyterians.  It  was  not  long  occupied  for  that  purpose  :  that  denomination  then 
worshipped  in  the  Franklinton  meeting-house  until  1818,  when  the  1st  Presbyterian  church 
was  organized  in  Columbus,  and  a  frame  meeting-house  erected  on  Front  street,  where 
Dr.  Hoge  preached  until  the  erection  of  "  the  1st  Presbyterian  church,"  about  1825.  In 
1814,  the  Methodist  church  of  Columbus  was  organized  ;  and  the  same  year  they  erected, 
on  the  lot  where  the  present  Methodist  church  stands,  a  small  hewed  log-house,  which 
served  the  double  purpose  of  school-house  and  church  until  about  1824,  when  a  permanent 
building  was  erected. 

The  first  penitentiary  was  erected  in  1813.  The  state  house  was  erected  in  1814;  the 
brick  of  this  edifice  were  partly  made  from  a  beautiful  mound  near  by,  which  has  given  the 
name  to  a  street.  On  the  10th  of  Feb.,  1816,  the  town  was  incorporated  as  "  the  borough 
of  Columbus."  The  first  board  ofcouncilmen  elected  were  Henry  Brown,  Michael  Patton, 
Jarvis  Pike,  Robt.  and  Jeremiah  Armstrong,  John  Kerr,  John  Cutler,  Caleb  Houston  and 
Robt.  M'Coy.  About  the  year  1819,  the  United  States  or  old  court-house  was  erected. 
In  1824,  the  county  seat  was  removed  from  Franklinton  to  Columbus.  The  present  city 
charter  was  granted  March  3d,  1834.  The  first  newspaper  in  Columbus  was  commenced 
about  the  beginning  of  1814,  and  was  called  "  the  Western  Intelligencer  and  Columbus 
Gazette:"  it  was  the  foundation,  the  original  of"  the  Ohio  State  Journal." 

For  the  first  few  years  Columbus  improved  rapidly.  Emigrants  flowed  in,  apparently, 
from  all  quarters,  and  the  improvements  and  general  business  of  the  place  kept  pace  with 
the  increase  of  population.  Columbus,  however,  was  a  rough  spot  in  the  woods,  off  from 
any  public  road  of  much  consequence.  The  east  and  west  travel  passed  through  Zanes- 
ville, Lancaster  and  Chillicothe,  and  the  mails  came  in  cross-line  on  horseback.  The  first 
successful  attempt  to  carry  a  mail  to  or  from  Columbu3,  otherwise  than  on  horseback,  was 
by  Philip  Zinn,  about  the  year  1816,  once  a  week  between  Chillicothe  and  Columbus.  The 
years  from  1819  to  '26,  were  the  dullest  years  of  Columbus  ;  but  soon  after  it  began  to 
improve.  The  location  of  the  national  road  and  of  the  Columbus  feeder  to  the  Ohio  canal, 
gave  an  impetus  to  improvements.* 

Columbus  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Scioto 
about  half  a  mile  below  its  junction  with  the  Olentangy.  The  streets 
are  spacious,  the  site  level,  and  it  has  many  elegant  private  dwellings. 
Columbus  has  a  few  manufactories  only ;  it  does,  however,  a  heavy 
mercantile  business,  there  being  many  stores  of  various  kinds.  It 
contains  17  churches,  viz. :  2  Methodist  Episcopal,  1  German  Metho- 


From  the  brief  history  in  the  Columbus  Directory,  for  1843. 


172 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 


dist,  2  Presbyterian,  1  Baptist,  1  German  Lutheran,  1  do.  Evangelical 
Protestant,  1  do.  Reformed,  2  Episcopal,  1  Catholic,  1  Welch  Pres- 
byterian, 1  United  Brethren,  1  Universalist  and  1  Bethel,  and  1 
Baptist  for  colored  persons.  The  principal  literary  institutions  in 
this  city,  are  the  Columbus  institute,  a  flourishing  classical  institution 
for  males,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schencks'  female  seminary,  and  the  German 
theological  Lutheran  seminary,  which  last  has  been  established  about 
17  years,  Rev.  Wm.  Lehmann,  professor  of  theology.  There  are 
in  Columbus  6  weekly,  2  tri-weekly  and  1  semi-monthly  newspapers 
and  several  banks.  Its  population,  in  1815,  was  about  700  ;  in  1820, 
about  1,400;  in  1830,  2,437  ;  in  1840,  6,048,  and  in  1846,  10,016. 


Ohio  Lunatic  Asylum. 

The  great  state  institutions  located  at  Columbus,  do  honor  to  Ohio, 
give  great  interest  to  the  city,  and  present  strong  attractions  to 
strangers. 

Ohio  Lunatic  Asylum. — This  noble  structure  occupies  a  com- 
manding position  in  an  open  space  of  ground,  about  one  mile  east  of . 
the  state  house.  There  are  thirty  acres  of  land  attached  to  it,  with 
an  extensive  plat  in  front  of  the  building,  handsomely  ornamented  by 
shrubbery.  The  institution  is  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  William 
M'Awl,  with  whom  are  several  assistants.  The  buildings  present  a 
continuous  front  of  376  feet :  the  main  building  is  296  feet  in  length 
and  46  feet  in  depth.  The  wings  project  beyond  it  11  feet  and  ex- 
tend back  218  feet,  thus  forming  a  large  court  in  its  rear.  The  wings 
are  39  feet  wide. 

"The  buildings  were  commenced  in  the  year  1836.  They  con- 
tain upwards  of  five  millions  of  brick,  and  have  cost  (including  the 
labor  of  convicts,  which  was  a  large  item,)  upwards  of  $150,000. 
They  cover  an  acre  of  ground,  and  contain  440  rooms.  They  are 
capable  of  accommodating  (besides  the  officers,  assistants,  attendants, 
&c.,)  350  patients.  The  style  of  the  buildings  is  in  good  taste,  and 
does  credit  to  the  architect,  (N.  B.  Kelley,  Esq.,)  by  whom  the  de- 
signs were  prepared,  and  who  presided  over  their  execution 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 


173 


"  The  institution  went  into  operation  in  the  month  of  November, 
1838.  Since  that  time,  there  have  been  in  it  866  patients  :  461  males 
and  405  females ;  247  pay  patients,  649  supported  by  the  state  ;  358 
have  been  discharged  cured — 92  have  died  ;  420  were  " recent  cases" 
(of  less  than  a  year's  duration  when  the  patient  was  received,)  446 
were  old  cases,  (of  more  than  a  year's  duration.)  Of  the  recent 
cases  discharged,  90.59-100  per  cent,  (or  289)  were  cured — of  the 
old  cases,  27  per  cent,  (or  69.)  In  addition  to  this,  a  great  number 
of  those  incurable  have  been  much  improved  in  their  condition. 

"  During  the  past  year,  [1846,]  175  patients  have  been  admitted  : 
88  males  and  87  females.  Of  these,  101  were  "  recent  cases,"  74 
were  old  cases;  71  have  been  discharged  "cured,"  18  have  died. 
In  the  recent  cases  discharged,  95.38-100  per  cent,  were  cured — in 
the  old  cases,  20.93-100  per  cent.  A  number  are  still  improving, 
with  fair  prospects  of  recovery.  These  results  compare  favorably 
with  those  in  the  best  institutions,  both  in  this  country  and  abroad. 
The  number  of  patients  in  the  institution  at  the  close  of  the  fiscal 
year,  was  291." 


Ohio  Blind  Institution. 

The  Ohio  Institution  for  the  Education  of  the  Blind,  is  situ- 
ated about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  easterly  from  the  state  house,  on 
the  national  road,  and  is  under  the  superintendence  of  W.  Chapin, 
Esq.  The  building  is  a  large  and  handsome  structure  of  brick,  in 
front  of  which  the  ground  is  pleasantly  laid  out  into  graveled  walks, 
with  flowers  and  shade  trees.  The  institution  was  established  in 
1837,  is  now  flourishing  and  has  about  100  pupils.  They  are  taught 
in  a  liberal  course  of  instruction  in  the  several  English  branches, 
with  lectures  on  moral  and  natural  science.  They  are  also  instructed 
in  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  and  have  among  them  an  excellent 
band  of  music.     In  the  afternoon,  they  are  engaged  in  several  me- 


174 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 


chanical  branches  and  fancy  and  ornamental  work.     The  institution 
is  flourishing,  and  the  pupils  contented  and  cheerful. 

The  Ohio  Asylum  for  the  instruction  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb, 
is  situated  one  third  of  a  mile  east  of  the  state  house.  The  build- 
ings, which  are  of  brick,  cost  about  $25,000,  including  the  grounds, 
which  are  handsomely  laid  out  and  adorned  with  shrubbery.  The 
number  of  pupils  is  about  130.  The  institution  is  under  the  super- 
intendence of  H.  N.  Hubbell,  Esq.,  and  is  in  a  thriving  condition. 
Its  site  was  selected  in  1829,  and  it  soon  after  went  into  operation. 


Ohio  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum. 

The  pupils  are  daily  instructed  in  the  branches  usually  taught  at 
other  seminaries.  The  girls  spend  a  portion  of  their  time  in  do- 
mestic, and  the  boys  in  mechanical  operations. 

These  hoble  institutions  are  sustained  by  the  state,  with  a  liberality 
that  pure  benevolence  must  delight  to  witness.  Their  several  su- 
perintendents feel  vividly  the  importance  of  their  responsibilities, 
and  discharge  them  in  a  happy  and  judicious  manner. 

The  Ohio  Penitentiary,  the  most  imposing  edifice  in  Columbus, 
is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Scioto,  about  half  a  mile  north  of 
the  state  house.  The  main  building,  shown  in  the  annexed  view,  is 
built  of  Ohio  marble.  It  contains  the  warden's  house,  the  office 
and  guard  rooms,  and  in  each  of  its  wings  are  350  cells  for  pris- 
oners, arranged  in  five  tiers.  With  the  penitentiary  walls,  this 
building  forms  a  hollow  square  of  six  acres:  about  one  third  of  this 
area  is  shown  in  the  large  view.  A  railroad,  about  two  miles  long, 
extends  from  the  prison  to  a  stone  quarry,  at  which  a  portion  of  the 
prisoners  work  in  getting  out  stone. 

The  prisoners  are  all  employed  in  several  useful  rc<anufactures> 
and  such  is  the  efficiency  of  discipline,  that  the  industry  of  the  con- 
victs equals  any  association  of  voluntary  or  paid  laborers.  The 
discipline  of  the  prison  is  conducted  by  rules,  printed  copies  of 
which  are  given  to  the  prisoners.     At  the  sound  of  a  bell,  at  noon, 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY.  175 

they  leave  work  and  arrange  themselves  in  thirteen  different  com- 
panies, in  front  of  their  workshops.  One  of  these  companies  is 
composed  entirely  of  blacks.  When  the  bell  strikes  a  second  time, 
they  march  to  their  dinner,  with  their  heads  to  the  left,  so  as  to  bring 
their  faces  in   view   of  the    attendant,  and   prevent  conversation. 


Ohio  Penitentiary. 

They  move  in  close  order,  with  the  lock-step,  and  make  a  shuffling 
noise,  that  echoes  loudly  upon  the  walls  of  the  area.  Arrived  at  the 
table,  they  arrange  themselves  before  their  seats.  At  the  sound  of 
a  small  bell,  they  take  off  their  caps,  and  when  it  again  sounds,  com- 
mence eating.  They  eat  from  wooden  dishes  made  in  the  prison, 
and  drink  from  tin  cups ;  in  the  morning,  their  beverage  is  rye  cof- 
fee, at  noon,  water.  Their  knives  and  forks  are  coarse,  with  wooden 
handles.  A  late  visitor  describes,  in  a  public  print,  the  discipline 
of  the  prison  and  treatment  of  its  convicts. 

The  present  warden  has  gathered  around  him  assistants  who  have  in  their  hearts  much 
of  the  milk  of  human  kindness.  The  new  directory  approves  and  seconds  his  labors,  and 
as  the  result  of  these  labors  of  love,  the  subordination  is  more  perfect  than  ever  before,  the 
lash  is  very  rarely  used,  the  convicts  are  rarely  reported,  an  air  of  cheerful  alacrity  charac- 
terizes the  operations  of  the  various  shops,  and  all  the  movements  of  those  who  are  com- 
pelled to  pay  the  penalties  of  their  crimes  within  the  walls  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary. 

There  are,  at  this  time,  about  five  hundred  convicts  in  the  penitentiary.  Their  labor 
yields  to  the  state  a  surplus  of  $16,000  or  $18,000  annually.  They  receive  an  abundance 
of  substantial  food,  and  enjoy  good  health.  On  the  Sabbath,  they  all  attend  religious  ser- 
vices in  the  chapel.  Their  religious  instruction  is  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Finley. 
one  of  the  pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  the  west — an  old  veteran  of 
more  than  sixty  winters,  who  is  robust  and  vigorous,  and  whose  heart  overflows  with  love 
for  poor,  weak  humanity.  His  tearful  appeals  have  had  their  effect,  too,  and  many  of  his 
charge  do  right  from  religious  principle.  There  is  a  choir  connected  with  the  congrega- 
tion, that  meets  regularly  for  practice  before  service  on  Sabbath.  During  service,  the 
effect  is  almost  electric  when  those  live  hundred  voices  peal  forth  their  sacred  songs.  With 
tears  streaming  from  their  eyes,  have  I  heard  these  unfortunate  men  confessing  their  "grat- 
itude for  the  blessed  lessons  they  had  been  taught  in  the  penitentiary. 

There  is  connected,  also,  with  the  penitentiary,  a  Sabbath  school.  Nearly  one  fifth  of 
the  convicts  are  permitted  to  avail  themselves  of  its  benefits.  The  instructions  there  given 
by  Christians  of  the  city,  who  attend  for  the  purpose,  exert  an  important,  all-powerful  in- 


176  FRANKLIN    C0UNTV. 

fluence  for  good  upon  the  minds  of  the  convicts.  Superadded  to  all  this,  there  is  an  excel- 
lent library  of  several  hundred  volumes,  secured  mainly  through  the  labors  of  the  present 
warden  and  chaplain.  The  former  chaplain,  (Rev.  Mr.  Mills,)  laid  the  foundation.  The 
convicts  rejoice  in  the  benefits  of  this  library,  and  speak  of  it  with  grateful  emotions. 
They  all  have  Bibles  in  their  cells,  also.  They  are  permitted  to  write,  within  stated  pe- 
riods, to  their  friends  and  relatives,  and  receive  as  many  letters  as  are  sent  to  them,  when 
containing  nothing  improper.  At  a  meeting  held  a  few  Sabbaths  since,  in  the  chapel,  and 
in  reply  to  a  question  propounded,  about  fifty  of  them  acknowledged  that  they  had  learned 
to  read  since  they  entered  the  prison. 

Temperance  addresses  are  occasionally  delivered  in  the  chapel  of  the  penitentiary. 
Messrs.  T.  and  G.  recently  addressed  the  inmates.  The  question  was  put,  "  How  many 
committed  the  crimes  of  which  they  stand  convicted,  owing  to  the  use  and  while  under  the 
influence  of  intoxicating  drinks."  More  than  four  hundred  arose  on  their  feet.  Seventy 
or  eighty  admitted  that  they  had  been  engaged  in  vending  or  making  liquor.  Nearly  every 
one  declared,  by  rising,  his  purpose  to  abstain  entirely  from  the  use  of  intoxicating  drink 
the  rest  of  his  days. 

We  here  insert  a  curiosity,  from  the  Columbus  Gazette,  of  Aug. 
29th,  1822.  At  an  early  day,  there  was  a  law  passed  offering  a 
bounty  for  the  scalps  of  squirrels.  Whether  it  was  in  force  at  this 
time,  we  do  not  know  ;  if  so,  it  must  have  made  quite  a  draft  on  the 
treasury. 

Grand  Squirrel  Hunt  1 — The  squirrels  are  becoming  so  numerous  in  the  county,  as  to 
threaten  serious  injury,  if  not  destruction,  to  the  hopes  of  the  farmer  during  the  ensuing 
fall.  Much  good  might  be  done  by  a  general  turn  out  of  all  citizens  whose  convenience 
will  permit,  for  two  or  three  days,  in  order  to  prevent  the  alarming  ravages  of  those  mis- 
chievous neighbors.  It  is  therefore  respectfully  submitted  to  the  different  townships,  each 
to  meet  and  choose  two  or  three  of  their  citizens  to  meet  in  a  hunting  caucus,  at  the  house 
of  Christian  Heyl,  on  Saturday,  the  31st  inst.,  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  Should  the  time  above 
stated  prove  too  short  for  the  townships  to  hold  meetings,  as  above  recommended,  the  fol- 
lowing persons  are  respectfully  nominated  and  invited  to  attend  the  meeting  at  Columbus. 

Montgomery — Jeremiah  M'Lene  and  Edward  Livingston.  Hamilton — George  W. 
Williams  and  Andrew  Dill.  Madison — Nicholas  Goetschius  and  W.  H.  Richardson. 
Truro — Abiather  V.  Taylor  and  John  Hanson.  Jefferson — John  Edgar  and  Elias  Ogden. 
Plain — Thomas  B.  Patterson  and  Jonathan  Whitehead.  Harrison — F.  C.  Olmsted  and 
Capt.  Bishop.  Sharon — Matthew  Matthews  and  Bulkley  Comstock.  Perry — Griffith 
Thomas  and  William  Mickey.  Washington — Peter  Sells  and  Uriah  Clark.  Nonvich — 
Robert  Elliott  and  Alanson  Perry.  Clinton — Col.  Cook  and  Samuel  Henderson.  Frank' 
lin — John  M'Elvain  and  Lewis  Williams.  Prairie — John  Hunter  and  Jacob  NeiT.  Pleas- 
ant— James  Gardiner  and  Reuben  Golliday.  Jackson — Woollery  Coonrod  and  Nicholas 
Hoover.     Mifflin — Adam  Reed  and  William  Dalzell. 

In  case  any  township  should  be  unrepresented  in  the  meeting,  those  present  will  taka 
the  liberty  of  nominating  suitable  persons  for  said  absent  township. 

Ralph  Osborn,  Lucas  Sullivant, 

Gustavus  Swan,  Samuel  G.  Flenniken, 

Christian  Heyl,  John  A.  M'Dowell. 

A  subsequent  paper  says  :  "the  hunt  was  conducted  agreeably  to  the  instructions  in  vvt 
last  paper.  On  counting  the  scalps,  it  appeared  that  nineteen  thousand  six  hundred  o*id 
sixty  scalps  were  produced.  It  is  impossible  to  say  what  number  in  all  were  killed,  ki  a 
great  many  of  the  hunters  did  not  come  in.  We  think  we  may  safely  challenge  any  o'uier 
county  in  the  state  to  kill  squirrels  with  us." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  villages  in  this  county,  not  previously 
mentioned,  with  their  population  in  1840.  Dublin,  166;  Harrisburg, 
81  ;  Lockbourne,  139,  and  Reynoldsburg,  309.  Central  college  is 
a  new  and  flourishing  institution,  in  Blendon  township,  of  which  thf 
Rev.  Mr.  Covert  is  president. 


GALLIA    COUNTY.  ]77 


GALLIA. 

Gallia  was  formed  from  Washington,  April  30th,  1803.  The  word 
Gallia  is  the  ancient  name  of  France,  from  whence  it  was  originally 
settled.  The  surface  is  generally  broken,  excepting  in  the  eastern 
part  and  on  the  Ohio  river  and  Kiger  creek,  where  it  is  more  level, 
and  the  soil  fertile.  Much  of  the  county  is  well  adapted  to  wheat, 
and  a  great  part  covered  with  a  sandy  loam.  The  principal  crops 
are  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  beans.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  town- 
ships, in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Addison,       692         Guyan,  342         Perry,  973 

Cheshire,      791         Harrison,       688         Raccoon,      1610 
Clay,  745         Huntington,  972         Springfield,    991 

Gallipolis,  1413         Morgan,         744         Walnut,  424 

Green,        1047         Ohio,  626         Wilkesville,  738 

Greenfield,  639 

The  population  of  the  county  was,  in  1820,  7098 ;  in  1830,  9733, 
and  in  1840,  13,445,  or  25  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  county  was  at  Gallipolis.  It  was  set- 
tled in  1791,  by  a  French  colony,  sent  out  under  the  auspices  of 
u  the  Scioto  company:'  This  company  was  in  some  way  connected 
with  the  Ohio  company.  What  that  connection  was,  does  not  fully 
appear.*  Col.  Duer,  of  New  York,  "  secretary  to  the  board  of  treas- 
ury," a  Mr.  Flint  and  a  Mr.  Craig  seem  to  have  been  the  most 
prominent  members  of  the  company. 

In  May  or  June,  1788,  Joel  Barlow,  the  agent  of  the  company, 
left  this  country  for  Europe.  He  distributed  proposals!  at  Paris, 
from  which  the  annexed  is  an  extract. 

A  climate  wholesome  and  delightful,  frost  even  in  winter  almost  entirely  unknown,  and 
a  river  called,  by  way  of  eminence,  the  beautiful,  and  abounding  in  excellent  fish  of  a 
vast  size.  Noble  forests,  consisting  of  trees  that  spontaneously  produce  sugar,  {the  sugar 
maple,)  and  a  plant  that  yields  ready-made  candles,  {myrica  cerifera.)  Vension  in  plenty, 
the  pursuit  of  which  is  uninterrupted  by  wolves,  foxes,  lions  or  tigers.  A  couple  of  swine 
will  multiply  themselves  a  hundred  fold  in  two  or  three  years,  without  taking  any  care  of 
them.     No  taxes  to  pay,  no  military  services  to  be  performed. 

Volney,  who  came  to  America  in  1795,  in  his  "  View,"  where  we 
find  the  above,  says : 

*  Volney  speaks  of  the  Ohio  company  as  being  the  original  proprietors,  and  the  Scioto 
as  purchasers  from  them.  Judge  Hall,  in  his  Statistics  of  the  West,  says  the  Scioto  com- 
pany, which  was  formed  from  or  by  the  Ohio  company,  as  a  subordinate.  Barlow,  he 
says,  was  sent  to  Europe  by  the  Ohio  company — which  fact  the  biographical  sketch  of 
Barlow  also  states — and  by  them  the  lands  in  question  were  conveyed  to  the  Scioto  com- 
pany. Kilbourn's  gazetteer  says :  "  the  Scioto  company,  which  intended  to  buy  of  con- 
gress all  the  tract  between  the  western  boundary  of  the  Ohio  company's  purchase  and  the 
Scioto,  directed  the  French  settlers  to  Gallipolis,  supposing  it  to  be  west  of  the  Ohio  com- 
pany's purchase,  though  it  proved  not  to  be."  The  company,  he  adds,  failing  to  make 
their  payments,  the  whole  of  the  proposed  purchase  remained  with  government. — Annals 
of  the  West. 

t  Volney  states  that  these  proposals  were  distributed  in  1790. 

23 


178  GALLIA    COUNTY. 

These  munificent  promisers  forgot  to  say,  that  these  forests  must  be  cut  down  before  corn 
yould  be  raised  ;  that  for  a  year,  at  least,  they  must  bring  their  daily  bread  from  a  great 
distance  ;  that  hunting  and  fishing  are  agreeable  amusements,  when  pursued  for  the  sake 
of  amusement,  but  are  widely  different  when  followed  for  the  sake  of  subsistence :  and 
they  quite  forgot  to  mention,  that  though  there  be  no  bears  or  tigers  in  the  neighborhood, 
there  are  wild  beasts  infinitely  more  cunning  and  ferocious,  in  the  shape  of  men,  who  were 
at  that  time  at  open  and  cruel  war  with  the  whites. 

In  truth,  the  market  value  of  these  lands  at  that  time,  in  America,  was  no  more  than 
six  or  seven  cents  an  acre.  In  France,  in  Paris,  the  imagination  was  too  heated  to  admit 
of  doubt  or  suspicion,  and  people  were  too  ignorant  and  uninformed  to  perceive  where  the 
picture  was  defective,  and  its  colors  too  glaring.  The  example,  too,  of  the  wealthy  and 
reputedly  wise  confirmed  the  popular  delusion.  Nothing  was  talked  of,  in  every  social 
circle,  but  the  paradise  that  was  opened  for  Frenchmen  in  the  western  wilderness  ;  the  free 
and  happy  life  to  be  led  on  the  blissful  banks  of  the  Scioto.  At  length,  Brissot  published 
his  travels,*  and  completed  the  flattering  delusion :  buyers  became  numerous  and  impor- 
tunate, chiefly  among  the  better  sort  of  the  middle  class:  single  persons  and  whole  fam- 
ilies disposed  of  their  all,  flattering  themselves  with  having  made  excellent  bargains. 

With  the  proposals,  a  map  was  shown  at  Paris  by  the  agents 
of  the  Scioto  company,  Joel  Barlow,  from  the  United  States,  an 
Englishman  by  the  name  of  Playfair,  and  a  Frenchman,  named  De 
Saisson.  An  impression  of  this  map  is  in  the  possession  of  Mons. 
J.  P.  R.  Bureau,  of  Gallipolis,  one  of  the  original  settlers.  From  it 
the  annexed  engraving  was  taken,  omitting  some  non-essentials. 
The  original  is  sixteen  inches  long  and  twelve  wide. 

It  is  in  French,  handsomely  engraved  and  colored,  with  the 
lands  of  the  two  companies  and  the  tract  east  of  them,  all  divided 
into  townships  of  six  miles  square.  It  represents  the  Scioto  com- 
pany's tract  as  extending  about  one  hundred  miles  north  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Kanawha,  and  including  more  or  less  of  the  present 
counties  of  Meigs,  Athens,  Muskingum,  Licking,  Franklin,  Picka- 
way, Ross,  Pike,  Scioto,  Gallia,  Lawrence,  Perry,  Jackson,  Hocking, 
and  Fairfield.  This  tract,  on  the  map,  is  divided  into  142  townships 
and  32  fractions.  The  north  line  of  the  Ohio  land  company's  tract 
is  18  miles  south  of  the  other,  and  included  the  present  county  of 
Morgan,  and  parts  of  Washington,  Meigs,  Athens,  Muskingum, 
Guernsey  and  Monroe,  there  divided  into  91  townships  and  16  frac- 
tions. The  tract  east  of  that  of  the  Ohio  company,  extends  48 
miles  farther  north.  Upon  the  original,  are  the  words  "  Sept  rangs 
de  municipalite  acquis  par  des  individues  et  occupes  depuis,  1786  ;" 

*  Volney  here  refers  to  the  travels  of  Brissot  de  Warville.  Brissot  published  several  vol- 
umes relating  to  America,  as  we  infer  from  his  preface  to  his  "  New  Travels  in  America," 
a  work  issued  in  the  spring  of  1791,  and  consisting  in  part  of  a  series  of  letters  written 
from  this  country,  in  1788.  In  his  preface  to  the  last,  he  says:  "the  third  volume  was 
published  in  1787,  by  Mr.  Claviere  and  me."  In  the  last,  he  refers  to  the  charges  against 
the  Scioto  company,  in  this  wise.  "  This  company  has  been  much  calumniated.  It  has 
been  accused  of  selling  lands  which  it  does  not  possess,  of  giving  exaggerated  accounts  of 
its  fertility,  of  deceiving  the  emigrants,  of  robbing  France  of  her  inhabitants,  and  of  send- 
ing them  to  be  butchered  by  the  savages.  But  the  title  of  this  association  is  incontestable ; 
the  proprietors  are  reputable  men  ;  the  description  which  they  have  given  of  the  lands  is 
taken  from  the  public  and  authentic  reports  of  Mr.  Hutchins,  geographer  of  congress.  No 
person  can  dispute  their  prodigious  fertility."  He  elsewhere  speaks,  in  this  volume,  in  high 
terms  of  the  company. 


GALLIA    COUNTY. 


i.  e.  Seven  ranges  of  townships  acquired  by  individuals,  and 
pied  since  178G. 


179 

occu- 


"  Plan  of  the  Purchase  of  the  Ohio  and  Scioto  Land  Companies." 

The  map  is  inaccurate  in  its  geography,  and  fraudulent  in  its  state- 
ments. It  represents  the  country  as  "  cleared  and  inhabited,"  when 
it  was  a  wilderness,  the  only  settlement  being  at  Marietta,  with  per- 
haps some  offshoots  from  it  on  the  Ohio  and  Muskingum.^ 

The  glowing  representations  made  by  the  agents  of  the  company, 
were  well-timed  for  their  enterprise.  It  was  about  the  beginning 
of  the  French  revolution,  and  the  "  flattering  delusion"  took  strong 


180 


GALLIA    COUNTY. 


hold  The  terms  to  induce  emigration,  were  as  follows :  the  com- 
pany proposed  to  take  the  emigrant  to  their  lands  and  pay  the  cost, 
and  the  latter  bound  himself  to  work  three  years  for  the  company, 
for  which  he  was  to  receive  fifty  acres,  a  house  and  a  cow.*  Printed 
deeds,  executed  at  Paris,  with  all  due  formality,  were  given  to  some 
of  the  purchasers,  by  Play  fair  and  De  Saisson.  About  five  hundred 
Frenchmen  left  their  native  country,  landed  mostly  at  Alexandria, 
and  made  their  way  to  the  promised  land.     They  were  persons  ill- 


jfe--  iys^-^ 


Gallipolis  in  1791. 

fitted  for  such  an  enterprise.  Among  them  were  not  a  few  carvers 
and  gilders  to  his  majesty,  coach  and  peruke  makers,  friseurs  and 
other  artistes,  about  equally  well  fitted  for  a  backwoods  life,  with 
only  ten  or  twelve  farmers  "and  laborers. 

On  the  map  is  shown  the  "first  town,"  i.  e.  "Premiere  Ville,"  lying 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Kanawha.  It  was  laid  out  by  the  Ohio 
company,  under  the  name  of  Fair  Haven  ;  but  as  the  ground  there 
is  low  and  liable  to  overflow,  Gallipolis  was  located  four  miles  be- 
low, upon  a  high  bank,  ten  feet  above  the  flood  of  1832.f 

This  location  was  made  just  before  the  arrival  of  the  French.  Col. 
Rufus  Putnam  sent  Major  Burnham,  with  about  forty  men,  for  that 
purpose,  who  made  the  clearing  and  erected  block-houses  and  cabins. 
Col.  Robert  Safford,  now  living  near  Gallipolis,  was  of  this  party, 
and  cut  the  first  tree.  From  his  description,  we  give  the  view  of 
the  place  at  that  time,  the  greater  part  of  which  stood  on  the  site  of 
the  public  square. 

On  the  public  square  stood  80  log  cabins,  20  in  each  row.  At 
-each  of  the  corners  were  block-houses,  two  stories  in  height.  In 
iront  of  the  cabins,  close  by  the  river  bank,  was  a  small  log  breast- 
work, erected  for  a  defence  while  building  the  cabins.     Above  the 


*  J.  P.  R.  Bureau. 


t  Ibid. 


GALLIA    COUNTY.  181 

cabins,  on  the  square,  were  two  other  parallel  rows  of  caoins,  wh;-ch, 
with  a  high  stockade  fence  and  block-houses  at  each  of  the  upper 
corners,  formed  a  sufficient  fortification  in  times  of  danger.  These 
upper  cabins  were  a  story  and  a  half  in  height,  built  of  hewed  logs, 
and  finished  in  better  style  than  those  below,  being  intended  for  the 
richer  class.  In  the  upper  cabins  was  a  room  used  for  a  council 
chamber  and  a  ball  room. 

The  Scioto  company  contracted  with  Putnam  to  erect  these  build 
ings  and  furnish  the  settlers  with  provisions  ;  but  failed  of  payment, 
by  which  he  lost  a  large  amount. 

We  continue  the  history  of  Gallipolis,  in  the  annexed  extract  from 
a  communication  in  the  Pioneer,  by  Waldeurard  Meulette,  one  of 
the  colonists. 

At  an  early  meeting  of  the  colonists,  the  town  was  named  Gallipolis,  (town  of  the 
French.)  I  did  not  arrive  till  nearly  all  the  colonists  were  there.  I  descended  the  river 
in  1791,  in  flat  boats,  loaded  with  troops,  commanded  by  Gen.  St.  Clair,  destined  for  an 
expedition  against  the  Indians.  Some  of  my  countrymen  joined  that  expedition  ;  among 
others  was  Count  Malartie,  a  captain  in  the  French  guard  of  Louis  XVI.  General  St. 
Clair  made  him  one  of  his  aid-de-camps  in  the  battle,  in  which  he  was  severely  wounded 
He  went  back  to  Philadelphia,  from  whence  he  returned  to  France.  The  Indians  were 
encouraged  to  greater  depredations  and  murders,  by  their  success  in  this  expedition,  but 
most  especially  against  the  American  settlements.  From  their  intercourse  with  the  French 
in  Canada,  or  some  other  cause,  they  seemed  less  disposed  to  trouble  us.  Immediately 
after  St.  Clair's  defeat,  Col.  Sproat,  commandant  at  Marietta,  appointed  four  spies  for 
Gallipolis* — two  Americans  and  two  French,  of  which  I  was  one,  and  it  was  not  until  after 
the  treaty  at  Greenville,  in  1795,  that  we  were  released. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  difficulties,  the  difference  of  tempers,  education  and  profes- 
sions, the  inhabitants  lived  in  harmony,  and  having  little  or  nothing  to  do,  made  themselves 
agreeable  and  useful  to  each  other.  The  Americans  and  hunters,  employed  by  the  com- 
pany, performed  the  first  labors  of  clearing  the  township,  which  was  divided  into  lots. 

Although  the  French  were  willing  to  work,  yet  the  clearing  of  an  American  wilderness 
and  its  heavy  timber,  was  far  more  than  they  could  perform.  To  migrate  from  the  eastern 
etates  to  the  "far  west,"  is  painful  enough  now-a-days,  but  how  much  more  so  it  must  be 
for  a  citizen  of  a  large  European  town  !  even  a  farmer  of  the  old  countries  would  find  it 
very  hard,  if  not  impossible,  to  clear  land  in  the  wilderness.  Those  hunters  were  paid  by 
the  colonists  to  prepare  their  garden  ground,  which  was  to  receive  the  seeds  brought  from 
France ;  few  of  the  colonists  knew  how  to  make  a  garden,  but  they  were  guided  by  a  few 
books  on  that  subject,  which  they  had  brought  likewise  from  France.  The  colony  then 
began  to  improve  in  its  appearance  and  comfort.  The  fresh  provisions  were  supplied  by 
the  company's  hunters,  the  others  came  from  their  magazines.  When,  of  the  expeditions 
of  General  St.  Clair  and  Wayne,  many  of  the  troops  stopped  at  Gallipolis  to  take  provi- 
sions, which  had  been  deposited  there  for  that  purpose  by  government ;  the  Indians,  who, 
no  doubt,  often  came  there  in  the  night,  at  last  saw  the  regulars  going  morning  and  eve- 
ning round  the  town  in  order  to  ascertain  if  there  were  any  Indian  traces,  and  attacked 
them,  killing  and  wounding  several — a  soldier,  besides  other  wounds,  was  tomahawked, 
but  recovered.  A  French  colonist,  who  had  tried  to  raise  corn  at  some  distance  from  the 
town,  seeing  an  Indian  rising  from  behind  some  brushwood  against  a  tree,  shot  him  in  the 
shoulder ;  the  Indian  hearing  an  American  patrole,  must  have  thought  that  the  French- 
man made  a  part  of  it ;  and  sometime  afterward  a  Frenchman  was  killed,  and  a  man  and 
woman  made  prisoners,  as  they  were  going  to  collect  ashes  to  make  soap,  at  some  dia 
tance  from  town. 

After  this,  although  the  Indians  committed  depredations  on  the  Americans  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  the  French  had  suffered  only  by  the  loss  of  some  cattle  carried  away,  until  the 
murder  of  the  man  above  related.  The  Scioto  company,  in  the  mean  time,  had  nearly 
fulfilled  all  their  engagements  during  six  months,  after  which  time  they  ceased  their  supply 
of  provisions  to  the  colonists,  and  one  of  their  agents  gave  as  a  reason  for  it,  that  the  com- 
pany had  been  cheated  by  one  or  two  of  their  agents  in  France,  who,  having  received  tn« 
funds  in  France  for  the  purchased  lands,  had  kept  the  money  for  themselves  and  run  off 
with  it  to  England,  without  having  purchased  or  possessing  any  of  the  tract  which  the 


182  GALLIA    COUNTY. 

had  sold  to  the  deceived  colonists.  This  intelligence  exasperated  them,  and  was  the  more 
sensibly  felt,  as  a  scarcity  of  provisions  added  to  their  disappointment.  The  winter  was 
uncommonly  severe  ;  the  creek  and  the  Ohio  were  frozen  ;  the  hunters  had  no  longer  any 
meat  to  sell ;  flat  boats  could  not  come  down  with  flour  to  furnish  as  they  had  done  be- 
fore. This  produced  almost  a  famine  in  the  settlement,  and  a  family  of  eight  persons, 
lather,  mother  and  children,  was  obliged  to  subsist  for  eight  or  ten  days  on  dry  beans,  boiled 
in  water,  without  either  salt,  grease  or  bread,  and  those  had  never  known,  before  that  time, 
what  it  was  to  want  for  any  thing.  On  the  other  hand,  the  dangers  from  the  Indians 
seemed  to  augment  every  day. 

The  colonists  were  by  this  time  weary  of  being  confined  to  a  few  acres  of  land  ;  their 
industry  and  their  labor  was  lost ;  the  money  and  clothes  which  they  had  brought  were 
nearly  gone.  They  knew  not  to  whom  they  were  to  apply  to  get  their  lands ;  they  hoped 
that  if  Wayne's  campaign  forced  the  Indians  to  make  a  lasting  peace,  the  Scioto  company 
would  send  immediately,  either  to  recover  or  to  purchase  those  promised  lands  ;  but  they 
soon  found  out  their  mistake.  After  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  many  Indians  passing  through 
Gallipolis,  on  their  way  to  the  seat  of  government,  and  several  travellers,  revealed  the 
whole  transaction,  from  which  it  was  ascertained  that  the  pretended  Scioto  company  was 
composed  of  New  Englanders,  the  names  of  very  few  only  being  known  to  the  French, 
who,  being  themselves  ignorant  of  the  English  language,  and  at  such  a  distance  from  the 
place  of  residence  of  their  defrauders,  and  without  means  for  prosecuting  them,  could  get 
noTedress.  Far  in  a  distant  land,  separated  forever  from  their  friends  and  relations — with 
exhausted  means,  was  it  surprising  that  they  were  disheartened,  and  that  every  social  tie 
should  have  been  loosened,  nearly  broken,  and  a  great  portion  of  the  deceived  colonists 
should  have  become  reckless  ?  May  the  happy  of  this  day,  never  feel  as  they  did,  when 
ali  hope  was  blasted,  and  they  were  left  so  destitute  !  Many  of  the  colonists  went  off  and 
settled  elsewhere  with  the  means  that  remained  to  them,  and  resumed  their  trades  in  more 
populous  parts  of  the  country  ;  others  led  a  half-savage  life,  as  hunters  for  skins:  the 
greater  part,  however,  resolved,  in  a  general  assembly,  to  make  a  memorial  of  their  griev- 
ances, and  send  it  to  congress.  The  memorial  claimed  no  rights  from  that  body,  but  it 
was  a  detail  of  their  wrongs  and  sufferings,  together  with  an  appeal  to  the  generosity  and 
feelings  of  congress ;  and  they  did  not  appeal  in  vain.  One  of  the  colonists  proposed  to 
carry  the  petition;  he  only  stipulated  that  his  expenses  should  be  paid  by  a  contribution  of 
the  colonists,  whether  he  succeeded  or  not  in  their  object ;  but,  he  added,  that  if  he  ob- 
tained for  himself  the  quantity  of  land  which  he  had  paid  for,  and  the  rest  had  none,  he 
should  be  repaid  by  their  gratitude  for  his  efforts.*  At  Philadelphia,  he  met  with  a  French 
lawyer,  M.  Duponceau,  and  through  his  means  he  obtained  from  congress  a  grant  of 
24,000  acres  of  land,  known  by  the  name  of  the  French  grant,  opposite  to  Little  Sandy, 
for  the  French,  who  were  still  resident  at  Gallipolis.  The  act  annexed  the  condition  of 
settling  on  the  lands  three  years  before  reviewing  the  deed  of  gift.  The  bearer  of  the 
petition  had  his  4000  acres ;  the  rest  was  divided  among  the  remaining  French,  amounting 
to  ninety-two  persons,  married  and  single. 

Each  inhabitant  had  thus  a  lot  of  217£  acres  of  land  ;  but  before  the  surveys  and  other 
arrangements  could  be  made,  some  time  was  necessary,  during  which,  those  who  had  re- 
claimed the  wilderness  and  improved  Gallipolis  being  reluctant  to  lose  all  their  labor,  and 
finding  that  a  company,  owning  the  lands  of  Marietta,  and  where  there  was  a  settlement 
previous  to  that  of  the  French  colony,  had  met  to  divide  lands  which  they  had  purchased 
in  a  common  stock,  the  colonists  sent  a  deputation  for  the  purpose  of  proposing  to  the 
company  to  sell  them  the  spot  where  Gallipolis  was  and  is  situated,  and  to  be  paid  in  pro- 
portion to  what  was  improved,  which  was  accepted.  When  at  last  the  distribution  of  the 
lots  of  the  French  grant  was  achieved,  some  sold  their  share,  others  went  to  settle  on  it,  or 
put  tenants,  and  either  remained  at  Gallipolis,  or  went  elsewhere  ;  but  how  few  entered 
again  heartily  into  a  new  kind  of  life,  after  having  lost  many  of  their  lives  and  much  of 
their  health,  amid  hardships,  excess  of  labor,  or  the  indolence  which  follows  discourage- 
ment and  hopeless  efforts !  Few  of  the  original  settlers  remain  at  Gallipolis :  not  many 
at  the  French  grant. 

Breckenridge,  in  his  Recollections,  gives  some  reminiscences  of 
Gallipolis,  related  in  a  style  of  charming  simplicity  and  humor.     He 

*  Our  contributor  is  not  clear  here  ;  we  presume  he  meant  to  say  :  "  But  he  added,  that 
if  he  obtained  as  much,  he  would  expect  for  himself  the  quantity  of  land  he  had  paid  for, 
viz  :  4000  acres  ;  and  if  the  rest  who  had  no  land  got  some,  he  would  be  repaid  by  their 
gratitude  for  his  efforts." — Ed. 


GALLIA   COUNTY.  183 

was  at  Gallipolis  in  1795,  at  which  time  he  was  a  boy  of  nine  year 
of  age. 

Behold  me  once  more  in  port,  and  domicilated  at  the  house,  or  the  inn,  of  Monsieur,  or 
rather,  Dr.  Saugrain,  a  cheerful,  sprightly  little  Frenchman,  four  feet  six,  English  measure 
and  a  chemist,  natural  philosopher,  and  physician,  both  in  the  English  and  French  signi 

fication  of  the  word This  singular  village  was  settled  by  people  from  Paris 

and  Lyons,  chiefly  artisans  and  artists,  peculiarly  unfitted  to  sit  down  in  the  wilderness 
and  clear  away  forests.  I  have  seen  half  a  dozen  at  work  in  taking  down  a  tree,  some  pull- 
ing ropes  fastened  to  the  branches,  while  others  were  cutting  around  it  like  beavers.  Some- 
times serious  accidents  occurred  in  consequence  of  their  awkwardness.  Their  former  em- 
ployment had  been  only  calculated  to  administer  to  the  luxury  of  highly  polished  and 
wealthy  societies.  There  were  carvers  and  gilders  to  the  king,  coach  makers,  freizurs  and 
peruke  makers,  and  a  variety  of  others  who  might  have  found  some  employment  in  our 
larger  towns,  but  who  were  entirely  out  of  their  place  in  the  wilds  of  Ohio.  Their  means 
by  this  time  had  been  exhausted,  and  they  were  beginning  to  suffer  from  the  want  of  the 
comforts,  and  even  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  country  back  from  the  river  was  still  a 
wilderness,  and  the  Gallipotians  did  not  pretend  to  cultivate  any  thing  more  than  small  gar- 
den spots,  depending  for  their  supply  of  provisions,  on  the  boats  which  now  began  to  de- 
scend the  river ;  but  they  had  to  pay  in  cash  and  that  was  become  scarce.  They  still  as- 
sembled at  the  ball-room  twice  a  week ;  it  was  evident,  however,  that  they  felt  disap- 
pointment, and  were  no  longer  happy.  The  predilections  of  the  best  among  them,  being 
on  the  side  of  the  Bourbons,  the  honors  of  the  French  revolution,  even  in  their  remote  sit- 
uation, mingled  with  their  private  misfortunes,  which  had  at  this  time  nearly  reached  their 
acme,  in  consequence  of  the  discovery  that  they  had  no  title  to  their  lands,  having  been 
cruelly  deceived  by  those  from  whom  they  had  purchased.  It  is  well  known  that  congress 
generously  made  them  a  grant  of  twenty  thousand  acres,  from  which,  however,  but  few 
of  them  ever  derived  any  advantage. 

As  the  Ohio  was  now  more  frequented,  the  house  was  occasionally  resorted  to,  and  es- 
pecially by  persons  looking  out  for  land  to  purchase.  The  doctor  had  a  small  apartment 
which  contained  his  chemical  apparatus,  and  I  used  to  sit  by  him,  as  often  as  I  could 
watching  the  curious  operation  of  his  blow-pipe  and  crucible.  I  loved  the  cheerful  little 
man,  and  he  became  very  fond  of  me  in  return.  Many  of  my  countrymen  used  to  come 
and  stare  at  his  doings,  which  they  were  half  inclined  to  think,  had  a  too  near  resemblance 
to  the  black  art.  The  doctors  little  phosphoric  matches,  igniting  spontaneously  when  the 
glass  tube  was  broken,  and  from  which  he  derived  some  emolument,  were  thought  by 
some,  to  be  rather  beyond  mere  human  power.  His  barometer  and  thermometer,  with  the 
scale  neatly  painted  with  the  pen,  and  the  frames  richly  carved,  were  objects  of  wonder, 
and  probably  some  of  them  are  yet  extant  in  the  west.  But  what  most  astonished  some  of 
our  visitors,  was  a  large  peach  in  a  glass  bottle,  the  neck  of  which  would  only  admit  a 
common  cork  ;  this  was  accomplished  by  tying  the  bottle  to  the  limb  of  a  tree,  with  the 
peach  when  young  inserted  into  it.  His  swans  which  swam  around  basins  of  water 
amused  me  more  than  any  wonders  exhibited  by  the  wonderful  man. 

The  doctor  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  Americans,  as  well  for  his  vivacity  and  sweetness 
of  temper,  which  nothing  could  sour,  as  on  account  of  a  circumstance  which  gave  him  high 
claim  to  the  esteem  of  the  backwoodsmen.  He  had  shown  himself,  notwithstanding  his  small 
stature  and  great  good  nature,  a  very  hero  in  combat  with  the  Indians.  He  had  descended 
the  Ohio  in  company  with  two  French  philosophers,  who  were  believers  in  the  primitive  in- 
nocence and  goodness  of  the  children  of  the  forest.  They  could  not  be  persuaded,  that 
any  danger  was  to  be  apprehended  from  the  Indians  ;  as  they  had  no  intentions  to  injure 
that  people,  they  supposed  no  harm  could  be  meditated  on  their  part.  Dr.  Saugrain  was 
not  altogether  so  well  convinced  of  their  good  intentions,  and  accordingly  kept  his  pistols 
loaded.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Sandy,  a  canoe  with  a  party  of  warriors  approached  the 
boat ;  the  philosophers  invited  them  on  board  by  signs,  when  they  came  rather  too  will- 
ingly. The  first  thing  they  did  on  coming  on  board  of  the  boat,  was  to  salute  the  two 
philosophers  with  the  tomahawk  ;  and  they  would  have  treated  the  doctor  in  the  same  way 
but  that  he  used  his  pistols  with  good  effect — killed  two  of  the  savages,  and  then  leaped 
into  the  water,  diving  like  a  dipper  at  the  flash  of  the  guns  of  the  others,  and  succeeded  in 
swimming  to  the  shore  with  several  severe  wounds  whose  scars  were  conspicuous. 

The  doctor  was  married  to  an  amiable  young  woman,  but  not  possessing  as  much  viva- 
city as  himself.  As  Madam  Saugrain  had  no  maid  to  assist  her,  her  brother,  a  boy  of  my 
age,  and  myself,  were  her  principal  helps  in  the  kitchen.  We  brought  water  and  wood, 
and  washed  the  dishes.     I  used  to  go  in  the  morning  about  two  miles  for  a  little  milk, 


184  GALLIA    COUNTY. 

sometimes  on  the  frozen  ground,  barefooted.  I  tried  a  pair  of  savots,  or  wooden  shoes, 
but  was  unable  to  make  any  use  of  them,  although  they  had  been  made  by  the  carver  to 
the  king.  Little  perquisites,  too,  sometimes  fell  to  our  share  from  blacking  boots  and 
shoes ;  my  companion  generally  saved  his,  while  mine  would  have  burned  a  hole  in  my 
pocket,  if  it  had  remained  there.  In  the  spring  and  summer,  a  good  deal  of  my  time  was 
passed  in  the  garden,  weeding  the  beds.  While  thus  engaged,  I  formed  an  acquaintance 
with  a  young  lady,  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  on  the  other  side  of  the  palings,  who  was  often 
similarly  occupied.  Our  friendship,  which  was  purely  Platonic,  commenced  with  the  story 
of  Blue  Beard,  recounted  by  her,  and  with  the  novelty  and  pathos  of  which  I  was  much 
interested.  This  incident  may  perhaps  remind  the  reader  of  the  story  of  Pyramus  and 
Thisbe,  or  perhaps  of  the  hortical  ecologue  of  Dean  Swift,  "  Dermot  and  Shela  " 

Connected  with  this  lady,  is  an  incident  which  I  feel  a  pleasure  in  relating.  One  day, 
while  standing  alone  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  I  saw  a  man  who  had  gone  in  to  bathe,  and 
who  had  got  beyond  his  depth,  without  being  able  to  swim.  He  had  began  to  struggle  for 
life,  and  in  a  few  seconds  would  have  sunk  to  rise  no  more.  I  shot  down  the  bank  like  an 
arrow,  leaped  into  a  canoe,  which  fortunately  happened  to  be  close  by,  pushed  the  end  to 
him,  and  as  he  rose,  perhaps  for  the  last  time,  he  seized  it  with  a  deadly  convulsive  grasp, 
and  held  so  firmly  that  the  skin  afterward  came  off  the  parts  of  his  arms  which  pressed 
against  the  wood.  I  screamed  for  help  ;  several  persons  came  and  took  him  out,  perfectly 
insensible.  He  afterwards  married  the  young  lady,  and  raised  a  numerous  and  respectable 
family.  One  of  his  daughters  married  a  young  lawyer,  who  now  represents  that  district 
in  congress 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  summer,  the  inhabitants  suffered  severely  from  sickness  and 
want  of  provisions.  Their  situation  was  truly  wretched.  The  swamp  in  the  rear,  now 
exposed  by  the  clearing  between  it  and  the  river,  became  the  cause  of  a  frightful  epidemic, 
from  which  few  escaped,  and  many  became  its  victims.  I  had  recovered  from  the  ague, 
and  was  among  the  few  exempted  from  the  disease :  but  our  family,  as  well  as  the  rest, 
suffered  much  from  absolute  hunger,  a  most  painful  sensation,  as  I  had  before  experienced. 
To  show  the  extremity  of  our  distress,  on  one  occasion  the  brother  of  Madam  Saugrain 
and  myself  pushed  a  light  canoe  to  an  island  above  town,  where  we  pulled  some  corn, 
took  it  to  mill,  and  excepting  some  of  the  raw  grains,  had  nothing  to  eat  from  the  day 
before,  until  we  carried  home  the  flour  and  made  some  bread,  but  had  neither  milk  nor 
meat.  I  have  learned  to  be  thankful  when  I  had  a  sufficiency  of  wholesome  food,  how- 
ever plain,  and  was  blessed  with  health;  and  I  could  put  up  with  humble  fare,  without  a 
murmur,  although  accustomed  to  luxuries,  when  I  have  seen  those  who  have  never  experi- 
enced absolute  starvation,  turn  up  their  noses  at  that,  which  was  a  very  little  worse  than 
the  best  they  had  ever  known 

I  had  been  nearly  a  year  at  Gallipolis,  when  Capt.  Smith,  of  the  United  States  army 
came  along  in  advance  of  the  barge  of  Gen.  Wilkinson,  and  according  to  the  request  of  my 
father,  took  me  into  his  custody,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  me  once  more  to  my  native 
place.  He  remained  two  or  three  days  waiting  for  the  general,  and  in  the  meanwhile 
procured  me  hat,  shoes  and  clothes  befitting  a  gentleman's  son,  and  then  took  me  on  board 
his  boat.  Shortly  after  the  general  overtook  us,  I  was  transferred  on  board  his  barge,  as  a 
playmate  for  his  son  Biddle,  a  boy  of  my  own  age.  The  general's  lady,  and  several  ladies 
and  gentlemen,  were  on  board  his  boat,  which  was  fitted  up  in  a  style  of  convenience,  and 
even  magnificence,  scarcely  surpassed  even  by  the  present  steamboats.  It  was  propelled 
against  the  stream  by  twenty  five  or  thirty  men,  sometimes  by  the  pole,  the  cordelle,  and 
often  by  the  oar.  There  was  also  a  band  of  musicians  on  board,  and  the  whole  had  the 
appearance  of  a  mere  party  of  pleasure.  My  senses  were  overpowered — it  seemed  an  Ely- 
sium !  The  splendor  of  the  furniture — the  elegance  of  the  dresses — and  then,  the  luxuries 
of  the  table,  to  a  half-starved  creature  like  me,  produced  an  effect  which  can  scarce  be 
easily  described.  Every  repast  was  a  royal  banquet,  and  such  delicacies  were  placed  be- 
fore me,  as  I  had  never  seen  before,  and  in  sufficient  abundance  to  satiate  my  insatiable 
appetite.  I  was  no  more  like  what  I  had  been,  than  the  cast-off  skin  of  the  black  snake 
resembles  the  new  dress  in  which  he  glistens  in  the  sunbeam.  The  general's  countenance 
was  continually  lighted  up  with  smiles,  and  he  seemed  faire  le  bonheur,  of  all  around 
him, — it  seemed  his  business  to  make  every  one  happy  about  him.  His  countenance  and 
manners  were  such  as  I  have  rarely  seen,  and  now  that  I  can  form  a  more  just  estimate  of 
them,  were  such  as  better  fitted  him  for  a  court  than  a  republic.  His  lady  was  truly  an  es- 
timable person,  of  the  mildest  and  softest  manners.  She  gave  her  son  and  myself  a  re- 
proof one  day,  which  I  never  forgot.  She  saw  us  catching  minnows  with  pin-hooks, 
made  us  desist,  and  then  explained  in  the  sweetest  manner,  the  cruelty  of  taking  away  life 
wantonly  from  the  humblest  thing  in  creation. 


GALLIA    COUNTY. 


195 


In  1807,  Breckenridge  again  saw  Gallipolis. 

As  we  passed  Point  Pleasant  and  the  island  below  it,  Gallipolis,  which  I  looked  for  with 
anxious  feelings,  hove  insight.  I  thought  of  the  French  inhabitants — I  thought  of  my 
friend  Saugrain  ;  and  I  recalled,  in  the  liveliest  colors,  the  incidents  of  that  portion  of  my 
life  which  was  passed  here.  A  year  is  a  long  time  at  that  period — every  day  is  crowded 
with  new  and  great  and  striking  events.  When  the  boat  landed,  I  ran  up  the  bank  and 
looked  around  ;  but  akis  !  how  changed  !  The  Americans  had  taken  the  town  in  hand, 
and  no  trace  of  antiquity,  that  is,  of  twelve  years  ago,  remained.  I  hastened  to  the  spot 
where  I  expected  to  find  the  abode,  the  little  log  house,  tavern  and  labratory  of  the  doctor, 
but  they  had  vanished  like  the  palace  of  Aladdin.  After  some  inquiry,  I  found  a  little 
Frenchman,  who,  like  the  old  woman  of  Goldsmith's  village,  was  "  the  sad  historian  of  the 
deserted  plain," — that  is,  deserted  by  one  race,  to  be  peopled  by  another.  He  led  me  to  where 
a  few  logs  might  be  seen,  as  the  only  remains  of  the  once  happy  tenement  which  had 
eheltered  me — but  all  around  it  was  a  common  ;  the  town  had  taken  a  different  direction. 
My  heart  sickened  ;  the  picture  which  my  imagination  had  drawn — the  scenes  which 
my  memory  loved  to  cherish,  were  blotted  out  and  obliterated.  A  volume  of  reminiscen- 
ces seemed  to  be  annihilated  in  an  instant !  I  took  a  hasty  glance  at  the  new  town,  as  I 
returned  to  the  boat.  I  saw  brick  houses,  painted  frames,  fanciful  enclosures,  ornamental 
trees!  Even  the  pond,  which  had  carried  off  a  third  of  the  French  population  by  its  mala- 
ria, had  disappeared,  and  a  pretty  green  had  usurped  its  place,  with  a  neat  brick  court 
house  in  the  midst  of  it.  This  was  too  much  ;  I  hastened  my  pace,  and  with  sorrow,  once 
more  pushed  into  the  stream. 


Public  Square,  Gallipolis. 

Gallipolis,  the  county  seat,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  Ohio  river, 
102  miles  southeasterly  from  Columbus.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian, 
1  Episcopal  and  1  Methodist  church,  12  or  14  stores,  2  newspaper 
printing  offices,  and  by  the  census  of  1840,  had  1,221  inhabitants, 
and  now  has  about  1700.  A  part  of  the  population  is  of  French 
descent,  but  they  have  in  a  great  measure  lost  their  national  charac- 
teristics. Some  few  of  the  original  French  settlers  are  yet  living. 
The  engraving  of  the  public  square,  shows  the  market  and  court 
house  near  the  center  of  the  view,  with  a  glimpse  of  the  Ohio  river 
on  the  left. 

The  failure  of  the  Gallipolis  bank,  at  this  place,  a  few  years 
since,  excited  a  strong  sensation  throughout  the  state.  The  history 
of  the  institution  we  derive  from  the  communication  of  one  familiar 
with  it. 

The  charter  of  the  bank  of  Gallipolis,  was  passed  in  the  year  1818,  but  the  commis- 

24 


186  GALLIA    COUNTY. 

sioners  named  in  it,  never  judged  it  advisable  to  open  books  for  subscription,  until  the 
spring  of  1839,  when  they  were  opened  at  the  solicitation  of  M.  B.  Sherwood,  of  Buffalo,  he 
proposing,  on  behalf  of  the  Erie  County  bank  in  that  city,  to  subscribe  to  a  large  amount. 
Mr.  Sherwood  brought  such  strong  testimonials  of  integrity  of  character,  and  ability  to  ac- 
complish what  he  proposed,  as  to  satisfy  the  commissioners,  and  he  was  permitted  to  sub- 
scribe for  $200,000  of  the  stock,  paying  thereon  $20,000,  by  a  certificate  of  stock  deposit 
in  the  Erie  County  bank  ;  this  certificate  was  paid  at  the  time,  to  show  that  Mr.  Sherwood 
was  in  earnest,  in  organizing  the  bank  in  good  faith.  He  stated  at  the  time,  that  those  for 
whom  he  acted,  were  men  of  wealth — had  established  two  banks  in  New  York,  the  Staten 
Island  and  the  Erie  County  banks,  and  were  anxious  to  connect  their  business  with  a  west- 
ern bank,  as  it  would  much  facilitate  the  transaction  of  their  business,  and  prove  of  mutml 
advantage  and  profits  to  both  institutions. 

When  the  time  came  for  putting  the  bank  into  operation,  Mr.  Sherwood  was  presei  t 
with  about  $-40,000  in  specie  and  the  paper  of  specie-paying  banks ;  the  bank  was  exam- 
ined by  a  commissioner,  Geo.  House,  appointed  by  the  governor,  Wilson  Shannon,  and  au- 
thorized to  do  business  as  a  bank,  by  the  governor's  proclamation.  The  president,  Mr. 
Smith,  the  cashier,  Mr.  Scovill,  and  Whiting,  chief  clerk,  were  also  from  Buffalo.  The 
other  directors  were  among  the  most  respectable  men  of  Gallipolis.  The  bank  failed  in 
January,  1841,  when  it  became  apparent,  that  a  most  stupendous  system  of  fraud  had  been 
carried  on  by  means  of  this  bank  and  others,  all  under  the  management  of  the  same  band 
cf  swindlers,  Sherwood,  Cole  and  others. 

The  manner  seems  to  have  been  this.  The  directors  of  the  Gallipolis  bank  had  procured 
bills  to  be  struck  by  Ravvdon,  Wright  &.  Hatch,  of  New  York,  engravers,  to  the  amount 
of  $175,000,  and  this  was  the  entire  amount  of  bills  as  was  supposed  by  the  resident  di- 
rectors ;  but  it  turns  out  that  the  president  and  cashier,  under  the  direction  of  Sherwood, 
had  in  some  way  procured  bills  to  be  struck  to  the  amount  of  some  $1,200,000,  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  other  directors,  and  while  the  books  and  accounts  were  kept,  and  the 
circulation  predicated  upon  bills  to  the  amount  of  $175,000,  Sherwood  was  scattering 
broad-cast  over  the  land,  this  vast  fraudulent  circulation,  unknown  to  the  resident  direc- 
tors, until  it  was  brought  to  light  by  the  vast  over-issue,  coming  in  after  the  failure. 

There  were  other  banks  with  which  the  same  company  was  connected,  to  wit,  the  Man- 
hatten  bank,  in  Lucas  county,  Ohio,  the  Circleville  bank,  at  Circleville,  Ohio,  the  West 
Union  bank,  at  West  Union,  Ohio,  and  the  Mineral  Point  bank,  in  Wisconsin.  Sherwood 
seems  to  have  operated  largely  in  state  stocks,  paying  for  them  in  the  paper  of  these  fraud- 
ulent banks.  When  the  explosion  came,  he  and  these  banks  were  indebted  to  Illinois,  near 
$100,000  ;  to  Indiana,  about  $600,000,  besides  an  unredeemed  circulation  of  these  banks, 
of  not  less  than  from  $300,000  to  $400,000. 

Before  the  failure  of  the  bank  in  January,  1841,  a  Mr.  Farrington  appeared  in  Gallipo- 
lis, in  October  of  1840,  where  he  remained  until  January  following,  when  he  presented  a 
transfer  of  the  stock  belonging  to  Kinney  &,  Smith,  in  whose  names  it  stood  for  the  use  of 
the  Erie  County  bank,  as  was  stated,  and  became  himself  president  of  the  bank,  under  rep- 
resentations, on  his  part,  of  his  great  wealth.  During  the  months  of  October,  November  and 
December,  1840,  several  strangers,  of  the  names  of  Hill,  Weed  and  others,  appeared  in 
Gallipolis,  talked  largely  of  their  wealth,  proposed  entering  into  business,  but  never  went 
beyond  talking  ;  what  their  business  was,  no  one  knew.  After  the  failure  of  the  bank,  it 
became  apparent  that  these  men  were  the  associates  of  Farrington,  and  that  their  business 
at  Gallipolis,  had  been  to  fill  their  pockets  with  the  Gallipolis  bank  paper,  and  then  to  go 
off  and  pay  it  out  for  whatever  they  could  obtain.  They  bought  up  property  of  every  de- 
scription at  exorbitant  prices,  in  order  to  swindle  the  community. 

Farrington,  Hill,  Weed  and  some  others,  the  men  who  had  engaged  in  swindling  in  the 
fraudulent  bank  of  Millington,  in  Maryland,  seem  to  have  purchased  of  Sherwood  &  Co., 
the  chance  of  what  could  be  made  by  means  of  the  Gallipolis  bank,  before  the  explosion 
should  take  place.  Hill,  in  a  letter  to  Farrington,  received  after  his  arrest,  states  that  Sher- 
wood had  cheated  them, as  he,  Hill,  was  satisfied  that  there  was  a  greater  over-issue  than 
had  been  represented. 

At  the  time  of  the  failure  of  the  bank,  Farrington  was  arrested,  and,  with  Scovill,  Whi- 
ting and  some  others,  indicted,  tried,  convicted,  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  six  years. 
Whiting  was  arrested  at  Lowell,  in  Massachusetts,  brought  to  Gallipolis,  and  confined  to 
await  his  trial  ;  but  with  the  aid  of  certain  persons,  he  escaped,  and  has  never  since  been 
retaken.     Sherwood  was  compelled  to  run  for  Texas,  to  protect  himself  from  justice 

The  assets  of  the  bank,  at  the  time  of  the  failure,  were  applied  by  the  resident  directors, 
to  the  redemption  of  its  liabilities,  as  far  as  they  would  go,  having  been  handed  over  to 
those  presenting  claims  against  the  bank,  as  fast  as  the  claims  were  presented.     The  cir- 


GEAUGA    COUNTY.  187 

dilation  redeemed  was  very  large,  but  no  onr  can  tell  the  amount.  The  whole  affair  was 
as  stupendous  a  scheme  of  swindling,  as  has  ?ver  been  carried  on  in  the  country,  and  the 
whole  resting  upon  the  credit  of  two  banks  in  New  York,  organized  under  the  free  bank- 
ing law  of  that  state,  with  stocks,  which  were  probably  borrowed  of  the  states  of  Indiana 
and  Illinois. 

,Gen.  Edward  W.  Tupper,  in  July,  1812,  raised  for  a  six  months' 
duty,  a  force  of  1000  men,  principally  from  this,  Lawrence  and 
Jackson  counties.  Daniel  Womeldorf,  of  this  county,  commanded 
a  company  of  cavalry.  They  marched  to  the  northwest,  and  had  a 
skirmish  with  the  enemy  at  the  foot  of  the  Maumee  rapids,  with  un- 
important results.  Gen.  Tupper  resided  in  Gallipolis,  and  died 
many  years  since.     Capt.  Womeldorf,  is  living  in  the  county. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  small  villages  in  this  county,  with 
their  population,  in  1840.  Patriot  119,  Wilkesville  119,  Centerville 
84,  Porter  75,  and  Vinton  82.      (See  Addenda.) 


GEAUGA. 

Geauga  was  formed  from  Trumbull,  in  1805,  since  which  its  orig- 
inal limits  have  been  much  reduced.  In  March,  1840,  the  county  of 
Lake  was  mainly  formed  from  its  northern  part.  The  name  Geauga, 
or  Sheauga,  signifies,  in  the  Indian  language,  raccoon :  it  was 
originally  applied  to  Grand  river ;  thus,  "  Sheauga  sepe,"  i.  e.  Rac- 
coon river.  The  surface  is  rolling  and  heavily  timbered,  and  the 
soil  generally  clay.  The  principal  exports  are  sheep,  cattle,  butter 
and  cheese.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with 
their  population. 

Claridon,  879  Newburgh,  1209 
Hampden,  840  Parkman,  1181 
Hurtsburgh,    911         Russell,  742 

Montville,  567  Thompson,  1038 
Munson,        1263         Troy,  1208 

The  population  of  Geauga,  in  1820,  was  7791  ;  in  1830,  15,813, 
and  in  1840,  16,299,  or  42  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  being  at  the  head  waters  of  Chagrin,  Cuyahoga  and 
part  of  Grand  rivers,  is  high  ground,  and  more  subject  to  deep  snows 
than  any  other  part  of  the  Reserve.  It  was  formerly  much  subject 
to  very  high  sweeping  winds  or  tornadoes.  In  August,  1804,  John 
Miner  was  killed  at  Chester.  He  had  lately  moved  from  Burton, 
with  part  of  his  family,  into  a  log  house  which  he  had  built  at  that 
place.  A  furious  storm  suddenly  arose,  and  the  timber  commenced 
falling  on  all  sides,  when  he  directed  his  two  children  to  go  under 
the  floor,  and  stepped  to  the  door  to  see  the  falling  timber :  at  that 
instant,  three  trees  fell  across  the  house  and  killed  him  instantly. 
The  children  remained  in  the  house  until  the  next  morning,  when 


Auburn, 

1198 

Bainbridge, 

988 

Batavia, 

771 

Burton, 

1022 

Chardon, 

1910 

Chester, 

962 

188  GEAUGA   COUNTY. 

the  oldest  made  her  way  to  a  neighbor,  about  two  miles  distant,  and 
related  the  sad  tidings.* 

The  first  settlement  in  Geauga,  was  at  Burton,  in  the  year  1798, 
when  three  families  settled  there  from  Connecticut.  This  settlement 
was  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  at  a  considerable  distance  from  any 
other.  The  hardships  and  privations  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
Reserve,  are  well  described  in  the  annexed  article  from  the  pen  of 
one  who  was  familiar  with  them. 

The  settlement  of  the  Reserve  commenced  in  a  manner  somewhat  peculiar.  Instead  of 
beginning  on  one  side  of  a  county,  and  progressing  gradually  into  the  interior,  as  had 
usually  been  done  in  similar  cases,  the  proprietors  of  the  Reserve,  being  governed  by  dif- 
ferent and  separate  views,  began  their  improvements  wherever  their  individual  interests  led 
them.  Hence  we  find  many  of  the  first  settlers  immured  in  a  dense  forest,  15  or  20  miles 
or  more  from  the  abode  of  any  white  inhabitants.  In  consequence  of  their  scattered  situ- 
ation, journeys  were  some  times  to  be  performed  of  20  or  50  miles,  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
having  the  staple  of  an  ox-yoke  mended,  or  some  other  mechanical  job,  in  itself  trifling, 
but  absolutely  essential  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  business.  These  journeys  had  to 
be  performed  through  the  wilderness,  at  a  great  expense  of  time,  and,  in  many  cases,  the 
only  safe  guide  to  direct  their  course,  were  the  township  lines  made  by  the  surveyors. 

The  want  of  mills  to  grind  the  first  harvests,  was  in  itself  a  great  evil.  Prior  to  the 
year  1800,  many  families  used  a  small  hand-mill,  properly  called  a  sweat-mill,  which  took, 
the  hard  labor  of  two  hours  to  supply  flour  enough  for  one  person  a  single  day.  About  the 
year  1800,  one  or  two  grist-mills,  operating  by  water  power,  were  erected.  One  of  these 
was  at  Newburg,  now  in  Cuyahoga  county.  But  the  distance  of  many  of  the  settlements 
from  the  mills,  and  the  want  of  roads,  often  rendered  the  expense  of  grinding  a  single 
bushel,  equal  the  value  of  two  or  three. 

The  difficulties  of  procuring  subsistence  for  a  family,  in  such  circumstances,  must  be  ob- 
vious. Few,  however,  can  now  fully  realize  circumstances  then  very  common.  Often 
would  a  man  leave  his  family  in  the  wilderness  with  a  stinted  supply  of  food,  and  with  his 
team  or  pack  horse  go  perhaps  some  20  or  30  miles  for  provision.  The  necessary  appen- 
dages of  his  journey  would  be  an  axe,  a  pocket  compass,  tire  works,  and  blanket  and  bells. 
He  cut  and  beat  his  way  through  the  woods  with  his  axe,  and  forded  almost  impassable 
streams.  When  the  day  was  spent,  he  stopped  where  he  was,  fastened  his  bells  to  his  beasts, 
and  set  them  at  liberty  to  provide  for  themselves.  Then  he  would  strike  a  fire,  not  only 
to  dissipate,  in  some  degree,  the  gloom  and  damps  of  night,  but  to  annoy  the  gnats  and 
musketoes,  and  prevent  the  approach  of  wolves,  bears  and  panthers.  Thus  the  night 
passed,  with  the  trees  for  his  shelter.  At  early  dawn,  or  perhaps  long  before,  he  is  listen- 
ing to  catch  the  sound  of  bells,  to  him  sweet  music,  for  often  many  hours  of  tedious  wan- 
derings were  consumed,  ere  he  could  find  his  team  and  resume  his  journey.  If  prospered, 
on  reaching  his  place  of  destination,  in  obtaining  his  expected  supply,  he  follows  his  lonely 
way  back  to  his  anxious  and  secluded  family,  and  perhaps  has  scarce  time  to  refresh  and 
rest  himself,  ere  the  same  journey  and  errand  had  to  be  repeated. 

Chardon  is  170  miles  ne.  of  Columbus,  and  28  from  Cleveland. 
It  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1808,  for  the  county  seat,  and  named 
from  Peter  Chardon  Brookes,  of  Boston,  then  proprietor  of  the  soil. 
There  are  but  few  villages  in  Ohio,  that  stand  upon  such  an  elevated, 
commanding  ridge  as  this,  and  it  can  be  seen  in  some  directions  for 
several  miles:  although  but  about  14  miles  from  Lake  Erie,  it  is 
computed  to  be  600  feet  above  it.  The  village  is  scattered  and 
small.  In  the  center  is  a  handsome  green,  of  about  eleven  acres, 
on  which  stands  the  public  buildings,  two  of  which,  the  court  house 
and  Methodist  church,  are  shown  in  the  engraving.  The  Baptist 
church  and  a  classical  academy,  which  are  on  or  face  the  public 

*  Judge  Amzi  Atwater. 


GEAUGA    COUNTY. 


189 


square,  are  not  shown  in  this  view.     Chardon  has  6  stores,  a  news- 
paper printing  office,  and  in  1840,  had  44G  inhabitants. 

Geauga  suffered  much  from  the  "-great  drouth,"  in  northern  Ohio, 


'lew  in  <  'hardon. 


in  the  summer  of  1845,  the  following  brief  description  of  which  was 
communicated  to  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  by  Seabury  Ford,  Esq.,  of 
Geauga,  and  published  in  Silliman's  Journal. 

The  district  of  country  which  suffered  the  most,  was  about  one  hundred  miles  in  length, 
and  fifty  or  sixty  in  width,  extending  nearly  east  and  west  parallel  with  the  lake,  and  in 
some  places  directly  bordering  on  the  shore  of  this  great  inland  sea.  There  was  no  rain 
from  the  last  of  March,  or  the  1st  of  April,  until  the  10th  of  June,  when  there  fell  a  little 
rain  for  one  day,  but  no  more  until  the  2d  of  July,  when  there  probably  fell  half  an  inch,  as 
it  made  the  roads  a  little  muddy.  From  this  time,  no  more  rain  fell  until  early  in  Septem- 
ber. This  long-continued  drouth  reduced  the  streams  of  water  to  mere  rills,  and  many 
springs  and  wells  heretofore  unfailing  became  dry,  or  nearly  so.  The  grass  crop  entirely 
failed,  and  through  several  counties  the  pasture  grounds  in  places  were  so  dry,  that  in 
walking  across  them  the  dust  would  rise  under  the  feet,  as  in  highways.  So  dry  was  the 
grass  in  meadows,  that  fires,  when  accidentally  kindled,  would  run  over  them  as  over  a 
stubble-field,  and  great  caution  was  required  to  prevent  damage  from  them.  The  crop  of 
oats  and  corn  was  nearly  destroyed.  Many  fields  of  wheat  so  perished  that  no  attempt  was 
made  to  harvest  them.  Scions  set  in  the  nursery,  dried  up  for  lack  of  sap  in  the  stocks, 
and  many  of  the  forest  trees  withered,  and  all  shed  their  leaves  much  earlier  than  usual. 
The  health  of  the  inhabitants  was  not  materially  affected,  although  much  sickness  was 
anticipated.  Grasshoppers  were  multiplied  exceedingly  in  many  places,  and  destroyed 
every  green  thing  that  the  drouth  had  spared,  even  to  the  thistles  and  elder  tops  by  the 
road  side. 

The  late  frosts  and  cold  drying  winds  of  the  spring  months,  cut  off  nearly  all  the  fruit, 
and  what  few  apples  remained,  were  defective  at  the  core,  and  decayed  soon  after  being 
gathered  in  the  fall.  Many  of  the  farmers  sowed  fields  of  turnips  in  August  and  Septem- 
ber, hoping  to  raise  winter  food  for  their  cattle,  but  the  seed  generally  failed  to  vegetate 
for  lack  of  moisture.  So  great  was  the  scarcity  of  food  for  the  domestic  animals,  that 
early  in  the  autumn  large  droves  of  cattle  were  sent  into  the  valley  of  the  Scioto,  where 
the  crops  were  more  abundant,  to  pass  the  winter,  while  others  were  sent  eastward  into 
the  borders  of  Pennsylvania.  This  region  of  country  abounds  in  grasses,  and  one  of  the 
staple  commodities  is  the  produce  of  the  dairy.  Many  stocks  of  dairy  cows  were  broken 
up  and  dispersed,  selling  for  only  four  or  five  dollars  a  head,  as  the  cost  of  wintering  would 
be  more  than  their  worth  in  the  spring.  Such  great  losses  and  suffering  from  the  effects  of 
drouth,  has  not  been  experienced  in  Ohio  for  many  years,  if  at  all  since  the  settlement  of 
the  country.  As  the  lands  become  more  completely  cleared  of  the  forest  trees,  dry  sum- 
mers will  doubtless  be  more  frequent.     In  a  region  so  near  a  large  body  of  water,  we 


i90  4R&ENE    COUNTY. 

should  expect  more  rain  than  in  one  at  a  distance.  The  sky  in  that  district  is,  nevertheless, 
much  oftener  covered  with  clouds  than  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state,  where  rains  are 
more  abundant ;  but  the  dividing  ridge,  or  height  of  land  between  Lake  Erie  and  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio,  lacks  a  range  of  high  hills  to  attract  the  moisture  from  the  clouds  and 
cause  it  to  descend  in  showers  of  rain. 

Burton,  a  pleasant  village,  8  miles  se.  of  Chardon,  contains  1  Pres- 
byterian, 1  Methodist  and  1  Disciples  church,  an  academy,  and 
about  175  inhabitants.  Parkman,  on  a  branch  of  Grand  river,  and 
named  from  Robert  B.  Parkman,  is  16  miles  se.  of  Chardon,  and 
contains  an  academy,  1  Methodist  and  1  Universalist  church,  1  flour- 
ing, 1  saw  and  1  fulling  mill,  and  about  30  dwellings.  Three  dams 
are  thrown  across  the  river  at  this  place,  having  unitedly  about  60 
feet  fall,  and  furnishing  much  power.  There  are  other  small  places 
in  the  county,  at  which  are  post-offices :  they  are  Auburn,  Bundys- 
burg,  East  Claridon,  Fowler's  Mill,  Hamden,  Huntsburg,  Newburg 
Thompson,  Welshfield  and  Chester  Cross  Roads.  At  Chester,  is 
the  Geauga  seminary,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Western  Reserve 
Free- Will  Baptist  society.  This  flourishing  institution  has  about 
200  pupils,  Elder  Daniel  Branch,  A.  M.,  principal. 


GREENE. 

Greene  was  formed  from  Hamilton  and  Ross,  May  1st,  1803,  and 
named  from  Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene,  of  the  revolution.  The  soil  is 
generally  clayey  ;  the  surface  on  the  east  is  flat  and  well  adapted  to 
grazing,  the  rest  of  the  county  is  rolling  and  productive  in  wheat 
and  corn.  Considerable  water  power  is  furnished  by  the  streams. 
There  are  some  fine  limestone  quarries,  and  near  Xenia,  on  Caesar's 
creek,  is  a  quarry  of  beautifully  variegated  marble.  The  principal 
productions  are  wheat,  corn,  rye,  grass,  grass  seed,  oats,  barley, 
sheep  and  swine.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships,  in  1840, 
with  their  population. 

Bath,  1717     Miami,  1230     Sugar  Creek,    2379 

Beaver  Creek,  1762     Ross,  1310     Xenia,  5190 

Caesar's  Creek,  1730     Silver  Creek,  2435 

The  population  of  Greene,  in  1820,  was  10,509  :  in  1830,  15,122  ; 
and  in  1840,  17,753,  or  43  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  Shawnee  town,  "  Old  Chillicoihe"  was  on  the  Little  Miami, 
in  this  county,  about  3  miles  north  of  the  site  of  Xenia :  it  was  a 
place  of  note,  and  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  annals  of  the  early 
explorations  and  settlements  of  the  west. 

In  the  year  1773,  Capt.  Thomas  Bullit,  of  Virginia,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Kentucky,  was  proceeding  down  the  Ohio  river, 
with  a  party,  to  make  surveys  and  a  settlement  there,  when  he 
stopped  and  left  his  companions  on  the  river,  and  passed  through  the 
wilderness  to  Oid  Chillicothe,  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  Indians 
to  his  intended  settlement.  He  entered  the  town  alone,  with  a  flag 
of  truce,  before  he  was  discovered.     The  Indians,  astonished  at  his 


GREENE    COUNTY  191 

boldness  flocked  around  him,  when  the  f  jllowing  dialogue  ensued 
between  him  and  a  principal  chief. 

Indian  Chief.  What  news  do  you  bring  ?  are  you  from  the  Long  Knife  ?  If  you  are 
an  ambassador,  why  did  you  not  send  a  runner  ? 

Bullit.  I  have  no  bad  news.  The  Long  Knife  and  the  Red  men  are  at  peace,  and  I 
have  come  among  my  brothers  to  have  a  friendly  talk  with  them  about  settling  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Ohio. 

Indian  Chief.     Why  did  you  not  send  a  runner? 

Bullit.  I  had  no  runner  swifter  than  myself,  and  as  I  was  in  haste,  I  could  not  wait  the 
return  of  a  runner.  If  you  were  hungry  and  had  killed  a  deer,  would  you  send  your  squaw 
to  town  to  tell  the  news,  and  wait  her  return  before  you  would  eat  ? 

This  reply  of  Bullit  put  the  bystanders  in  high  humor ;  they  relaxed  from  their  native 
gravity  and  laughed  heartily.  The  Indians  conducted  Bullit  into  the  principal  wigwam  o* 
the  town,  and  regaled  him  with  venison,  after  which,  he  addressed  the  chief  as  follows: 

Brothers : — I  am  sent  with  my  people,  whom  I  left  on  the  Ohio,  to  settle  the  country  on 
the  other  side  of  that  river,  as  low  down  as  the  falls.  We  came  from  Virginia.  I  only 
want  the  country  to  settle  and  to  cultivate  the  soil.  There  will  be  no  objection  to  your 
hunting  and  trapping  in  it,  as  heretofore.     I  hope  you  will  live  with  us  in  friendship. 

To  this  address,  the  principal  chief  made  the  following  reply. 

Brother: — You  have  come  a  hard  journey  through  the  woods  and  the  grass.  We  are 
pleased  to  find  that  your  people  in  settling  our  country,  are  not  to  disturb  us  in  our  hunt- 
ing ;  for  we  must  hunt  to  kill  meat  for  our  women  and  children,  and  to  have  some- 
thing to  buy  powder  and  lead,  and  procure  blankets  and  other  necessaries.  We  desire 
you  will  be  strong  in  discharging  your  promises  towards  us,  as  we  are  determined  to  be 
strong  in  advising  our  young  men  to  be  kind,  friendly  and  peaceable  towards  you.  Hav- 
ing finished  his  mission,  Capt.  Bullit  returned  to  his  men,  and  with  them  descended  the 
river  to  the  falls.* 

Some  of  this  party  of  Bullit's  shortly  after  laid  out  the  town  of  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

The  celebrated  Daniel  Boone  was  taken  prisoner,  with  27  others, 
in  Kentucky,  in  February,  1778,  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and 
brought  to  Old  Chillicothe.  Through  the  influence  of  the  British 
Governor,  Hamilton,  Boone,  with  10  others,  was  taken  from  thence 
to  Detroit. 

The  governor  took  an  especial  fancy  to  Boone,  and  offered  considerable  sums  for  his  re- 
lease, but  to  no  purpose,  for  the  Indians  also  had  taken  their  fancy,  and  so  great  was  it  that 
they  took  him  back  to  Old  Chillicothe,  adopted  him  into  a  family,  and  fondly  caressed  him. 
He  mingled  with  their  sports,  shot,  fished,  hunted  and  swam  with  them,  and  had  become 
deeply  ingratiated  in  their  favor,  when  on  the  1st  of  June,  they  took  him  to  assist  them 
in  making  salt  in  the  Scioto  valley,  at  the  old  salt  wells,  near,  or  at,  we  believe,  the  present 
town  of  Jackson,  Jackson  county.  They  remained  a  few  days,  and  when  returned  to  Old 
Chillicothe,  his  heart  was  agonized  by  the  sight  of  450  warriors,  armed,  painted  and 
equipped  in  all  the  paraphanalia  of  savage  splendor,  ready  to  start  on  an  expedition  against 
Boonesborough.  To  avert  the  cruel  blow  that  was  about  to  fall  upon  his  friends,  he  alone, 
on  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  June,  escaped  from  his  Indian  companions,  and  arrived  in 
time  to  foil  the  plans  of  the  enemy,  and  not  only  saved  the  borough,  which  he  himself  had 
founded,  but  probably  all  the  frontier  parts  of  Kentucky,  from  devastation. 

Boone  told  an  aged  pioneer,  yet  living,*  that  when  taken  prisoner  on  this  occasion,  the 
Indians  got  out  of  food,  and  after  having  killed  and  eaten  their  dogs,  were  ten  days  with- 
out any  other  sustenance  than  that  of  a  decoction  made  from  the  oozings  of  the  inner-bark 
of  the  white  oak,  which  after  drinking,  Boone  could  travel  with  the  best  of  them.  At 
length,  the  Indians  shot  a  deer,  and  boiled  its  entrails  to  a  jelly,  of  which  they  all  drank, 
and  it  soon  acted  freely  on  their  bowels.  They  gave  some  to  Boone,  but  his  stomach  re- 
fused it.  After  repeated  efibrrs,  they  forced  him  to  swallow  about  half  a  pint,  which  he 
did  with  wry  faces  and  disagreeable  retchings,  nuch  to  the  amusement  of  the  simple  sav- 
ages who  laughed  heartily.  After  this  medicine  had  well  operated,  the  Indians  told  Boone 
that  he  might  eat  ;  but  that  if  he  had  done  so  before,  it  would  have  killed  him.  They 
then  all  fell  to,  and  soon  made  amends  for  their  long  fast.  At  Detroit,  he  astonished  the 
governor  by  making  gun-powder,  he  having  been  shut  up  in  a  room  with  all  the  materials. 

*  Notes  on  Kentucky.  t  Joseph  Wood,  Esq.,  of  Marietta. 


192  GREENE    COUNTY. 

Another  early  pioneer,*  who  knew  Boone  well,  says  in  a  commu- 
nication to  us  : 

It  is  now  (1847)  54  years  since  I  first  saw  Daniel  Boone.  He  was  then  about  GO  years 
old,  of  a  medium  size,  say  5  feet  10  inches,  not  given  to  corpulency,  retired,  unobtrusive, 
and  a  man  of  few  words.  My  acquaintance  was  made  with  him  in  the  winter  season,  and 
well  remember  his  dress  was  of  tow  cloth,  and  not  a  woollen  garment  on  his  body,  unless  his 
stockings  were  of  that  material.  Home-made  was  the  common  wear  of  the  people  of  Ken- 
tucky, at  that  time  :  sheep  were"  not  yet  introduced  into  the  country.  I  slept  four  nights  in 
the  house  of  one  West,  with  Boone  :  there  were  a  number  of  strangers,  and  he  was  constantly 
occupied  in  answering  questions.  He  had  nothing  remarkable  in  his  personal  appearance. 
His  son,  Capt.  N.  Boone,  now  an  old  man,  is  serving  in  the  1st  regiment  United  States 
Dragoons. 

In  July,  1770,  the  year  after  Boone  escaped  from  Old  Chillicothe, 
Colonel  John  Bowman,  with  160  Kentuckians,  marched  against  the 
town.  The  narrative  of  this  expedition  is  derived  from  the  "  Notes 
on  Kentucky." 

The  party  rendezvoused  at  the  mouth  of  the  Licking,  and  at  the  end  of  the  second  night 
got  in  sight  of  the  town  undiscovered.  It  was  determined  to  await  until  daylif,r<t  in  the 
morning  before  they  would  make  the  attack  ;  but  by  the  imprudence  of  some  of  the  men, 
whose  curiosity  exceeded  their  judgment,  the  party  was  discovered  by  the  Indians  before 
the  officers  and  men  had  arrived  at  the  several  positions  assigned  them.  As  soon  as  the 
alarm  was  given,  a  fire  commenced  on  both  sides,  and  was  kept  up,  while  the  women  and 
children  were  seen  running  from  cabin  to  cabin,  in  the  greatest  confusion,  and  collecting  in 
the  most  central  and  strongest.  At  clear  day-light,  it  was  discovered  that  Bowman's  men 
were  from  seventy  to  one  hundred  yards  from  the  cabins,  in  which  the  Indians  had  col- 
lected, and  which  they  appeared  determined  to  defend.  Having  no  other  arms  than  tom- 
ahawks and  rifles,  it  was  thought  imprudent  to  attempt  to  storm  strong  cabins,  well  de- 
fended by  expert  warriors.  In  consequence  of  the  warriors  collecting  in  a  few  cabins  con- 
tiguous to  each  other,  the  remainder  of  the  town  was  left  unprotected,  therefore,  while  a 
fire  was  kept  up  at  the  port  holes,  which  engaged  the  attention  of  those  within,  fire  was 
set  to  30  or  40  cabins,  which  were  consumed,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  property,  con- 
sisting of  kettles  and  blankets,  were  taken  from  those  cabins.  In  searching  the  woods 
near  the  town,  133  horses  were  collected. 

About  10  o'clock,  Bowman  and  his  party  commenced  their  march  homeward,  after  hav- 
ing nine  men  killed.  What  loss  the  Indians  sustained,  was  never  known,  except  Black- 
fish,  their  principal  chief,  who  was  wounded  through  the  knee  and  died  of  the  wound. t 
After  receiving  the  wound,  Blackfish  proposed  to  surrender,  being  confident  that  his  wound 
was  dangerous,  and  believing  that  there  were  among  the  white  people  surgeons  that  could 
cure  him,  but  that  none  among  his  own  people  could  do  it. 

The  party  had  not  marched  more  than  eight  or  ten  miles  on  their  return  home,  before  the 
Indians  appeared  in  considerable  force  on  their  rear,  and  began  to  press  hard  upon  that 
quarter.  Bowman  selected  his  ground,  and  formed  his  men  in  a  square  ;  but  the  Indians 
declined  a  close  engagement,  only  keeping  up  a  scattering  fire,  it  was  soon  discovered  that 
their  object  was  to  retard  their  march  until  they  could  procure  reinforcements  from  the 
neighboring  villages. 

As  soon  as  a  strong  position  was  taken  by  Col.  Bowman,  the  Indians  retired,  and  he  re- 
sumed the  line  of  march,  when  he  was  again  attacked  in  the  rear.  He  again  formed  for 
battle,  and  again  the  Indians  retired,  and  the  scene  was  acted  over  several  times.  At 
length,  John  Bulger,  James  Harrod  and  George  Michael  Bedinger,  with  about  100  more 
mounted  on  horseback,  rushed  on  the  Indian  ranks  and  dispersed  them  in  every  direction. 
After  which  the  Indians  abandoned  the  pursuit.  Bowman  crossed  the  Ohio  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Miami,  and  after  crosssing,  the  men  dispersed  to  their  several  homes. 

In  the  summer  after  this  expedition,  Gen.  Clark  invaded  the  In- 

*  Col.  John  Johnston. 

t  This  is  an  error.  A  late  publication  gives  evidence  that  he  was  killed  in  an  excur- 
bion  into  Kentucky,  by  a  white  woman. — H.  H. 


GREENE    COUNTV. 


193 


dian  country.     On  his  approach,  the  Indians  reduced  Old  Chillicothe 
to  ashes.     See  page  85. 

The  article  relating  to  early  times  in  Greene  county,  is  slightly 
abridged  from  a  communication  by  Thomas  C.  Wright,  Esq.,  the 
county  auditor. 


First  Court  House  in  Greene. 

After  Abdolonymus  had  been  taken  from  his  humble  station  in  life,  and  made  king  of 
Sidonea,  it  is  said  he  kept  a  pair  of  wooden  shoes  near  his  throne,  to  remind  him  of  his  for- 
mer obscurity,  and  check  the  pride  which  power  is  so  apt  to  engender  in  the  heart  of  man. 
The  above  drawing  is  deemed  worthy  of  preservation,  not  only  as  a  memento  of  early 
times,  and  serving  as  a  contrast  to  the  present  advanced  state  of  improvement,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  historical  associations  it  raises  in  the  memory  of  the  first  judicial  proceedings 
and  organization  of  Greene  county. 

The  house,  of  which  the  engraving  is  a  correct  representation,  is  yet  standing,  5J  miles 
west  of  Xenia,  near  the  Dayton  road.  It  was  built  by  Gen.  Benj.  Whiteman,  a  short  dis- 
tance south  of  the  log  cabin  mill  of  Owen  Davis,  on  Beaver  creek.  This  mill,  the  first 
erected  in  Greene,  was  finished  in  1798.  A  short  distance  east,  were  erected  two  block- 
houses, and  it  was  intended,  should  danger  render  it  necessary,  to  connect  them  by  a  line 
of  pickets,  and  include  the  mill  within  the  stockade.  This  mill  was  used  by  the  settlers  of 
"  the  Dutch  Station,"  some  30  miles  distant,  in  the  center  of  Miami  county. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  1803,  the  first  court  for  organizing  Greene  county,  was  held  in  this 
house,  then  the  residence  of  Peter  Borders.  Wm.  Maxwell,  Benj.  Whiteman  and  James 
Barret  were  the  associate  judges,  and  John  Paul,  clerk.  The  first  business  of  the  court 
was  to  lay  off  the  county  into  townships,  and  after  transacting  some  other  business,  they 
adjourned  "  until  court  in  course,"  having  been  in  session  one  day. 

The  first  court  for  the  trial  of  causes,  was  held  in  the  same  house,  on  Tuesday,  Aug.  2d, 
1803,  with  the  same  associate  judges,  and  Francis  Dunlavy,  presiding  judge,  and  Daniel 
Simms,  prosecuting  attorney.  "And  there  came  a  grand  jury,  to  wit:  Wm.  J.  Stewart, 
foreman,  John  Willson,  Wm.  Buckles,  Abrm.  Van  Eaton,  James  Snodgrass,  John  Judy, 
Evan  Morgan,  Robt.  Marshall,  Alex.  C.  Armstrong,  Joseph  C.  Vance,  Joseph  Willson, 
John  Buckhannon,  Martin  Mendenhall  and  Harry  Martin,  who  were  sworn  a  grand  jury  of 
inquest,  for  the  body  of  Greene  county."  After  receiving  the  charge,  "  they  retired  out  of 
court ;"  a  circumstance  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as  there  was  but  one  room  in  the  house. 
Their  place  of  retirement,  or  jury  room,  was  a  little  squat-shaped  pole  hut,  shown  on  the 
right  of  the  view. 

And  now,  while  their  honors,  with  becoming  gravity,  are  sitting  behind  a  table  ready  for 
business,  and  the  grand  jury  making  solemn  inquest  of  crimes  committed,  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  state  of  the  county  then  and  at  present,  naturally  presents  itself  to  the  mind. 
Since  then,  forty-four  years  ago — a  period  within  the  recollection  of  many  of  our  citizens — 

25 


194  GREENE    COUNTY. 

and  what  a  change  !  Then  it  was  almost  an  entire  wilderness — a  primeval  forest,  planted  by 
the  hand  of  nature.  The  first  house  in  Greene  county  was  built  by  Daniel  Willson,  who  is 
now  living  near  Centerville,  Montgomery  county.  It  was  raised  on  the  7th  day  of  April, 
1796,  about  4  miles  from  where  Bellbrook  has  long  since  been  laid  out,  in  Sugarcreek 
township.  In  1798,  Thomas  Tounsley  settled  near  the  falls  of  Massie's  creek,  some  8  miles 
from  Xenia.  The  same  year,  James  Galloway,  sen.,  settled  on  the  Little  Miami,  2  miles 
north  of  Oldtown.  Isaiah  and  Wm.  Garner  Sutton  erected  the  first  house  in  Caesar's  creek 
township,  in  1799,  about  5  miles  south  of  Xenia,  near  where  the  Bullskin  road  crosses 
Caesar's  creek.  Caesarsville  was  laid  out  by  T.  Carneal,  in  1800,  and  the  first  house  in  it 
was  built  the  year  following.  It  was  expected  to  become  the  county  seat,  but  was  finally 
rejected  in  favor  of  Xenia.  Caesarsville,  at  the  time  of  this  court,  contained  a  few  log 
cabins,  and  so  scattered  about,  miles  apart,  the  traveller  might  find  one  of  these  primitive 
dwellings  sending  up  its  smoke  from  a  mud  and  stick  chimney  among  the  giants  of  the 
forest,  each  cabin  with  a  little  patch  of  a  corn-field,  thickly  dotted  over  with  girdled  trees.  A 
bridle-path,  or  blazed  trees,  led  the  traveller  from  one  to  the  other.  But  they  were  the 
abodes  of  contentment,  simplicity  of  manners,  whole-hearted  hospitality  and  generosity  of 
souL,  which  does  honor  to  human  nature  and  gives  a  charm  to  existence.  We  glance  at 
the  county  as  it  now  appears,  teeming  with  population,  in  an  advanced  state  of  improve- 
ment and  cultivation — farm  contiguous  to  farm,  with  large  barns — the  hewed  log-houses 
which  succeeded  log-cabins  are  mostly  gone,  and  in  their  stead  are  commodious  brick,  stone 
and  frame  dwellings — flourishing  orchards,  numerous  excellent  mills — the  whole  county 
intersected  with  roads  in  every  direction — a  railroad  running  through  it,  connecting  it  with 
the  Queen  city,  and  the  same  connection  will  soon  be  with  Lake  Erie,  affording  a  speedy 
transportation  to  market  of  the  immense  quantities  of  produce  raised  by  the  farmers.  The 
change  is  so  great  that  it  brings  to  mind  the  wonder-working  wand  of  Prospero,  which 
being  waved  over  a  wilderness,  had  transformed  it  into  a  blooming  garden.  But  the  magi- 
cal wand,  in  this  case,  was  free,  white  labor,  persevering  industry  and  good  management. 

But  to  return  to  the  court.  From  a  careful  examination  of  the  records  and  other  sources 
of  information,  I  cannot  learn  there  was  any  business  for  the  grand  jury  when  they  retired. 
But  they  were  not  permitted  to  remain  idle  long :  the  spectators  in  attendance  promptly  took 
the  matter  into  consideration.  They,  doubtless,  thought  it  a  great  pity  to  have  a  learned 
court  and  nothing  for  it  to  do :  so  they  set  to  and  cut  out  employment  for  their  honors 
by  engaging  in  divers  hard  fights  at  fisty-cuffs,  right  on  the  ground.  So  it  seems  our 
pioneers  fought  for  the  benefit  of  the  court.  At  all  events,  while  their  honors  were  waiting 
to  settle  differences  according  to  law,  they  were  making  up  issues  and  settling  them  by 
trial  "  by  combat" — a  process  by  which  they  avoided  the  much  complained  of"  laws  delay," 
and  incurred  no  other  damages  than  black  eyes  and  bloody  noses,  which  were  regarded  as 
mere  trifles,  of  course.     Among  the  incidents  of  the  day,  characteristic  of  the  times,  was 

this:    A  Mr.  ,  from  Warren  county,  was  in  attendance.     Owen  Davis,  the  owner  of 

the  mill,  who,  by  the  way,  was  a  brave  Indian  fighter,  as  well  as  a  kind-hearted,  ob- 
liging man,  charged  this  Warren  county  man  with  speculating  in  pork,  alias  stealing  his 
neighbor's  hogs.  The  insult  was  resented — a  combat  took  place  forthwith,  in  which  Davis 
proved  victorious.  He  then  went  into  court,  and  planting  himself  in  front  of  the  judges, 
he  observed,  addressing  himself  particularly  to  one  of  them,  "  Well,  Ben,  I've  whipped  that 
d — d  hog-thief — what's  the  damage — what's  to  pay]  and  thereupon,  suiting  the  action  to 
the  word,  he  drew  out  his  buckskin  purse,  containing  8  or  10  dollars,  and  slammed  it  down 
on  the  table — then  shaking  his  fist  at  the  judge,  whom  he  addressed,  he  continued,  "  Yes, 
Ben,  and  if  you'd  steal  a  hog,  d — n  you,  I'd  whip  you  too."  He  had,  doubtless,  come  to 
the  conclusion,  that,  as  there  was  a  court,  the  luxury  of  fighting  could  not  be  indulged  in 
gratis,  and  he  was  for  paying  up  as  he  went.  Seventeen  witnesses  were  sworn  and  sent 
before  the  grand  jury,  and  nine  bills  of  indictment  were  found  the  same  day — all  for  affrays 
and  assaults  and  batteries  committed  after  the  court  was  organized.  To  these  indictments 
the  parties  all  pleaded  guilty,  and  were  fined — Davis  among  the  rest,  who  was  fined  eight 
dollars  for  his  share  in  the  transactions  of  the  day. 

The  following  is  the  first  entry  made  on  the  record  after  the  grand  jury  retired  :  "  The 
court  then  proceeded  to  examine  the  several  candidates  for  the  surveyor's  office,  and  James 
Galloway,  jun.,  being  well  qualified,  was  appointed  surveyor  of  said  county."  On  the  2d  day 
of  the  term,  Joseph  C.  Vance  (father  of  ex-Gov.  Vance,  of  Champaign  county,)  was  appointed 
to  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  establishing  the  seat  of  justice,  who,  with  David 
Huston  and  Joseph  Willson,  his  securities,  entered  into  a  bond,  with  a  penalty  of  1500  dol- 
lars, for  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties.  He  surveyed  and  laid  out  the  town  of 
Xenia  (which,  by  the  way,  is  an  old  French  word,  signifying  a  new-year's  gift,)  the  same 
season,  for  at  the  next  December  term,  he  was  allowed  "  $49.25  for  laying  off  the  town  of 


GREENE    COUNTY*  195 

Xenia,  finding  chainmen,  making  plots  and  selling  lots."  On  the  3d  day  of  the  term, 
Daniel  Symmes  was  allowed  twenty  dollars  for  prosecuting  in  behalf  of  the  state.  The  pre- 
siding judge  then  left  the  court,  but  it  was  continued  by  the  associate  judges  for  the  trans- 
action of  county  business.  In  addition  to  the  duties  now  pertaining  to  associate  judges, 
they  discharged  the  duties  now  performed  by  the  board  of  county  commissioners.  Archi- 
bald Lowry  and  Griffith  Foos,  were  each  licensed  to  keep  a  tavern  in  the  town  of  Spring- 
field, on  the  payment  of  eight  dollars  for  each  license.  A  license  was  also  granted  to  Peter 
Borders  to  keep  a  tavern  at  his  house,  on  the  payment  of  four  dollars,  "  together  with  all 
legal  fees."  So  our  old  log-house  has  the  honor  of  having  the  first  learned  court  held  within 
its  rough  walls  ;  and,  in  addition  to  that,  it  was,  in  fact,  the  first  hotel  ever  licensed  in  the 
county  in  which  hog  and  hommony,  and  new  corn  whiskey  could  be  had  in  abundance.  Per- 
haps the  court  was  a  little  interested  in  granting  the  license.  Like  old  Jack  Fallstaff,  they 
might  like  "  to  take  their  own  ease  in  their  own  inn."  James  Galloway,  sen.,  was  ap- 
pointed county  treasurer.     The  court  then  adjourned,  having  been  in  session  three  days. 

Napoleon  said,  it  was  "  but  one  step  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous."  Old  Faneuil 
Hall  has  the  proud  boast  of  being  the  cradle  of  liberty ;  and  it  may  be  claimed  for  our  old 
cabin,  that  it  is  the  cradle  of  Greene  county — in  which  it  was  organized — in  which  was  had 
the  first  judicial  proceedings — whose  walls  first  resounded  with  the  eloquence  of  those  long- 
robed  gentlemen,  of  whom  Martial  has  satirically  said,"  Iras  et  verba  locant." 

On  the  19th  day  of  the  same  month,  (August,)  the  associate  judges  held  another  court 
for  the  transaction  of  county  business.  They  continued  to  meet  and  adjourn  from  day  to 
day,  waiting  for  the  lister  of  taxable  property  to  return  his  book,  until  the  22d,  when  they 
made  an  order,  that  50  cents  should  be  paid  for  each  wolf  killed  within  the  bounds  of  the 
county,  and  "  that  the  largest  block-house  should  be  appropriated  to  the  use  of  a  jail ;"  and 
Benjamin  Whiteman,  Esq.,  was  appointed,  in  behalf  of  the  county,  to  contract  for  repairing 
it — a  decisive  mark  of  civilization — and  that  the  rights  of  meum  and  tuum  were  hereafter 
to  be  observed  and  enforced.  Among  the  allowances,  at  this  term,  there  was  one  of  6  dol- 
lars to  Joseph  C.  Vance,  for  carrying  the  election  returns  of  Sugar  creek  township  to  Cin- 
cinnati;  and  a  like  sum  to  David  Huston,  for  returning  the  poll-book  of  Beaver  creek. 
He  afterwards  held  the  office  of  associate  judge  21  years,  and  twice  represented  Greene 
county  in  the  state  legislature.  He  lived  the  life  of  an  honest  man — was  beloved  and  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  him.  He  died  in  1843.  The  clerk  and  sheriff  were  allowed  20 
dollars  each  for  ex-officio  fees,  and  Jacob  Shingledecker,  9  dollars  and  50  cents,  for  pre- 
paring the  block-house  to  serve  as  a  jail — a  great  perversion  from  the  original  design  of  the 
building,  as  it  was  intended,  at  first,  to  keep  unwelcome  visitors  out,  and  ended  in  keeping 
unwilling  visitors  in-  It  was  ordered  by  the  court,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Mad  River  town- 
ship should  be  exempted  from  the  payment  of  taxes,  or  rather,  their  taxes  were  reduced  two 
cents  on  each  horse  and  one  cent  on  each  cow.  The  reason  assigned  for  this  favor,  was 
"for  erecting  public  buildings."  As  we  have  seen  no  public  buildings  yet  but  the  two 
block-houses,  and  the  one  which  figures  at  the  head  of  this  communication,  the  reader 
would,  doubtless,  be  much  surprised  that  the  erection  of  these  should  be  deemed  sufficiently 
meritorious  as,  in  part,  to  exempt  the  inhabitants  from  the  payment  of  taxes.  But  these 
public  buildings  were  situated  in  Cincinnati.  We  apprehend  that  but  few  of  our  citizens- 
are  aware  of  the  fact,  that  the  first  settlers  in  this  county  contributed  to  the  erection  of 
public  buildings  in  Cincinnati — the  old  stone  court-house,  we  suppose,  which  was  burnt 
down  while  used  as  barracks  in  time  of  the  last  war,  and  the  hewed  log  jail  which  stood 
on  the  north  side  of  the  public  square. 

The  first  supreme  court  was  held  in  the  same  house,  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  1803, 
by  their  honors  Samuel  Huntingdon  and  Wm.  Spriggs,  judges  ;  William  Maxwell,  sheriff, 
John  Paul,  clerk,  and  Arthur  St.  Clair,  Esq.,  of  Cincinnati,  prosecuting  attorney.  Richard 
Thomas  was  admitted  an  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law.  Nothing  more  was  done,  and 
the  court  adjourned  the  same  day. 

At  the  November  term  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  the  first  thing  was  to  arraign 
Thomas  Davis,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  for  misconduct  in  office.  He  pleaded  guilty,  was 
fined  one  dollar,  and  ordered,  in  the  language  of  the  record,  "  to  stand  committed  until 
performance."  But  what  the  misconduct  was  for  which  he  was  fined,  the  record  sayeth 
not ;  neither  is  it  known  whether  he  raised  the  dollar,  or  was  made  familiar  with  the  inside 
of  the  block-house.  On  the  first  day  of  this  term,  the  Rev.  Robert  Armstrong  received  a 
license  to  solemnize  the  rites  of  matrimony.  He  and  the  Rev.  Andrew  Fulton  were  sent, 
by  the  general  associate  synod  of  Scotland,  as  missionaries  to  Kentucky,  and  arrived  at 
Maysville  in  1798 ;  but,  not  liking  the  institution  of  slavery,  Mr.  Fulton  went  to  the  neigh- 
borhood where  South  Hanover  now  is,  Indiana,  and  Mr.  Armstrong  came  to  Greene  county, 
Ohio.     This  was  the  commencement  of  the  Seceder  denomination  in  this  county.     From 


196  GJtEENE    COUNTY. 

this  small  beginning.it  has  become  the  most  numerous,  perhaps,  of  any  other  in  the  county. 
They  form  a  large  portion  of  an  orderly,  law-abiding  and  industrious  population — strict  in 
observing  the  Sabbath  and  in  the  discharge  of  their  religious  duties,  and  correct  in  moral 
conduct.  They  are  mostly  farmers,  in  independent  circumstances.  Mr.  Armstrong  was  a 
small  man,  of  vast  learning,  with  the  simplicity,  in  some  things,  of  a  child.  An  anecdote 
is  told  of  his  being  at  a  log-rolling,  assisting  to  carry  a  log,  and  having  but  a  few  inches  of 
handspike,  the  weight  of  it  rested  mostly  on  him.  The  person  with  whom  he  was  lilting, 
seeing  his  situation,  said,  "  stop,  Mr.  Armstrong — let  me  give  you  more  handspike." 
"  No,"  said  the  rev.  gentleman,  "  no  more  stick  for  me  ;  I  have  already  as  much  as  I  can 
carry."  He  was  universally  esteemed  and  respected.  He  died  in  1818.  He  brought  a 
very  large  library  of  books  with  him,  and  was  very  liberal  in  lending  them.  To  this  cir- 
cumstance, perhaps,  may  be  attributed  '.he  fact,  that  more  books  have  been  sold  and  read 
in  this  county  than  in  any  other  of  the  same  population  in  the  state. 

At  this  term,  in  the  case  of  Win.  Orr  vs.  Peter  Borders,  leave  was  given  to  amend  the 
declaration,  on  payment  of  costs — an  indication  that  some  attention  began  to  be  paid  to 
special  pleading.  The  first  civil  case  that  was  tried  by  a  jury,  was  that  of  Wallingsford 
vs.  Vandolah.  A  verdict  was  rendered  for  the  plaintiff  of  24  cents,  upon  which  "  he  paid 
the  jury  and  constables  fees." 

At  the  December  term  of  the  common  pleas,  four  cases  of  assault  and  battery  were  tried 
by  jury,  which  took  up  the  first  day.  The  day  following,  this  entry  was  made  :  William 
Chipman  vs.  Henry  Storm,  "judgment  confessed  for  one  cent  damages  and  costs."  But 
such  is  the  imperfect  manner  in  which  the  records  were  kept,  that  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain 
what  the  subject  matter  of  the  controversy  was  in  which  such  heavy  damages  were  admit- 
ted. The  court  decided,  that  the  fee  paid  to  the  states'  attorney,  at  the  August  term,  was 
illegal,  and  should  be  refunded.  This  was  the  result  of"  the  sober  second  thoughts"  of  the 
court  about  that  twenty  dollar  fee,  for  which  the  attorney  came  from  Cincinnati,  more  than 
50  miles,  through  the  woods,  and  drew  nine  bills  of  indictment  and  attended  to  the  cases. 
At  this  term,  Andrew  Read,  an  early  settler  near  where  the  beautiful  village  of  Fairfield 
now  is,  took  his  seat  on  the  bench  as  associate  judge,  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the 
election  of  William  Maxwell  to  the  office  of  sheriff".  The  first  view  and  survey  of  a  new 
road  route  was  granted  at  this  term.  It  was  to  commence  at  Springfield,  pass  the  Yellow 
spring  and  intersect  the  Pinkney  road  near  Isaac  Morgan's.  Win.  Maxwell,  Lewis  Davis, 
and  Thomas  Tounsley  were  appointed  viewers,  and  James  Galloway,  jun.,  surveyor.  So 
our  fellow-citizen,  Maj.  Galloway,  was  the  first  county  surveyor,  surveyed  the  first  road  by 
order  of  the  court,  and  afterwards  made  a  map  of  the  county,  in  its  present  metes  and 
bounds,  showing  all  the  surveys  and  sections  of  the  land,  with  their  divisions  and  subdi- 
visions into  tracts.  Tavern  licenses  were  granted  to  Thomas  Fream,  William  Moore,  and 
James  M'Pherson,  to  keep  taverns  in  their  houses  for  one  year,  and  so  ended  the  term. 

The  June  term  of  1804,  was  the  last  court  ever  held  in  the  old  log  house.  It  was  com- 
posed of  the  same  judges,  clerk  and  sheriff',  with  Arthur  St.  Clair,  Esq.,  of  Cincinnati, 
prosecuting  attorney.  The  writer  of  this  has  been  informed,  he  wore  a  cocked  hat  and  a 
sword.  William  M'Farland  was  foreman  of  the  grand  jury.  A  singular  incident  took 
place  at  the  opening  of  this  court.  There  was  a  shelf  in  one  corner,  consisting  of  a  board 
on  two  pins  inserted  in  the  wall,  containing  a  few  books,  among  which  counsellor  St.  Clair 
searched  for  a  bible,  on  which  to  swear  the  jury.  At  length  he  took  down  a  volume,  and 
observed,  with  his  peculiar  lisp,  "  Well,  gentlemen,  here  is  a  book  which  looks  thist  like 
a  testament."  The  foreman  of  the  grand  jury  was  accordingly  sworn  upon  it — but  the 
book,  which  so  much  resembled  a  testament  in  external  appearance,  turned  out,  in  fact,  to 
be  an  odd  volume  of  The  Arabian  Nights  Entertainment! !  From  this  mistake,  or  some 
unknown  cause,  the  practice  of  swearing  on  the  Evangelists,  has  gone  entirely  out  of  use 
in  this  county,  being  substituted  by  swearing  with  the  uplifted  hand,  or  affirming.  The 
grand  jury  found  several  bills  of  indictment,  and  were  discharged  the  same  day. 

In  proportion  as  cases  of  assault  and  battery  begin  to  decrease,  a  sprinkling  of  civil  suits 
make  their  appearance  on  the  docket.  Fourteen  cases  were  called  the  first  day,  and  all 
continued,  except  one,  in  which  judgment  was  confessed,  and  stay  of  execution  granted 
until  next  term.     The  entry  of  continuance  was  in  this  form :   A.  B.  vs.  C.  D.     E.  F.  and 

G.  H.  pledges  for  the  defendant  in  the  sum  $ .     This  form  was  observed  in  all  cases, 

the  amount  being  more  or  less,  according  to  the  subject  matter  in  controversy.  On 
Wednesday  of  this  term,  Joseph  Tatman  produced  his  commission  as  associate  judge,  and 
took  the  oath  of  office.  He  afterwards,  in  1816,  in  company  with  Samuel  and  William 
Casad,  laid  out  the  town  of  Fairfield,  not  far  from  the  site  of  an  old  Indian  town,  named 
Piqua,  at  which  Gen.  George  R.  Clark  defeated  the  Indians,  in  1780.  On  this  day,  22 
cases  were  called  :   11  continued,  2  settled,  1  judgment,  5  ruled  for  plea  in  40  days,  one  in 


GREENE    COUNTY.  197 

10  days,  1  discontinued  and  1  abated  by  death.    This  was  certainly  a  pretty  fair  beginning, 
and  quite  encouraging  to  the  learned  profession. 

The  total  amount  of  taxable  property  returned  by  the  "listers,"  was  $>393.04,  and  this 
levy  included  houses  and  mills,  if  any.  As  to  houses,  there  was  but  one  returned,  and  that 
was  valued  for  taxation  at  one  dollar!  Considering  the  sparseness  of  population,  and 
6mall  amount  of  property  in  the  county,  the  proportion  of  litigation  was  greater  then,  than 
at  this  time,  1847,  when  the  total  amount  of  taxable  property  is  $6,583,673.  So  much 
of  a  change  in  43  years.  They  fought  less  and  lawed  more.  In  newly  settled  counties, 
there  appears  to  be  a  peculiar  fondness  among  the  people  for  lawsuits.  After  a  court  has 
been  organized  in  a  new  county,  they  still  continue  to  settle  their  difficulties  by  combat, 
until  lines  become  troublesome.  The  court  then  becomes  the  arena  in  which  their  conten- 
tions and  quarrels  are  carried  and  finally  disposed  of.  If  one  cannot  afford  the  fine  or  im- 
prisonment which  would  be  incurred,  by  taking  personal  satisfaction,  he  can  bring  a  suit, 
if  any  cause  of  action  can  be  found,  and  no  matter  how  small  the  amount  claimed,  or 
frivolous  the  matter,  if  he  can  only  cast  his  adversary  and  throw  him  in  the  costs,  he  is  as 
much  gratified  as  if  he  had  made  him  halloa  "  enough — take  him  off."  It  is  this  spirit 
which  gives  rise  to  so  many  trifling  and  vexatious  law  suits. 

And  now  we  take  leave  of  our  primitive  dwelling  house,  court  house  and  tavern.  It  is 
still  standing,  and  occupied  as  a  residence.  While  our  drawing  was  being  taken,  an  old- 
fashioned  long-handled  frying-pan  was  over  the  fire — its  spacious  bottom  well  paved  with 
rashers  of  ham,  sending  forth  a  savory  odor,  enough  to  make  a  hungry  persons'  mouth 
water.  What  scenes  it  has  witnessed — what  memories  it  recalls.  It  has  witnessed  the 
organization  of  the  county — the  first  administration  of  law  and  justice — the  first  exercise 
of  the  right  of  suffrage  through  the  ballot-box,  and  the  first  legal  punishment  of  criminals. 
Near  it  the  first  corn  was  ground  into  meal  for  the  use  of  the  settlers,  and  here  they  rallied 
to  build  block-houses  to  protect  them  from  the  hostile  attacks  of  the  Indians.  As  a  tavern 
many  a  weary  traveller,  through  the  tall  and  lonely  forest,  has  been  sheltered  and  refreshed 
beneath  its  humble  roof.  How  many  buckeye  lads  and  lasses  have  been  reared  within  its 
walls — for 

"  Buirdly  chiels  and  clever  hizzies 
Are  bred  in  sic  a  way  as  this  is !" 

How  many  jovial  dances  have  been  had  on  its  puncheon  floor.  While  we  may  suppose 
some  lame  or  lazy  fellow  seated  on  a  stool  in  a  corner,  prepared  with  an  awl  or  Barlow 
knife,  to  extract  splinters  from  the  heels  of  the  dancers,  as  fast  as  the  sets  were  over.  How 
many  courtships  have  been  carried  on  during  the  long  winter  nights — the  old  folks  asleep, 
and  the  young  lovers  comfortably  toasting  their  shins  over  the  decaying  embers — happy  in 
present  love,  and  indulging  in  bright  anticipations  of  housekeeping  in  a  cabin. 

Long  mayest  thou  stand,  old  relic,  as  a  memento  of  pioneer  life,  primitive  simplicity  and 
good  old-fashioned  honesty,  to  remind  the  rising  generation  of  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions our  pioneer  fathers  encountered,  in  first  settling  the  county,  and  to  show  by  this  humble 
beginning,  compared  with  the  present  state  of  improvement,  how  much  honest  labor, 
pains-taking  industry  and  thrifty  management  can  accomplish. 

Xenia,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Little  Miami  railroad,  64  miles 
north  of  Cincinnati,  and  61  from  Columbus.  It  is  a  handsome,  flour- 
ishing and  well-built  town,  with  broad  streets,  and  some  fine  stores 
and  elegant  dwellings.  The  engraving  represents  a  part  of  the 
principal  street :  the  court  house,  shown  on  the  left,  is  the  most  ele- 
gant, as  yet  built,  in  Ohio. 

Xenia  was  laid  off  in  the  forest,  in  the  autumn  of  1803,  by  Joseph 
C.  Vance,  on  the  land  of  John  Paul,  who  gave  the  ground  bounded 
by  Main,  Market,  Detroit  and  Greene  streets,  for  the  public  build- 
ings. The  first  cabin  was  erected  in  April,  1804,  by  John  Marshall, 
in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  town.  The  first  good  hewed  log 
house  was  erected  for  the  Rev.  James  Towler,  of  the  Methodist 
persuasion,  from  Petersburg,  Va. :  it  is  still  standing,  and  is  now  the 
hatter's  shop,  a  short  distance  west  of  the  old  bank.     David  A. 


198 


GREENE    COUNTY. 


Sanders  built  the  first  frame  house,  on  the  spot  occupied  by  the  new 
bank :  it  is  yet  standing,  on  Main  street,  in  Gowdy's  addition. 


View  in  Xenia. 

The  first  supreme  court  was  held  Oct.  3d,  1804.  The  grand  jury 
held  their  deliberations  under  a  sugar  tree,  in  the  rear  of  the  present 
residence  of  James  Gowdy. 

The  first  court  of  common  pleas  in  Xenia,  was  on  the  15th  of  November,  1804,  and  was 
held  by  the  associate  judges.  A  license  was  granted  to  "  William  A.  Beatty,  to  keep  a 
tavern  in  the  town  of  Xenia  for  one  year,  on  the  payment  of  $8.00 !"  This  was  the  first 
tavern  ever  licensed  in  the  place.  It  was  a  double  hewed  log  house,  two  stories  high,  and 
was  in  progress  of  erection  at  the  same  time  with  Fowler's  house.  It  stood  on  the  south 
side  of  Main  street,  opposite  the  public  square,  on  the  spot  where  there  now  is  a  two  story 
brick  house,  occupied  as  a  drug  store.  In  the  west  room,  above  stairs,  the  court  was  held. 
The  first  election  in  the  place  was  held  in  this  house.  It  continued  to  be  a  tavern  until 
after  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain,  and,  until  Mr.  James  Collier  built  his  brick  tavern  on 
Detroit  street,  was  the  grand  hotel  of  the  place.  In  a  corner  of  the  west  room,  there  was 
an  old-fashioned  bar — the  upper  part  enclosed  with  upright  slats  of  wood,  with  a  little 
wicket,  through  which  the  grog  was  handed  out  in  half  pint  glass  cruets.  In  time  of  the 
war,  the  recruiting  officers  put  up  at  this  house  ;  and  here  might  be  seen  the  recruiting  ser- 
geant rattling  dollars  on  a  drum's  head,  and  calling  for  half  pints,  appealing  to  the  patriot- 
ism of  the  bystanders,  tempting  them  with  gingling  dollars,  and  adding  thereto  the  potency 
of  whiskey,  to  enlist  recruits  for  the  army.  Court  continued  to  be  held  in  this  house  for 
the  years  1804  and  1805,  and  until  a  new  court  house  was  built. 

In  1804,  the  building  of  the  first  jail  was  let  to  Amos  Darough  ;  it  was  received  from  the 
contractor  in  October.  It  stood  on  ground  now  covered  by  the  new  court  house,  and  was 
constructed  of  hewed  logs.  It  was  burnt  down  the  year  following  ;  and  in  April,  1806,  a 
new  jail  was  accepted  from  William  A.  Beatty.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  market 
house — was  a  rough  log  building;  two  stories  high,  with  a  cabin  roof,  and  was  burnt  down 
in  time  of  the  war  with  England.  The  building  of  the  first  court  house  was  let  on  the  8th 
day  of  April,  1806,  to  William  Kendall,  who  was  allowed  six  dollars  for  clearing  the  tim- 
ber from  the  public  square.  The  house  was  built  of  brick,  40  feet  square  and  28  feet  high, 
with  a  cupola  in  the  center  of  the  roof,  10  feet  in  diameter  and  15  feet  high.  It  was  fin- 
ished, and  on  the  14th  day  of  August,  1809,  accepted. 

On  the  6th  of  April.  1806,  "  a  license  was  granted  to  James  Gowdy,  for  retailing  mer- 
chandise, on  his  complying  with  the  law !"  He  opened  his  goods  in  a  log  house,  with  a 
mud  and  stick  chimney,  which  stood  on  Greene  street,  at  the  north  end  of  where  Mr.  John 
Ewing's  store  now  is.     He  was  the  first  merchant  in  the  place. 

The  first  punishment  for  crime  was  in  1806.     The  person  was  convicted  for  stealing 


GREENE    COUNTY.  199 

leather,  to  half-sole  a  pair  of  shoes.  There  was  a  sugar  tree  on  the  public  square,  which 
served  as  a  whipping-post.  He  was  tied  up  to  the  tree,  and  underwent  the  sentence  of  the 
court,  which  was  to  receive  one  stripe  on  his  bare  back,  which  was  inflicted  by  James  Col- 
lier. The  sugar  tree  served  as  a  whipping-post  for  the  last  time  on  the  8th  of  October, 
1808.  A  man  was  convicted  for  stealing  a  shovel-plow  and  clevis,  and  the  sentence  was 
that  he  should  receive  eight  lashes  on  his  bare  back,  "  and  stand  committed  until  perform- 
ance." He  drank  a  pint  of  whiskey  jus*,  before  hugging  the  tree,  though  it  did  not  prevent 
him  from  halloaing  lustily,  while  receiving  the  eight  stripes.* 

Xenia  contains  1  German  Lutheran,  1  Methodist  Episcopal,  1 
Methodist  Protestant,  1  Seceder,  1  Associate  Reformed  and  1  Bap- 
tist church,  beside  2  churches  for  colored  persons — two  church 
edifices  are  erecting,  one  by  the  Presbyterian  and  the  other  by  the 
Associate  Reformed  denomination — 17  mercantile  stores,  1  foundery, 
2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  bank,  a  classical  academy  in  fine  re- 
pute, and  in  1840,  had  1414  inhabitants,  and  in  1847,  about  2800. 

Josiah  Hunt  resided  in  this  county  in  the  time  of  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain.  He 
was  a  stout,  well-formed,  heavy-set  man,  capable  of  enduring  great  hardships  and  priva- 
tions, and  was  then  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  There  was  a  tone  of 
candor  and  sincerity,  as  well  as  modesty,  in  his  manner  of  relating  the  thrilling  scenes  in 
which  he  had  been  an  actor,  which  left  no  doubt  of  their  truth  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
heard  him.  He  was  one  of  Wayne's  legion,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  the  Fallen  Timber, 
on  the  20th  of  August,  1794. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  onset,  just  after  entering  the  fallen  timber,  Hunt  was  rush- 
ing on,  and  about  to  spring  over  a  fallen  tree,  when  he  was  fired  at  by  an  Indian,  concealed 
behind  it.  The  latter  was  compelled  to  fire  in  such  haste  that  he  missed  his  aim.  It  was, 
however,  a  close  shave,  for  the  bullet  whizzed  through  the  lock  of  his  right  temple,  causing 
that  ear  to  ring  for  an  hour  after.  The  Indian's  body  was  entirely  naked  from  the  waist 
up,  with  a  red  stripe  painted  up  and  down  his  back.  As  soon  as  he  fired,  he  took  to  his 
heels.  Hunt  aimed  at  the  center  of  the  red  stripe,  the  Indian  running  zig-zag  "  like  the 
worm  of  a  fence."  When  he  fired  the  Indian  bounded  up  and  fell  forward.  He  had 
fought  his  last  battle. 

He  was  an  excellent  hunter.  In  the  winter  of  1793,  while  the  army  lay  at  Greenville, 
he  was  employed  to  supply  the  officers  with  game,  and  in  consequence  was  exempted  from 
garrison  duty.  The  sentinels  had  orders  to  permit  him  to  leave  and  enter  the  fort  when- 
ever he  chose.  The  Indians  made  a  practice  of  climbing  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort, 
the  better  to  watch  the  garrison.  If  a  person  was  seen  to  go  out,  notice  was  taken  of  the 
direction  he  went,  his  path  ambushed  and  his  scalp  secured.  To  avoid  this  danger,  Hunt 
always  left  the  fort  in  the  darkness  of  night,  for  said  he,  "  when  once  I  had  got  into  the 
woods  without  their  knowledge,  I  had  as  good  a  chance  as  they."  He  was  accustomed, 
on  leaving  the  fort,  to  proceed  some  distance  in  the  direction  he  intended  to  hunt  the  next 
day,  and  bivauck  for  the  night.  To  keep  from  freezing  to  death,  it  was  necessary  to  have 
a  fire  ;  but  to  show  a  light  in  the  enemy's  country,  was  to  invite  certain  destruction.  To 
avoid  this  danger  he  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground  with  his  tomahawk,  about  the  size  and 
depth  of  a  hat  crown.  Having  prepared  it  properly,  he  procured  some  " roth"  meaning 
thick  white  oak  bark,  from  a  dead  tree,  which  will  retain  a  strong  heat  when  covered  with 
its  ashes.  Kindling  a  fire  from  flint  and  steel  at  the  bottom  of  his  "  coal  pit,"  as  he  termed 
it,  the  bark  was  severed  into  strips  and  placed  in  layers  crosswise,  until  the  pit  was  full. 
After  it  was  sufficiently  ignited,  it  was  covered  over  with  dirt,  with  the  exception  of  two 
air  holes  in  the  margin,  which  could  be  opened  or  closed  at  pleasure.  Spreading  down  a 
layer  of  bark  or  brush  to  keep  him  off  the  cold  ground,  he  set  down  with  the  "  coal  pit"  be- 
tween his  legs,  enveloped  himself  in  his  blanket,  and  slept  cat-dozes  in  an  upright  posi- 
tion. If  his  fire  became  too  much  smothered,  he  would  freshen  it  up  by  blowing  into  one 
of  the  air  holes.  He  declared  he  could  make  himself  sweat  whenever  he  chose.  The 
snapping  of  a  dry  twig  was  sufficient  to  awaken  him,  when  uncovering  his  head,  he  keenly 
scrutinized  in  the  darkness  and  gloom  around — his  right  hand  on  his  trusty  rifle  "  ready 
for  the  mischance  of  the  hour."  A  person  now,  in  full  security  from  danger,  enjoying  the 
comforts  and  refinements  of  civilized  life,  can  scarcely  bring  his  mind  to  realize  his  situa- 
tion, or  do  justice  to  the  powers  of  bodily  endurance,  firmness  of  nerve,  self-reliance  and 

*  From  Thomas  Coke  Wright. 


200  GREENE    COUNTY. 

courage,  manifested  by  him  that  winter.  A  lone  man  in  a  dreary  interminable  forest, 
swarming  with  enemies,  blood-thirsty,  crafty  and  of  horrid  barbarity,  without  a  friend  or 
human  being  to  afford  him  the  least  aid,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  the  freezing  winds  moan- 
ing through  the  bare  and  leafless  branches  of  the  tall  trees,  while  the  dismal  howling  of  a 
pack  of  wolves — 

"  Cruel  as  death,  and  hungry  as  the  grave  ; 
Burning  for  blood,  bony,  gaunt  and  grim," 
might  be  heard  in  the  distance,  mingled  with  the  howlings  of  the  wintry  winds,  were  well 
calculated  to  create  a  lonely  sensation  about  the  heart  and  appal  any  common  spirit. 
There  would  he  sit,  nodding  in  his  blanket,  undistinguishable  in  the  darkness  from  an 
old  stump,  enduring  the  rigor  of  winter,  keeping  himself  from  freezing,  yet  showing  no 
fire, — calm,  ready  and  prompt  to  engage  in  mortal  combat,  with  whatever  enemy  might 
assail,  whether  Indian,  bear  or  panther.  At  day-light  he  commenced  hunting,  proceeding 
slowly  and  with  extreme  caution,  looking  for  game  and  watching  for  Indians  at  the  same 
time.  When  he  found  a  deer,  previously  to  shooting  it,  he  put  a  bullet  in  his  mouth,  ready 
for  reloading  his  gun  with  all  possible  dispatch,  which  he  did  before  moving  from  the  spot, 
casting  searching  glances  in  every  direction  for  Indians.  Cautiously  approaching  the  deer, 
after  he  had  shot  it,  he  dragged  it  to  a  tree  and  commenced  the  process  of  skinning  with 
his  back  towards  the  tree,  and  his  rifle  leaning  against  it,  in  reach  of  his  right  hand.  And 
so  with  his  rear  protected  by  the  tree,  he  would  skin  a  short  time,  then  straighten  up  and 
scan  in  every  direction,  to  see  if  the  report  of  his  rifle  had  brought  an  Indian  in  his  vicin- 
ity, then  apply  himself  to  skinning  again.  If  he  heard  a  stick  break,  or  any — the  slightest 
noise  indicating  the  proximity  of  animal  life,  he  clutched  his  rifle  instantly,  and  was  on  the 
alert  prepared  for  any  emergency.  Having  skinned  and  cut  up  the  animal,  the  four-quar- 
ters were  packed  in  the  hide,  which  was  so  arranged  as  to  be  slung  to  his  back  like  a  knap- 
sack, with  which  he  wended  his  way  to  the  fort.  If  the  deer  was  killed  far  from  the  gar- 
rison, he  only  brought  in  the  fore-quarters.  One  clay  he  got  within  gun-shot  of  three  In- 
dians unperceived  by  them.  He  was  on  a  ridge  and  they  in  a  hollow.  He  took  aim  at 
the  foremost  one,  and  waited  some  time  for  a  chance  for  two  to  range  against  each  other, 
intending,  if  they  got  in  that  position,  to  shoot  two  and  take  his  chance  with  the  other  in 
single  combat.  But  they  continued  marching  in  Indian  file,  and  though  he  could  have 
killed  either  of  them,  the  other  two  would  have  made  the  odds  againts  him  too  great,  so  he  let 
them  pass  unmolested.  Amidst  all  the  danger  to  which  he  was  constantly  exposed,  he 
passed  unharmed. 

Owing  to  the  constant  and  powerful  exercise  of  the  faculties,  his  ability  to  hear  and  dis- 
criminate sounds  was  wonderfully  increased,  and  the  perceptive  faculties  much  enlarged. 
He  made  $70  that  whiter  by  hunting,  over  and  above  his  pay  as  a  soldier. 

At  the  treaty  at  Greenville,  in  1795,  the  Indians  seemed  to  consider  Hunt  as  the  next 
greatest  man  to  Wayne  himself.  They  inquired  for  him,  got  round  him,  and  were  loud  and 
earnest  in  their  praises  and  compliments:  "  Great  man,  Capt.  Hunt — great  warrior — good 
hunting  man  ;  Indian  no  can  kill !"  They  informed  him  that  some  of  their  bravest  and 
most  cunning  warriors,  had  often  set  out  expressly  to  kill  him.  They  knew  how  he  made 
his  secret  camp-fires,  the  ingenuity  of  which  excited  their  admiration.  The  parties  in  quest 
of  him  had  often  seen  him — could  describe  the  dress  he  wore,  and  his  cap,  which  was  made 
of  a  raccoon's  skin  with  the  tail  hanging  down  behind,  the  front  turned  up  and  ornamented 
with  three  brass  rings.  The  scalp  of  such  a  great  hunter  and  warrior  they  considered  to 
be  an  invaluable  trophy.  Yet  they  never  could  catch  him  off  his  guard — never  get  within 
shooting  distance,  without  being  discovered  and  exposed  to  his  death-dealing  rifle. 

Many  years  ago  he  went  to  Indiana,  nor  has  the  writer*  of  this  ever  heard  from  him 
since,  nor  is  it  known  among  his  old  friends  here,  whether  he  is  living. 

Nine  miles  north  of  Xenia,  on  the  Little  Miami  river  and  railroad, 
are  the  Yellow  Springs.  It  has  been  fitted  up  as  a  place  of  fashion- 
able resort.  The  improvements,  consisting  of  a  hotel  and  numer- 
ous cottages,  are  in  a  picturesque  situation.  "  The  springs  are 
strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur  and  possess  medicinal  qualities, 
deemed  equal  in  utility  to  any  in  the  United  States."  The  Duke  of 
Saxe  Weimer  says  in  his  Travels : 

The  spring  originates  in  a  limestone  rock,  the  water  has  a  little  taste  of  iron,  and  de- 

*  Thomas  Coke  Wright. 


GREENE    COUNTY. 


201 


positeg  a  great  quantity  of  ochre,  from  which  it  takes  its  name.  The  spring  is  said  to  give 
110  gallons  of  water  per  minute,  which  is  received  in  a  basin  surrounded  with  cedar  trees. 
The  yellow  stream  which  comes  from  the  basin,  runs  a  short  distance  over  a  bed  of  lime- 
stone and  is  afterwards  precipitated  into  the  valley.  These  limestone  rocks  form  very  sin- 
gular figures  on  the  edge  of  this  valley ;  the  detached  pieces  resemble  the  Devil's  Wall  of 
the  Hartz. 

Clifton  is  a  flourishing  manufacturing  village,  10  miles  north  of 
Xenia,  on  the  Little  Miami,  and  contains  2  churches,  3  stores,  1  cot- 
ton and  woollen  factory,  1  paper,  1  grist  and  1  saw  mill,  and  over  300 
inhabitants.      The  name  originated  from  the  cliffs  which  bound  the 

river  at  this  place.  The 
stream  commences  run- 
ning through  a  deep  ra- 
vine at  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  village,  and 
after  circling  around  the 
town,  leaves  it  on  the 
southwest.  For  more 
than  two  miles  it  runs 
through  a  deep  and  nar- 
row gorge,  bounded  by 
perpendicular  and  im- 
pending rocks,  overhung 
by  evergreens,  and  pre- 
senting scenery  of  a  wild 
and  picturesque  charac- 
ter. In  this  distance  the 
stream  is  estimated,  in  an 
ordinary  stage  of  water, 
to  afford  sufficient  power 
for  one  hundred  and  five 
pair  of  burr  stones.  The 
mills  and  factories  above 
mentioned  are  upon  it,  and 
the  woollen  and  cotton  fac- 
tory is  built  in  the  ravine 
and  extends  completely 
across  it.  The  view  given, 
was  taken  a  short  distance 
Cascade  at  Clifton.  below  this  building,  and 

shows  a  little  water-fall  on  the  northern  wall  of  the  bounding  cliffs, 
at  that  point  about  50  feet  high. 

Fairfield,  12  miles  northwest  of  Xenia,  on  the  Dayton  and  Spring- 
field turnpike,  is  a  smart  business  place,  in  a  rich  country.  It  con- 
tains 4  churches,  5  stores  and  about  400  inhabitants.  Bellbrook,  9 
southwest  of  Xenia,  has  3  stores,  4  churches  and  about  350  inhabi- 
tants. Jamestown,  11  east  of  Xenia,  on  the  Dayton,  Xenia  and 
Washington  turnpike,  has  8  stores,  3  churches  and  50  dwellings. 
Spring  Valley,  7  southwest  of  Xenia,  is  a  small  manufacturing  vil- 
lage, at  which  is  a  woollen  factory,  1  oil,  1  grist  and  1  carding  mill. 

26 


202  GUERNSEY    COUNTY. 

Cedarville,  on  Massie's  creek,  8  miles  from  Xenia,  has  3  stores  and 
churches,  and  about  300  inhabitants.  Burlington  and  Paintersville 
are  small  places.  On  Massie's  creek,  7  miles  northeast  of  Xenia,  »*; 
an  ancient  stone  fort  and  a  mound. 


GUERNSEY. 

Guernsey  was  organized  in  March,  1810.  The  upland  is  hilly 
and  of  various  qualities,  and  the  soil  clay  or  clayey  loam.  There 
is  much  excellent  land  in  the  bottom  of  Wills'  creek  and  its  branches, 
which  cover  about  one  third  of  the  county.  The  principal  crops 
are  wheat,  corn  and  tobacco.  Wool  is  a  staple  product  of  the 
county,  together  with  beef  cattle,  horses  and  swine.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Adams,  866         Knox,  538         Richland,      1772 

Beaver,        1686         Liberty,  835         Seneca,  1356 

Buffalo,         1025         Londonderry,   1629         Spencer,         1669 
Cambridge,  2033         Madison,  1569         Washington,  1008 

Center,  976         Millwood,  1722         Westland,      1077 

Jackson,       1155         Monroe,  1098         Wheeling,       769 

Jefferson,       755         Oxford,  2133         Wills,  1887 

The  population  of  Guernsey  in  1820,  was  9,292;  in  1830,  18,036  ; 
and  in  1840,  27,729,  or  45  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Previous  to  the  first  settlement  of  the  county,  there  was  a  party  of 
whites  attacked  by  Indians  on  Wills'  creek,  near  the  site  of  Cam- 
bridge. The  particulars  which  follow  are  from  the  pen  of  Col.  John 
M'Donald,  author  of  the  Biographical  Sketches. 

In  the  year  1791  or  '92,  the  Indians  having  made  frequent  incursions  into  the  settlements, 
along  the  Ohio  river,  between  Wheeling  and  the  Mingo  bottom,  sometimes  killing  or  cap- 
turing whole  families;  at  other  times  stealing  all  the  horses  belonging  to  a  station  or  fort,  a 
company  consisting  of  seven  men,  rendezvoused  at  a  place  called  the  Beech  bottom,  on  the 
Ohio  river,  a  few  miles  below  where  Wellsburg  has  been  erected.  This  company  were  John 
Whetzel,  William  M'Collough,  John  Hough,  Thomas  Biggs,  Joseph  Hedges,  Kinzie  Dick- 
erson,  and  a  Mr.  Linn.  Their  avowed  object  was  to  go  to  the  Indian  towns  to  steal  horses. 
This  was  then  considered  a  legal,  honorable  business,  as  we  were  then  at  open  war  with 
the  Indians.  It  would  only  be  retaliating  upon  them  in  their  own  way.  These  seven  men 
were  all  trained  to  Indian  warfare,  and  a  life  in  the  woods  from  their  youth.  Perhaps  the 
western  frontier,  at  no  time,  could  furnish  seven  men  whose  souls  were  better  fitted,  and 
whose  nerves  and  sinews  were  better  strung  to  perform  any  enterprise  which  required  reso- 
lution and  firmness.  They  crossed  the  Ohio,  and  proceeded  with  cautious  steps,  and  vigi- 
lant glances  on  their  way  through  the  cheerless,  dark,  and  almost  impervious  forest,  in 
the  Indian  country,  till  they  came  to  an  Indian  town,  near  where  the  head  waters  of  the 
Sandusky  and  Muskingum  rivers  interlock.  Here  they  made  a  fine  haul,  and  set  off  home- 
ward with  fifteen  horses.  They  travelled  rapidly,  only  making  short  halts,  to  let  their 
horses  graze,  and  breathe  a  short  tune  to  recruit  their  strength  and  activity.  In  the  eve- 
ning of  the  second  day  of  their  rapid  retreat,  they  arrived  at  Wills  creek,  not  far  from 
where  the  town  of  Cambridge  has  been  since  erected.  Here  Mr.  Linn  was  taken  violently 
sick,  and  they  must  stop  their  march,  or  leave  him  alone,  to  perish  in  the  dark  and  lonely 
woods.  Our  frontier  men,  notwithstanding  their  rough  and  unpolished  manners,  had  too 
much  of  my  Uncle  To  vy's  "  sympathy  for  suffering  humanity,"  to  forsake  a  comrade  in  dis- 
tress. They  halted,  and  placed  sentinels  on  their  back  trail,  who  remained  there  till  late  in 
the  night,  without  seeing  any  signs  of  being  pursued.    The  sentinels  on  the  back  trail  returned 


GUERNSEY    COUNTY.  203 

lo  the  camp,  Mr.  Linn  still  lying  in  excruciating  pain.  All  the  simple  remedies  in  theii 
power  were  administered  to  the  sick  man,  without  producing  any  effect.  Being  late  in  tha 
night,  they  all  lay  down  to  rest,  except  one  who  was  placed  as  guard.  Their  camp  was  on 
the  bank  of  a  small  branch.  Just  before  day-break  the  guard  took  a  small  bucket,  and 
dipped  some  water  out  of  the  stream  ;  on  carrying  it  to  the  fire  he  discovered  the  water  to 
be  muddy.  The  muddy  water  waked  his  suspicion  that  the  enemy  might  be  approaching 
them,  and  were  walking  down  in  the  stream,  as  their  footsteps  would  be  noiseless  in  the 
water.  He  waked  his  companions,  and  communicated  his  suspicion.  They  arose,  exam- 
ined the  branch  a  little  distance,  and  listened  attentively  for  some  time  ;  but  neither  saw 
nor  heard  any  thing,  and  then  concluded  it  must  have  been  raccoons,  or  some  other  ani- 
mals, puddling  in  the  stream.  After  this  conclusion  the  company  all  lay  down  to  rest,  ex- 
cept the  sentinel,  who  was  stationed  just  outside  of  the  light.  Happily  for  them  the  fire 
had  burned  down,  and  only  a  few  coals  afforded  a  dim  light  to  point  out  where  they  lay. 
The  enemy  had  come  silently  down  the  creek,  as  the  sentinel  suspected,  to  within  ten  or 
twelve  feet  of  the  place  where  they  lay,  and  fired  several  guns  over  the.  bank.  Mr.  Linn, 
the  sick  man,  was  lying  with  his  side  towards  the  bank,  and  received  nearly  all  the  balls 
which  were  at  first  fired.  The  Indians  then,  with  tremendous  yells,  mounted  the  bank 
with  loaded  rifles,  war-clubs  and  tomahawks,  rushed  upon  our  men,  who  fled  barefooted 
and  without  arms.  Mr.  Linn,  Thomas  Biggs  and  Joseph  Hedges  were  killed  in  and  near 
the  camp.  William  M'Collough  had  run  but  a  short  distance  when  he  was  fired  at  by  the 
enemy.  At  the  instant  the  fire  was  given,  he  jumped  into  a  quagmire  and  fell ;  the  Indians 
supposing  that  they  killed  him,  ran  past  in  pursuit  of  others.  He  soon  extricated  himself 
out  of  the  mire,  and  so  made  his  escape.  He  fell  in  with  John  Hough,  and  came  into 
Wheeling.  John  Whetzel  and  Kinzie  Dickerson  met  in  their  retreat,  and  returned  to- 
gether. Those  who  made  their  escape  were  without  arms,  without  clothing  or  provision. 
Their  sufferings  were  great ;  but  this  they  bore  with  stoical  indifference,  as  it  was  the  for- 
tune of  war.  Whether  the  Indians  who  defeated  our  heroes  followed  in  pursuit  from  their 
towns,  or  were  a  party  of  warriors,  who  accidentally  happened  to  fall  in  with  them,  has 
never  been  ascertained.  From  the  place  they  had  stolen  the  horses,  they  had  travelled  two 
nights  and  almost  two  entire  days,  without  halting,  except  just  a  few  minutes  at  a  time,  to 
let  the  horses  graze.  From  the  circumstance  of  their  rapid  retreat  with  the  horses,  it  was 
supposed  that  no  pursuit  could  possibly  have  overtaken  them,  but  that  fate  had  decreed  that  this 
party  of  Indians  should  meet  and  defeat  them.  As  soon  as  the  stragglers  arrived  at  Wheel- 
ing, Capt.  John  M'Collough  collected  a  party  of  men,  and  went  to  Wills  creek,  and  buried 
the  unfortunate  men  who  fell  in  and  near  the  camp.  The  Indians  had  mangled  the  dead 
bodies  at  a  most  barbarous  rate.     Thus  was  closed  the  horse  stealing  tragedy. 

Of  the  four  who  survived  this  tragedy,  none  are  now  living  to  tell  the  story  of  their  suf- 
fering. They  continued  to  hunt  and  to  fight  as  long  as  the  war  lasted.  John  Whetzel  and 
Dickerson  died  in  the  country  near  Wheeling.  John  Hough  died  a  few  years  since,  near 
Columbia,  Hamilton  county,  Ohio.  The  brave  Capt.  William  M'Collough,  fell  in  1812,  in 
the  battle  of  Brownstown,  in  the  campaign  with  Gen.  Hull. 

Cambridge,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  national  road,  77  miles  east 
of  Columbus  and  24  east  of  Zanesville.  It  is  a  flourishing  village 
and  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Seceder,  1  Methodist  Episcopal  and 
1  Reformed  Methodist  church,  an  academy,  9  mercantile  stores,  2 
carding  machines,  1  flouring  and  2  fulling  mills,  1  newspaper  print- 
ing office  and  about  1000  inhabitants.  The  view  represents  the  town 
as  it  appears  from  a  hill  on  the  west,  about  300  yards  north  of  the 
national  road  :  the  bridge  across  Wills  creek  is  shown  on  the  right, 
and  the  town  on  the  hill  in  the  distance. 

In  1798,  soon  after  "Zane's  trace"  was  cut  through  the  county,  a 
Mr.  Graham  made  the  first  settlement  on  the  site  of  Cambridge.  At 
this  time,  the  only  dwelling  between  Lancaster  and  Wheeling  was 
at  Zanesville.  He  remained  about  two  years,  and  was  succeeded  by 
George  Beymer,  from  Somerset,  Pennsylvania.  Both  of  these  per- 
sons kept  a  house  of  entertainment,  and  a  ferry  for  travellers  on  their 
way  to  Kentucky  and  other  parts  of  the  west.  Mr.  Beymer,  in 
April,  1803,  gave  up  his  tavern  to  Mr  John  Beatty,  who  moved  in 


204 


GUERNSEY    COUNTY. 


from  Loudon  county,  Virginia.  Mr.  Wyatt  Hutchinson,  who,  until 
recently,  kept  a  tavern  in  this  town,  was  a  member  of  Beatty's  family, 
which  consisted  of  eleven  persons.     The  Indians  then  hunted  in  this 


Cambridge,  frojn  the  hill  west. 

vicinity,  and  often  encamped  on  the  creek.  In  June,  1806,  Cam- 
bridge was  laid  out ;  and  on  the  day  the  lots  were  first  offered  for 
sale,  several  families  from  the  British  isle  of  Guernsey,  near  the  coast 
of  France,  stopped  here  and  purchased  lands.  These  were  followed 
by  other  families,  amounting  in  all  to  some  fifteen  or  twenty,  from 
the  same  island  ;  all  of  whom  settling  in  the  county,  gave  origin  to 
its  present  name.  Among  the  heads  of  these  families,  are  recollect- 
ed the  names  of  Wm.  Ogier,  Thos.  Naftel,  Thos.  Lanphesty,  James 
Bishard,  Chas.  and  John  Marquand,  John  Robbins,  Daniel  Ferbroch, 
Peter,  Thomas  and  John  Sarchet,  and  Daniel  Hubert. 

Washington  is  8  miles  east  of  Cambridge,  on  the  national  road. 
It  is  a  very  thriving  village,  and  does  an  extensive  business  with  the 
surrounding  country,  which  is  very  fertile.  It  has  1  Lutheran,  1 
Presbyterian,  1  Methodist,  1  Union  and  1  Catholic  church — the  last 
of  which  is  an  elegant  and  costly  gothic  edifice  ;  G  mercantile  stores, 
1  woollen  factory,  and  a  population  nearly  equal  to  Cambridge.  It 
was  laid  out  about  the  year  1805,  by  Simon  Beymer,  proprietor  of 
tire  soil,  and  a  native  of  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania.  There 
were  two  companies  raised  in  this  county,  and  which  entered  into 
service,  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain — one  of  which  was  command- 
ed by  Simon  Beymer,  and  the  other  by  Cyrus  P.  Beatty.  The  first 
cannel  coal  found  in  this  country  was  discovered  several  years  since, 
five  miles  west  of  Cambridge,  near  Wills  creek.  This  bituminous 
coal  does  not  materially  differ  from  the  common  slaty  coal  of  the 
country ;  it  contains  rather  more  bituminous  and  less  carbonaceous 
matter.* 


*  See  communication  of  Hon.  Benj.  Tappan,  in  the  28  h,  and  that  of  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth, 
in  the  29th  volume  of  Silliman's  Journal. 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  205 

Middletown,  14  miles  east  of  Cambridge,  on  the  national  road,  has 
4  stores,  two  or  three  churches  and  about  250  inhabitants.  On  and 
about  the  Salt  fork  in  this  vicinity,  there  were  twelve  or  fifteen  fami- 
lies settled  about  the  year  1803:  the  names  recollected  are  Hite, 
Burns,  Cary,  Smith,  Masters,  Hall,  Wilson  and  Warren.  Fairview, 
6  miles  east  of  the  above,  on  the  national  road,  is  a  larger  town,  con- 
taining several  churches  and  stores  and  about  425  inhabitants.  Sen- 
ecaville,  10  miles  southeast  of  Cambridge,  is  a  flourishing  town,  con- 
taining several  churches  and  stores,  and  about  300  inhabitants. 
Cumberland.  Claysville,  Williamsburg,  Mount  Ephraim,  LiberU , 
Winchester,  Londonderry,  Birmingham  and  Antrim,  are  villages,  the 
largest  of  which  may  contain  70  dwellings.  At  Antrim  is  Madison 
College,  which  has  40  pupils :  at  Cambridge  is  a  high  school,  a  fe- 
male seminary  and  a  printing  office. 


HAMILTON. 

Hamilton  was  the  second  county  established  in  the  N.  W.  terri- 
tory. It  was  formed  Jan.  2d,  1790,  by  proclamation  of  Governor  St. 
Clair,  and  named  from  Gen.  Alex.  Hamilton.  Its  original  boundaries 
were  thus  defined  :  "  Beginning  on  the  Ohio  river,  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Little  Miami,  and  down  the  said  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Big 
Miami ;  and  up  said  Miami  to  the  standing  stone  forks  or  branch  of 
said  river,  and  thence  with  a  line  to  be  drawn  due  east  to  the  Little 
Miami,  and  down  said  Little  Miami  river  to  the  place  of  beginning/'' 
The  surface  is  generally  rolling,  soil  on  the  uplands,  clay,  and  in  the 
river  and  creek  vallies,  deep  alluvion,  with  a  sub-stratum  of  sand. 
The  agricultural  productions  are  more  varied  than  any  other  county 
in  the  state ;  beside  the  ordinary  farm  products  of  wheat,  corn, 
rye,  barley,  oats  and  grass,  there  is  produced  a  great  variety  of 
fruits  and  vegetables  for  the  Cincinnati  market.  Much  attention  has 
been  given  of  late  to  the  cultivation  of  vineyards  upon  the  Ohio  rive- 
hills,  for  the  manufacture  of  wine,  and  it  promises  to  be  a  business 
of  great  extent  in  the  course  of  a  few  years.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Anderson,     2311         Fulton,  1505         Storrs,  740 

Colerain,       2272         Green,  2939         Sycamore,  3207 

Columbia,     3022         Miami,  2189         Symmes,  1033 

Crosby,         1875         Mill  Creek,  6249         Whitewater,  1883 

Delphi,  14GG         Springfield,  3092         Cincinnati,  (city,)  46382 

The  population  of  Hamilton,  in  1820,  was  31,764,  in  1830,  52,3S0, 
and  in  1840,  80,165,  or,  omitting  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  79  persons  to 
the  square  mile. 

This  county  was  the  second  settled  in  Ohio,  and  the  first  within 
Symmes'  purchase.  The  history  of  its  settlemen;  we  append  from 
Burnet's  Notes. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  was  commenced  at  Marietta,  three  parties  were  formed  to  oc- 


206  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

cupy  and  improve  separate  portions  of  Judge  Symmes'  purchase,  between  the  Miami  rivers. 
The  first,  led  by  Major  Benjamin  Stites,  consisted  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  who  landed  in 
November,  1788,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami  river,  within  the  limits  of  a  tract  of  ten 
thousand  acres,  purchased  by  Major  Stites  from  Judge  Symmes.  They  constructed  a  log 
fort,  and  laid  out  the  town  of  Columbia,  which  soon  became  a  promising  village.  Among 
them  were  Colonel  Spencer,  Major  Gano,  Judge  Goforth,  Francis  Dunlavy,  Major  Kibbey, 
Rev.  John  Smith,  Judge  Foster,  Colonel  Brown,  Mr.  Hubbell,  Captain  Flinn,  Jacob  White 
and  John  Riley. 

They  were  all  men  of  energy  and  enterprise,  and  were  more  numerous  than  either  of 
the  parties  who  commenced  their  settlements  below  them  on  the  Ohio.  Their  village  was 
also  more  flourishing,  and  for  two  or  three  years  contained  a  larger  number  of  inhabitants 
than  any  other  in  the  Miami  purchase.  This  superiority,  however,  did  not  continue,  as 
will  appear  from  the  sequel. 

The  second  party  destined  for  the  Miami,  was  formed  at  Limestone,  under  Matthias 
Denman  and  Robert  Patterson,  amounting  to  twelve  or  fifteen  in  number.  After  much 
difficulty  and  danger,  caused  by  floating  ice  in  the  river,  they  landed  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Ohio,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking,  on  the  24th  of  December,  1788.  Their  purpose 
was  to  establish  a  station,  and  lay  out  a  town  according  to  a  plan  agreed  on,  before  they 
left  Limestone.  The  name  adopted  for  the  proposed  town  was  Losanteville,  which  had 
been  manufactured  by  a  pedantic  foreigner,  whose  name,  fortunately,  has  been  forgotten. 
It  was  formed,  as  he  said,  from  the  words  Le  os  ante  ville,  which  he  rendered  "  the  village 
opposite  the  mouth."  Logicians  may  decide  whether  the  words  might  not  be  rendered 
more  correctly,  the  mouth  before  the  village.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  settlement  then  formed 
was  immediately  designated  by  the  name  adopted  for  the  projected  town — though  the  town 
itself  never  was  laid  out,  for  reasons  which  will  be  explained  hereafter.  Yet,  from  the  facts 
stated,  a  very  general  belief  has  prevailed  that  the  original  name  of  the  town  of  Cincinnati 
was  Losanteville,  and  that  through  the  influence  of  Gov.  St.  Clair  and  others,  that  name 
was  abandoned,  and  the  name  of  Cincinnati  substituted.  This  impression,  though  a  natural 
one,  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  was  nevertheless  incorrect. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  what  influence  operated  on  the  minds  of  the  proprietors,  to  induce 
them  to  adopt  the  name  of  Cincinnati,  in  preference  to  the  one  previously  proposed.  Judge 
Symmes,  being  on  the  spot,  might  have  advised  it ;  but  it  is  not  probable  that  Gov.  St. 
Clair  had  agency  in  it,  as  he  was  at  the  time  negotiating  a  treaty  with  the  north-western 
Indians,  at  Marietta,  between  which  place  and  Cincinnati,  there  was  then  but  very  little 
intercourse.     The  truth  may  be  gathered  from  the  facts  of  the  case,  which  are  these. 

Matthias  Denman,  of  Springfield,  New  Jersey,  had  purchased  the  fraction  of  land  on 
the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  entire  section  adjoining  it  on  the  north,  which,  on  the  survey 
of  Symmes'  grant  should  be  found  to  lie  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking  river.  In  the 
summer  of  1788,  he  came  out  to  the  west  to  see  the  lands  he  had  purchased,  and  to  ex- 
amine the  country.  On  his  return  to  Limestone,  he  met  among  others,  Col.  Patterson,  of 
Lexington,  and  a  surveyor  by  the  name  of  Filson.  Denman  communicated  to  them  his 
intention  of  laying  out  a  town  on  his  land,  opposite  Licking ;  and,  after  some  conversation, 
agreed  to  take  them  in  as  partners,  each  paying  a  third  of  the  purchase-money ;  and,  on 
the  further  condition,  that  Col.  Patterson  should  exert  his  influence  to  obtain  settlers,  and 
that  Filson,  in  the  ensuing  spring,  should  survey  the  town, stake  off  the  lots,  and  superintend 
the  sale.  They  also  agreed  on  the  plan  of  the  town,  and  to  call  it  Losanteville.  This 
being  done,  Patterson  and  Filson,  with  a  party  of  settlers,  proceeded  to  the  ground,  where 
they  arrived  late  in  December.  In  the  course  of  the  winter,  before  any  attempt  had  been 
made  to  lay  out  the  town,  Filson  went  on  an  exploring  expedition  with  Judge  Symmes  *nd 
others,  who  had  in  contemplation  to  become  purchasers  and  settle  in  the  country.  After 
the  party  had  proceeded  some  thirty  or  forty  miles  into  the  wilderness,  Filson,  for  some 
cause  not  now  known,  left  them,  for  the  purpose  of  returning  to  the  settlements  on  the 
Ohio  ;  and  in  that  attempt  was  murdered  by  the  Indians.  This  terminated  his  contract 
with  Denman,  as  no  part  of  the  consideration  had  been  paid,  and  his  personal  services,  in 
surveying  the  town  and  superintending  the  sale  of  the  lots,  had  become  impracticable. 

Mr.  Denman,  being  yet  at  Limestone,  entered  into  another  contract  with  Col.  Patterson 
and  Israel  Ludlow,  by  which  Ludlow  was  to  perform  the  same  services  as  were  to  have 
been  rendered  by  the  unfortunate  Filson,  had  he  lived  to  execute  his  contract.  A  new 
plan  of  a  town  was  then  made,  differing,  in  many  important  respects,  from  the  former, — 
particularly  as  to  the  public  square,  the  commons,  and  the  names  of  the  streets.  The 
whimsical  name  which  had  been  adopted  for  the  town  to  be  laid  out  under  the  first  con- 
tract, was  repudiated,  and  Cincinnati  selected,  as  the  name  of  the  town,  to  be  laid  out 
under  the  new  contract.     Late  in  the  succeeding  fall,  Col.  Ludlow  commenced  a  survey  of 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  207 

the  town  which  has  since  become  the  Queen  City  of  the  West.  He  first  laid  off  the  lots, 
which,  by  previous  agreement,  were  to  be  disposed  of  as  donations  to  volunteer  settlers, 
and  completed  the  survey  at  his  leisure . 

A  misapprehension  has  prevailed,  as  appears  from  some  recent  publications,  in  regard  to 
the  price  paid  by  the  proprietors  for  the  land  on  which  the  city  stands.  The  original  pur- 
chase by  Mr.  Denman,  included  a  section  and  a  fractional  section,  containing  about  eight 
hundred  acres  ;  for  which  he  paid  five  shillings  per  acre,  in  continental  certificates,  which 
were  then  worth,  in  specie,  five  shillings  on  the  pound — so  that  the  specie  price  per  acre 
was  fifteen  pence.  That  sum  multiplied  by  the  number  of  acres,  will  give  the  original  cost 
of  the  plat  of  Cincinnati. 

The  third  party  of  adventurers  to  the  Miami  purchase,  were  under  the  immediate  care 
and  direction  of  Judge  Symmes.  They  left  Limestone  on  the  29th  of  January,  1789,  and 
on  their  passage  down  the  river,  were  obstructed,  delayed,  and  exposed  to  imminent  danger 
from  floating  ice,  which  covered  the  river.  They,  however,  reached  the  Bend,  the  place 
of  their  destination,  in  safety,  early  in  February.  The  first  object  of  the  Judge  was  to 
found  a  city  at  that  place,  which  had  received  the  name  of  North  Bend,  from  the  fact  that 
it  was  the  most  northern  bend  in  the  Ohio  river  below  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha. 

The  water-craft  used  in  descending  the  Ohio,  in  those  primitive  times,  were  flat-boats 
made  of  green  oak  plank,  fastened  by  wooden  pins  to  a  frame  of  timber,  and  caulked  with 
tow,  or  any  other  pliant  substance  that  could  be  procured.  Boats  similarly  constructed  on 
the  northern  waters,  were  then  called  arks,  but  on  the  western  rivers,  they  were  denom- 
inated Kentucky  boats.  The  materials  of  which  they  were  composed,  were  found  to  be  of 
great  utility  in  the  construction  of  temporary  buildings  for  safety,  and  for  protection  from 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  after  they  had  arrived  at  their  destination. 

At  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  Judge,  General  Harmar  sent  Captain  Kearsey  with 
forty-eight  rank  and  file,  to  protect  the  improvements  just  commencing  in  the  Miami  coun- 
try. This  detachment  reached  Limestone  in  December,  1788,  and  in  a  few  days  after, 
Captain  Kearsey  sent  a  part  of  his  command  in  advance,  as  a  guard  to  protect  the  pioneers 
under  Major  Stites,  at  the  Little  Miami,  where  they  arrived  soon  after.  Mr.  Symmes  and 
his  party,  accompanied  by  Captain  Kearsey,  landed  at  Columbia,  on  their  passage  down 
the  river,  and  the  detachment  previously  sent  to  that  place  joined  their  company.  They 
then  proceeded  to  the  Bend,  and  landed  about  the  first  or  second  of  February.  When 
they  left  Limestone,  it  was  the  purpose  of  Captain  Kearsey  to  occupy  the  fort  built  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Miami,  by  a  detachment  of  United  States  troops,  who  afterwards  descended 
the  river  to  the  falls. 

That  purpose  was  defeated  by  the  flood  in  the  river,  which  had  spread  over  the  low 
grounds  and  rendered  it  difficult  to  reach  the  fort.  Captain  Kearsey,  however,  was  anxious 
to  make  the  attempt,  but  the  Judge  would  not  consent  to  it ;  he  was  of  course  much  dis- 
appointed, and  greatly  displeased.  When  he  set  out  on  the  expedition,  expecting  to  find  a 
fort  ready  built  to  receive  him,  he  did  not  provide  the  implements  necessary  to  construct 
one.  Thus  disappointed  and  displeased,  he  resolved  that  he  would  not  attempt  to  construct 
a  new  work,  but  would  leave  the  Bend  and  join  the  garrison  at  Louisville. 

In  pursuance  of  that  resolution,  he  embarked  early  in  March,  and  descended  the  river 
with  his  command.  The  Judge  immediately  wrote  to  Major  Willis,  commandant  of  the 
garrison  at  the  Falls,  complaining  of  the  conduct  of  Captain  Kearsey,  representing  the  ex- 
posed situation  of  the  Miami  settlement,  stating  the  indications  of  hostility  manifested  by 
the  Indians,  and  requesting  a  guard  to  be  sent  to  the  Bend.  This  request  was  promptly 
granted,  and  before  the  close  of  the  month,  Ensign  Luce  arrived  with  seventeen  or  eighteen 
soldiers,  which,  for  the  time,  removed  the  apprehensions  of  the  pioneers  at  that  place.  It 
was  not  long,  however,  before  the  Indians  made  an  attack  on  them,  in  which  they  killed 
one  soldier,  and  wounded  four  or  five  other  persons,  including  Major  J.  R.  Mills,  an  emi- 
grant from  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  who  was  a  surveyor,  and  an  intelligent  and  highly 
respected  citizen.  Although  he  recovered  from  his  wounds,  he  felt  their  disabling  effects 
to  the  day  of  his  death. 

The  surface  of  the  ground  where  the  Judge  and  his  party  had  landed,  was  above  the 
reach  of  the  water,  and  sufficiently  level  to  admit  of  a  convenient  settlement.  He  there- 
fore determined,  for  the  immediate  accommodation  of  his  party,  to  lay  out  a  village  at  that 
place,  and  to  suspend,  for  the  present,  the  execution  of  his  purpose,  as  to  the  city,  of  which 
he  had  given  notice,  until  satisfactory  information  could  be  obtained  in  regard  to  the  com- 
parative advantages  of  different  places  in  the  v'cinity.  The  determination,  however,  of 
laying  out  such  a  city,  was  not  abandoned,  but  was  executed  in  the  succeeding  year  on  a 
magnificent  scale.  It  included  the  village,  and  extended  from  the  Ohio  across  the  penin- 
sular to  the  Miami  river.     This  city,  which  was  certainly  a  beautiful  one,  on  paper,  was 


208  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

called  Symmes,  and  for  a  time  was  a  subject  of  conversation  and  of  criticism  ;  but  it  soon 
ceased  to  be  remembered — even  its  name  was  forgotten,  and  the  settlement  continued  to 
be  called  North  Bend.  Since  then,  that  village  has  been  distinguished  as  the  residence  and 
the  home  of  the  soldier  and  statesman,  William  Henry  Harrison,  whose  remains  now  repose 
in  a  humble  vault  on  one  of  its  beautiful  hills. 

In  conformity  with  a  stipulation  made  at  Limestone,  every  individual  belonging  to  the 
party  received  a  donation  lot,  which  he  was  required  to  improve,  as  the  condition  of  ob- 
taining a  title.  As  the  number  of  these  adventurers  increased  in  consequence  of  the  pro- 
tection afforded  by  the  military,  the  Judge  was  induced  to  lay  out  another  village,  six  or 
seven  miles  higher  up  the  river,  which  he  called  South  Bend,  where  he  disposed  of  some 
donation  lots ;  but  that  project  failed,  and  in  a  few  years  the  village  was  deserted  and  con- 
verted into  a  farm. 

During  these  transactions,  the  Judge  was  visited  by  a  number  of  Indians  from  a  camp 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Stites'  settlement.  One  of  them,  a  Shawnee  chief,  had  many  com- 
plaints to  make  of  frauds  practised  on  them  by  white  traders,  who  fortunately  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  pioneers.  After  several  conversations,  and  some  small  presents,  he  pro- 
fessed to  be  satisfied  with  the  explanation  he  had  received,  and  gave  assurances  that  the 
Indians  would  trade  with  the  white  men  as  friends. 

In  one  of  their  interviews,  the  Judge  told  him  he  had  been  commissioned  and  sent  out 
to  their  country,  by  the  thirteen  fires,  in  the  spirit  of  friendship  and  kindness  ;  and  that  he 
was  instructed  to  treat  them  as  friends  and  brothers.  In  proof  of  this  he  showed  them 
the  flag  of  the  Union,  with  its  stars  and  stripes,  and  also  his  commission,  having  the  great 
seal  of  the  United  States  attached  to  it ;  exhibiting  the  American  eagle,  with  the  olive 
branch  in  one  claw,  emblematical  of  peace,  and  the  instrument  of  war  and  death  in  the 
other.  He  explained  the  meaning  of  those  symbols  to  their  satisfaction,  though  at  first 
the  chief  seemed  to  think  they  were  not  very  striking  emblems  either  of  peace  or  friend- 
ship ;  but  before  he  departed  from  the  Bend,  he  gave  assurances  of  the  most  friendly  cha- 
racter. Yet,  when  they  left  their  camp  to  return  to  their  towns,  they  carried  off  a  number 
of  horses  belonging  to  the  Columbia  settlement,  to  compensate  for  the  injuries  done  them 
by  wandering  traders,  who  had  no  part  or  lot  with  the  pioneers.  These  depredations  hav- 
ing been  repeated,  a  party  was  sent  out  in  pursuit,  who  followed  the  trail  of  the  Indians  a 
considerable  distance,  when  they  discovered  fresh  signs,  and  sent  Captain  Flinn,  one  of 
their  party,  in  advance,  to  reconnoitre.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  before  he  was  surprised, 
taken  prisoner,  and  carried  to  the  Indian  camp.  Not  liking  the  movements  he  saw  going 
on,  which  seemed  to  indicate  personal  violence,  in  regard  to  himself,  and  having  great  con- 
fidence in  his  activity  and  strength,  at  a  favorable  moment  he  sprang  from  the  camp,  made 
his  escape,  and  joined  his  party.  The  Indians,  fearing  an  ambuscade,  did  not  pursue.  The 
party  possessed  themselves  of  some  horses  belonging  to  the  Indians,  and  returned  to 
Columbia.  In  a  few  days,  the  Indians  brought  in  Captain  Flinn's  rifle,  and  begged  Major 
Stites  to  restore  their  horses — alledging  that  they  were  innocent  of  the  depredations  laid  to 
their  charge.  After  some  further  explanations,  the  matter  was  amicably  settled,  and  the 
horses  were  given  up. 

The  three  principal  settlements  of  the  Miami  country  were  commenced  in  the  manner 
above  described  ;  and  although  they  had  one  general  object,  and  were  threatened  by  one 
common  danger,  yet  there  existed  a  strong  spirit  of  rivalry  between  them — each  feeling  a 
pride  in  the  prosperity  of  the  little  colony  to  which  he  belonged.  That  spirit  produced  a 
strong  influence  on  the  feelings  of  the  pioneers  of  the  different  villages,  and  produced  an 
esprit  du  corps,  scarcely  to  be  expected  under  circumstances  so  critical  and  dangerous  as. 
those  which  threatened  them.  For  some  time  it  was  a  matter  of  doubt  which  of  the  rivals, 
Columbia,  Cincinnati,  or  North  Bend,  would  eventually  become  the  chief  seat  of  business. 

In  the  beginning,  Columbia,  the  eldest  of  the  three,  took  the  lead,  both  in  the  number 
of  its  inhabitants,  and  the  convenience  and  appearance  of  its  dwellings.  It  was  a  flourish- 
ing village,  and  many  believed  it  would  become  the  great  business  town  of  the  Miami 
country.  That  delusion,  however,  lasted  but  a  short  time.  The  garrison  having  been 
established  at  Cincinnati,  made  it  the  head-quarters,  and  the  depot  of  the  army.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  as  soon  as  the  county  courts  of  the  territory  were  organized,  it  was  made  the 
seat  of  justice  of  Hamilton  county.  These  advantages  convinced  every  body  that  it  was 
destined  to  become  the  emporium  of  the  Miami  country. 

At  first,  North  Bend  had  a  decided  advantage  over  it ;  as  the  troops  detailed  by  General 
Harmar  for  the  protection  of  the  Miami  pioneers  were  landed  there,  through  the  influence 
of  Judge  Symmes.  That  consideration  induced  many  of  the  first  adventurers  to  plant 
themselves  at  the  Bend,  believing  it  to  be  the  place  of  the  greatest  safety.  But,  as  has  been 
stated,  that  detachment  soon  took  its  departure  for  Louisville.     It  appears  also  that  Ensign 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  209 

Luce,  the  commandant  of  the  party  which  succeeded  it,  did  not  feel  bound  to  erect  his  fort 
at  any  particular  place,  but  was  at  liberty  to  select  the  spot  best  calculated  to  afford  the 
most  extensive  protection  to  the  Miami  settlers.  Viewing  his  duty  in  that  light,  he  put  up 
a  small  temporary  work,  sufficient  for  the  security  of  his  troops,  regardless  of  the  earnest 
entreaty  of  the  Judge,  to  proceed  at  once  to  erect  a  substantial,  spacious  block-house,  suffi- 
cient for  the  protection  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  village. 

The  remonstrances  and  entreaties  of  the  Judge  had  but  little  influence  on  the  mind  of 
this  obstinate  officer ;  for,  in  despite  of  them  all,  he  left  the  Bend,  and  proceeded  to  Cin- 
cinnati with  his  command,  where  he  immediately  commenced  the  construction  of  a  mil- 
itary work.  That  important  move  was  followed  by  very  decided  results — it  terminated 
the  strife  for  supremacy,  by  removing  the  only  motive  which  had  induced  former  emigrants 
to  pass  the  settlements  above,  and  proceed  to  the  Bend.  As  soon  as  the  troops  removed 
from  that  place  to  Cincinnati,  the  settlers  of  the  Bend,  who  were  then  the  most  numerous, 
feeling  the  loss  of  the  protection  on  which  they  had  relied,  became  uneasy,  and  began  to 
follow ;  and  ere  long  the  place  was  almost  entirely  deserted,  and  the  hope  of  making  it 
even  a  respectable  town,  was  abandoned. 

In  the  course  of  the  ensuing  summer,  Major  Doughty  arrived  at  Cincinnati,  with  troops 
from  Fort  Harmar,  and  commenced  the  construction  of  Fort  Washington,  which  was  the 
most  extensive  and  important  military  work  in  the  territory  belonging  to  the  United  States. 

About  that  time  there  was  a  rnmor  prevailing  in  the  settlement,  said  to  have  been  en- 
dorsed by  the  Judge  himself,  which  goes  far  to  unravel  the  mystery,  in  which  the  removal 
of  the  troops  from  the  Bend  was  involved.  It  was  said  and  believed,  that  while  the  officer 
in  command  at  that  place  was  looking  out  very  leisurely  for  a  suitable  site,  on  which  to 
build  the  block-house,  he  formed  an  acquaintance  with  a  beautiful  black-eyed  female,  who 
called  forth  his  most  assiduous  and  tender  attentions.  She  was  the  wife  of  one  of  the 
settlers  at  the  Bend.  Her  husband  saw  the  danger  to  which  he  would  be  exposed,  if  he 
remained  where  he  was.  He  therefore  resolved  at  once  to  remove  to  Cincinnati,  and  very 
promptly  executed  his  resolution. 

As  soon  as  the  gallant  commandant  discovered  that  the  object  of  his  admiration  had 
changed  her  residence,  he  began  to  think  that  the  Bend  was  not  an  advantageous  situation 
for  a  military  work,  and  communicated  that  opinion  to  Judge  Symmes,  who  strenuously 
opposed  it.  His  reasoning,  however,  was  not  as  persuasive  as  the  sparkling  eyes  of  the 
fair  dulcinea  then  at  Cincinnati.  The  result  was  a  determination  to  visit  Cincinnati,  and 
examine  its  advantages  for  a  military  post,  which  he  communicated  to  the  Judge,  with  an 
assurance  that  if,  on  examination,  it  did  not  prove  to  be  the  most  eligible  place,  he  would 
return  and  erect  the  fort  at  the  Bend. 

The  visit  was  quickly  made,  and  resulted  in  a  conviction  that  the  Bend  could  not  be  com- 
pared with  Cincinnati  as  a  military  position.  The  troops  were  accordingly  removed  to 
that  place,  and  the  building  of  a  block-house  commenced.  Whether  this  structure  was  on 
the  ground  on  which  Fort  Washington  was  erected  by  Major  Doughty,  cannot  now  be  de- 
cided. 

That  movement,  produced  by  a  cause  whimsical,  and  apparently  trivial  in  itself,  was 
attended  with  results  of  incalculable  importance.  It  settled  the  question  whether  North 
Bend  or  Cincinnati  was  to  be  the  great  commercial  town  of  the  Miami  country.  Thus  we 
see  what  unexpected  results  are  sometimes  produced  by  circumstances  apparently  trivial. 
The  incomparable  beauty  of  a  Spartan  dame,  produced  a  ten  years'  war,  which  terminated 
in  the  destruction  of  Troy  ;  and  the  irresistible  charms  of  another  female,  transferred  the 
commercial  emporium  of  Ohio  from  the  place  where  it  had  been  commenced,  to  the  place 
where  it  now  is.  If  this  captivating  American  Helen  had  continued  at  the  Bend,  the  gar- 
rision  would  have  been  erected  there — population,  capital  and  business  would  have  cen- 
tered there,  and  there  would  have  been  the  Queen  City  of  the  West. 

A  large  number  of  the  original  adventurers  to  the  Miami  purchase,  had  exhausted  their 
means  by  paying  for  their  land,  and  removing  their  families  to  the  country.  Others  were 
wholly  destitute  of  property,  and  came  out  as  volunteers,  under  the  expectation  of  obtain- 
ing, gratuitously,  such  small  tracts  of  land  as  might  be  forfeited  by  the  purchasers,  under 
Judge  Symmes,  for  not  making  the  improvements  required  by  the  conditions  stipulated  in 
the  terms  of  sale  and  settlement  of  Miami  lands,  published  by  the  Judge,  in  1787 ;  which 
will  be  more  fully  explained  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  The  class  of  adventurers  first 
named  was  comparatively  numerous,  and  had  come  out  under  an  expectation  of  taking 
immediate  possession  of  their  lands,  and  of  commencing  the  cultivation  of  them  for  sub- 
sistence. Their  situation,  therefore,  was  distressing.  To  go  out  into  the  wilderness  to 
till  the  soil,  appeared  to  be  certain  death ;  to  remain  in  the  settlements  threatened  them 

27 


210  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

with  starvation.  The  best  provided  of  the  pioneers  found  it  difficult  to  obtain  subsistence  ; 
and,  of  course,  the  class  now  spoken  of  were  not  far  from  total  destitution.  They  depended 
on  game,  fish,  and  such  products  of  the  earth  as  could  be  raised  on  small  patches  of  ground 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  settlements. 

Occasionally,  small  lots  of  provision  were  brought  down  the  river  by  emigrants,  and 
sometimes  were  transported  on  pack-horses,  from  Lexington,  at  a  heavy  expense,  and  not 
without  danger.  But  supplies,  thus  procured,  were  beyond  the  reach  of  those  destitute 
persons  now  referred  to. 

Having  endured  these  privations  as  long  as  they  could  be  borne,  the  more  resolute  of 
them  determined  to  brave  the  consequences  of  moving  on  to  their  lands.  To  accomplish 
the  object  with  the  least  exposure,  those  whose  lands  were  in  the  same  neighborhood, 
united  as  one  family  ;  and  on  that  principle,  a  number  of  associations  were  formed,  amount- 
ing to  a  dozen  or  more,  who  went  out  resolved  to  maintain  their  positions. 

Each  party  erected  a  strong  block-house,  near  to  which  their  cabins  were  put  up,  and 
the  whole  was  enclosed  by  strong  log  pickets.  This  being  done,  they  commenced  clearing 
their  lands,  and  preparing  for  planting  their  crops.  During  the  day,  while  they  were  at 
work,  one  person  was  placed  as  a  sentinel,  to  warn  them  of  approaching  danger.  At  sun- 
set they  retired  to  the  block-house  and  their  cabins,  taking  every  thing  of  value  within  the 
pickets.  In  this  manner  they  proceeded  from  day  to  day,  and  week  to  week,  till  their  im- 
provements were  sufficiently  extensive  to  support  their  families.  During  this  time,  they 
depended  for  subsistence  on  wild  game,  obtained  at  some  hazard,  more  than  on  the  scanty 
supplies  they  were  able  to  procure  from  the  settlements  on  the  river. 

In  a  short  time  these  stations  gave  protection  and  food  to  a  large  number  of  destitute 
families.  After  they  were  established,  the  Indians  became  less  annoying  to  the  settlements 
on  the  Ohio,  as  part  of  their  time  was  employed  in  watching  the  stations.  The  former, 
however,  did  not  escape,  but  endured  their  share  of  the  fruits  of  savage  hostility.  In  fact, 
no  place  or  situation  was  exempt  from  danger.  The  safety  of  the  pioneer  depended  on 
his  means  of  defence,  and  on  perpetual  vigilance. 

The  Indians  viewed  those  stations  with  great  jealousy,  as  they  had  the  appearance  of 
permanent  military  establishments,  intended  to  retain  possession  of  their  country.  In  that 
view  they  were  correct ;  and  it  was  fortunate  for  the  settlers,  that  the  Indians  wanted  either 
the  skill  or  the  means  of  demolishing  them 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  their  great  error  consisted  in  permitting  those  works  to  be 
constructed  at  all.  They  might  have  prevented  it  with  great  ease,  but  they  appeared  not 
to  be  aware  of  the  serious  consequences  which  were  to  result,  until  it  was  too  late  to  act 
with  effect.  Several  attacks  were,  however,  made  at  different  times,  with  an  apparent 
determination  to  destroy  them  ;  but  they  failed  in  every  instance.  The  assault  made  on 
the  station  erected  by  Captain  Jacob  White,  a  pioneer  of  much  energy  and  enterprise,  at 
the  third  crossing  of  Mill  creek  from  Cincinnati,  on  the  old  Hamilton  road,  was  resolute 
and  daring  ;  but  it  was  gallantly  met  and  successfully  repelled.  During  the  attack,  which 
was  in  the  night,  Captain  White  shot  and  killed  a  warrior,  who  fell  so  near  the  block- 
house, that  his  companions  could  not  remove  his  body.  The  next  morning  it  was  brought 
in,  and  judging  from  his  stature,  as  reported  by  the  inmates,  he  might  have  claimed  descent 
from  a  race  of  giants.  On  examining  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  block-house,  the 
appearances  of  blood  indicated  that  the  assailants  had  suffered  severely. 

In  the  winter  of  1790-1,  an  attack  was  made,  with  a  strong  party,  amounting,  probably, 
to  four  or  five  hundred,  on  Dunlap's  station,  at  Colerain.  The  block-house  at  that  place 
was  occupied  by  a  small  number  of  United  States'  troops,  commanded  by  Col.  Kingsbury, 
then  a  subaltern  in  the  army.  The  fort  was  furnished  with  a  piece  of  artillery,  which  was 
an  object  of  terror  to  the  Indians  ;  yet  that  did  not  deter  them  from  an  attempt  to  effect 
their  purpose.  The  attack  was  violent,  and  for  some  time  the  station  was  in  imminent 
danger. 

The  savages  were  led  by  the  notorious  Simon  Girty,  and  outnumbered  the  garrison,  at 
least,  ten  to  one.  The  works  were  entirely  of  wood,  and  the  only  obstacle  between  the 
assailants  and  the  assailed,  was  a  picket  of  logs,  that  might  have  been  demolished,  with  a 
loss  not  exceeding,  probably,  twenty  or  thirty  lives.  The  garrison  displayed  unusual  gal- 
lantry— they  frequently  exposed  their  persons  above  the  pickets,  to  insult  and  provoke  the 
assailants ;  and  judging  from  the  facts  reported,  they  conducted  with  as  much  folly  as 
bravery. 

Col.  John  Wallace,  of  Cincinnati,  one  of  the  earliest  and  bravest  of  the  pioneers,  and 
as  amiable  as  he  was  brave,  was  in  the  fort  when  the  attack  was  made.  Although  the 
works  were  completely  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  the  colonel  volunteered  his  services  to  go 
to  Cincinnati  for  a  reinforcement.     The  fort  stood  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Big  Miami. 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  211 

Late  in  the  night,  he  was  conveyed  across  the  river,  in  a  canoe,  and  landed  on  the  opposite 
shore.  Having  passed  down  some  miles  below  the  fort,  he  swam  the  river,  and  directed 
his  course  for  Cincinnati.  On  his  way  down,  the  next  day,  he  met  a  body  of  men  from 
that  place  and  from  Columbia,  proceeding  to  Colerain.  They  had  been  informed  of  the 
attack,  by  persons  hunting  in  the  neighborhood,  who  were  sufficiently  near  the  fort  to  hear 
the  firing  when  it  began. 

He  joined  the  party,  and  led  them  to  the  station  by  the  same  route  he  had  travelled  from 
it ;  but  before  they  arrived,  the  Indians  had  taken  their  departure.  It  was  afterwards 
ascertained  that  Mr.  Abner  Hunt,  a  respectable  citizen  of  New  Jersey,  who  was  on  a  sur- 
veying tour  in  the  nighborhood  of  Colerain,  at  the  time  of  the  attack,  was  killed  before  ha 
could  reach  the  fort.     His  body  was  afterwards  found,  shockingly  mangled. 

O.  M.  Spencer,  in  his  "  Indian  Captivity,"  says : 

The  Indians  tied  Hunt  to  a  sapling,  within  sight  of  the  garrison,  who  distinctly  heard  his 
screams,  and  built  a  large  fire  so  near  as  to  scorch  him,  inflicting  the  most  acute  pain  ;  then, 
as  his  flesh,  from  the  action  of  the  fire  and  the  frequent  application  of  live  coals,  became 
less  sensible,  making  deep  incisions  in  his  limbs,  as  if  to  renew  his  sensibility  of  pain  ;  an- 
swering his  cries  for  water,  to  allay  the  extreme  thirst  caused  by  burning,  by  fresh  tor- 
tures ;  and,  finally,  when,  exhausted  and  fainting,  death  seemed  approaching  to  release  the 
wretched  prisoner,  terminating  his  sufferings  by  applying  flaming  brands  to  his  naked 
bowels. 

Soon  as  the  settlers  of  Cincinnati  landed  they  commenced  erecting 
three  or  four  cabins,  the  first  of  which  was  built  on  Front,  east  of 
and  near  Main  street.  The  lower  table  of  land  was  then  covered 
with  sycamore  and  maple  trees,  and  the  upper  with  beech  and  oak. 
Through  this  dense  forest  the  streets  were  laid  out,  their  corners 
being  marked  upon  the  trees.  This  survey  extended  from  Eastern 
row,  now  Broadway,  to  Western  row.  and  from  the  river  as  far 
north  as  to  Northern  row,  now  Seventh  street. 

In  January,  1790,  Gen.  Arthur  St.  Clair,  then  governor  of  the  N. 
W.  territory,  arrived  at  Cincinnati  to  organize  the  county  of  Hamil- 
ton. In  the  succeeding  fall,  Gen.  Harmar  marched  from  Fort  Wash- 
ington on  his  expedition  against  the  Indians  of  the  northwest.  In 
the  following  year,  (1791,)  the  unfortunate  army  of  St.  Clair  marched] 
from  the  same  place.  On  his  return,  St.  Clair  gave  Major  ZeigJei; 
the  command  of  Fort  Washington  and  repaired  to  Philadelphia,, 
Soon  after,  the  latter  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Wilkinson.  Thj,s  year, 
Cincinnati  had  little  increase  in  its  population.  About,  orje.  half  of" 
the  inhabitants  were  attached  to  the  army  of  St.  Clairj  and  many 
killed  in  the  defeat. 

In  1792,  about  50  persons  were  added  by  emigration  to  the  popu- 
lation of  Cincinnati,  and  a  house  of  worship  erected.  In  the  spring 
following,  the  troops  which  had  been  recruited  for  Wayne's  army 
landed  at  Cincinnati  and  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  between 
the  village  of  Cincinnati  and  Mill  creek.  To  that  encampment 
Wayne  gave  the  name  of  "  Hobson's  choice,"  it  being  the  only  suit- 
able place  for  that  object.  Here  he  remained  several  months,  con- 
stantly drilling  his  troops,  and  then  moved  on  to  a  spot  now  in 
Darke  county,  where  he  ereoted  Fort  Greenville.  In  the  fall,  after 
the  army  had  left,  the  small-pox  broke  out  in  the  garrison  at  Fort 
Washington,  and  spread  with  so  much  inalignity  that  nearly  one 
third  of  the  soldiers  and  citizens  fell  victims.  In  July,  1794,  the 
army  left  Fort  Greenville,  and  on  the  20th  of  August,  defeated  the 


212  HAMILTON    COUNTY 

enemy  at  the  battle  of  "the  Fallen  Timbers,"  in  what  is  now  Lucas 
county,  a  few  miles  above  Toledo.  Judge  Burnet  thus  describes 
Cincinnati,  a.t  about  this  period. 

"  Prior  to  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  which  established  a  permanent 
peace  between  the  United  States  and  the  Indians,  but  few  improve- 
ments had  been  made,  of  any  description,  and  scarcely  one  of  a  per- 
manent character.  In  Cincinnati,  Fort  Washington  was  the  most 
remarkable  object.  That  rude,  but  highly  interesting  structure, 
stood  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets  produced,  east  of  Eastern 
Row,  now  Broadway,  which  was  then  a  two-pole  alley,  and  was  the 
eastern  boundary  of  the  town,  as  originally  laid  out.  It  was  com- 
posed of  a  number  of  strongly  built,  hewed-log  cabins,  a  story  and 
a  half  high,  calculated  for  soldier's  barracks.  Some  of  them,  more 
conveniently  arranged,  and  better  finished,  were  intended  for  offi- 
cers' quarters.  They  were  so  placed  as  to  form  a  hollow  square  of 
about  an  acre  of  ground,  with  a  strong  block-house  at  each  angle. 
It  was  built  of  large  logs,  cut  from  the  ground  on  which  it  stood, 
which  was  a  tract  of  fifteen  acres,  reserved  by  Congress  in  the  law 
of  1792,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  garrison. 

"  The  artificers'  yard  was  an  appendage  to  the  fort,  and  stood  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  immediately  in  front.  It  contained  about  two 
:acres  of  ground,  enclosed  by  small  contiguous  buildings,  occupied 
as  work-shops  and  quarters  for  laborers.  Within  the  enclosure, 
there  was  a  large  two  story  frame  house,  familiarly  called  the  '  yel- 
low house,'  built  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Quartermaster  Gen- 
eral, which  was  the  most  commodious  and  best  finished  edifice  in 
'Cincinnati. 

"  On  the  north  side  of  Fourth  street,  immediately  behind  the  fort, 
Colonel  Sargent,  secretary  of  the  territory,  had  a  convenient  frame 
house,  and  a  spacious  garden,  cultivated  with  care  and  taste.  On 
"the  east  side  of  the  fort,  Dr.  Allison,  the  surgeon  general  of  the 
army,  had  a  plain  frame  dwelling,  in  the  center  of  a  large  lot,  culti- 
vated as  a  garden  and  fruitery,  which  was  called  Peach  Grove. 

"  The  Presbyterian  church,  an  interesting  edifice,  stood  on  Main 
street,  in  front  of  the  spacious  brick  building  now  occupied  by  the 
€rst  Presbyterian  congregation.  It  was  a  substantial  frame  build- 
ing, about  40  feet  by  30,  enclosed  with  clapboards,  but  neither 
lathed,  plastered  nor  ceiled.  The  floor  was  of  boat  plank,  resting 
on  wooden  blocks.  In  that  humble  edifice,  the  pioneers  and  their 
families  assembled,  statedly,  for  public  worship ;  and,  during  the 
continuance  of  the  war,  they  always  attended  with  loaded  rifles  b) 
their  sides.  That  building  was  afterwards  neatly  finished,  and  some 
years  subsequently,  [1814,]  was  sold  and  removed  to  Vine  street 
where  it  now  remains,  the  property  of  Judge  Burke. 

"  On  the  north  side  of  Fourth  street,  opposite  where  St.  Paul's 
church  now  stands,  there  stood  a  frame  school  house,  enclosed,  but 
unfinished,  in  which  the  children  of  the  village  were  instructed. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  public  square,  there  was  a  strong  log  build- 
ing, erected  and  occupied  as  a  jail.    A  room  in  the  tavern  of  George 


HAMILTON    COUNTY, 


213 


Avery,  near  the  frog-pond,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fifth  streets, 
had  been  rented  for  the  accommodation  of  the  courts ;  and  as  the 
penitentiary  system  had  not   been  adopted,  and  Cincinnati  was  a 


The  First  Church  in  Cincinnati. 

[The  engraving  reprerents  the  first  Presbyterian  church,  as  it  appeared  in  February,  1847. 
In  the  following  spring,  it  was  taken  down,  and  the  materials  used  for  the  construction  of 
several  dwellings  in  the  part  of  Cincinnati  called  Texas.  The  greater  proportion  of  the 
timber  was  found  to  be  perfectly  sound.  In  1791,  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  formed 
themselves  into  a  company,  to  escort  the  Rev.  James  Kemper  from  beyond  the  Kentucky 
river  to  Cincinnati ;  and  after  his  arrival,  a  subscription  was  set  on  foot  to  build  this  church, 
which  was  erected  in  1792.  This  subscription  paper  is  still  in  existence,  and  bears  date 
January  16th,  1792.  Among  its  signers,  were  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Captains  Ford,  Peters  and 
Shaylor,  of  the  regular  service,  Dr.  Allison,  surgeon  to  St.  Clair  and  Wayne,  Winthrop 
Sargeant,  Capt.  Robert  Elliot  and  others,  principally  citizens,  to  the  number  of  106,  not  one 
of  whom  survive.] 

seat  of  justice,  it  was  ornamented  with  a  pillory,  stocks  and  whip- 
ping-post, and  occasionally  with  a  gallows.  These  were  all  the 
structures  of  a  public  character  then  in  the  place.  Add  to  these, 
the  cabins  and  other  temporary  buildings  for  the  shelter  of  the  in- 
habitants, and  it  will  complete  the  schedule  of  the  improvements  of 
Cincinnati,  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  of  Greenville.  The  only  ves- 
tige of  them,  now  remaining,  is  the  church  of  the  pioneers.  With 
that  exception,  and  probably  two  or  three  frame  buildings  which 
have  been  repaired,  improved  and  preserved,  every  edifice  in  the 
city  has  been  erected  since  the  ratification  of  that  treaty.  The  sta- 
tions of  defence  scattered  through  the  Miami  valley,  were  all  tem- 
porary, and  have  long  since  gone  to  decay,  or  been  demolished. 

"  It  may  assist  the  reader  in  forming  something  like  a  correct  idea 
of  the  appearance  of  Cincinnati,  and  of  what  it  actually  was  at  that 
time,  to  know,  that  the  intersection  of  Main  and  Fifth  streets,  now  the 
center  of  business  and  tasteful  improvement,  there  was  a  pond  of 
water,  full  of  alder  bushes,  from  which  the  frogs  serenaded  the 
neighborhood  during  the  summer  and  fall,  and  which  rendered  it 
necessary  to  construct  a  causeway  of  logs,  to  pass  it.  That  morass 
remained  in  its  natural  state,  with  its  alders  and  its  frogs,  several 


214  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

years  after  Mr.  B.  became  a  resident  of  the  place,  the  population 
of  which,  including  the  garrison  and  followers  of  the  army,  was 
about  six  hundred.  The  fort  was  then  commanded  by  William  H. 
Harrison,  a  captain  in  the  army,  but  afterwards  president  of  the 
United  States.  In  1797,  General  Wilkinson,  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  army,  made  it  his  head-quarters  for  a  few  months,  but 
did  not,  apparently,  interfere  with  the  command  of  Captain  Harri- 
son, which  continued  till  his  resignation  in  1798. 

"During  the  period  now  spoken  of,  the  settlements  of  the  territory, 
including  Cincinnati,  contained  but  few  individuals,  and  still  fewer 
families,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  mingle  in  the  circles  of  pol- 
ished society.  That  fact  put  it  in  the  power  of  the  military  to  give 
character  to  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people.  Such  a  school, 
it  must  be  admitted,  was  by  no  means  calculated  to  make  the  most 
favorable  impression  on  the  morals  and  sobriety  of  any  community, 
as  was  abundantly  proved  by  the  result. 

"Idleness,  drinking  and  gambling  prevailed  in  the  army  to  a  greater 
extent  than  it  has  done  to  any  subsequent  period.  This  may  be  at- 
tributed to  the  fact,  that  they  had  beejn  several  years  in  the  wilder- 
ness, cut  off  from  all  society  but  their  own,  with  but  few  comforts 
or  conveniences  at  hand,  and  no  amusements  but  such  as  their  own 
ingenuity  could  invent.  Libraries  were  not  to  be  found — men  of 
literary  minds,  or  polished  manners,  were  rarely  met  with;  and 
ihey  had  long  been  deprived  of  the  advantage  of  modest,  accom- 
plished female  society,  which  always  produces  a  salutary  influence 
on  the  feelings  and  moral  habits  of  men.  Thus  situated,  the  officers 
were  urged,  by  an  irresistible  impulse,  to  tax  their  wits  for  expe- 
dients to  fill  up  the  chasms  of  leisure  which  were  left  on  their  hands, 
after  a  full  discharge  of  their  military  duties ;  and,  as  is  too  fre- 
quently the  case,  in  such  circumstances,  the  bottle,  the  dice-box  and 
the  card-table  were  among  the  expedients  resorted  to,  because  they 
were  the  nearest  at  hand,  and  the  most  easily  procured. 

"It  is  a  distressing  fact,  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  offi- 
cers under  General  Wayne,  and  subsequently  under  General  Wil 
kinson,  were  hard  drinkers.  Harrison,  Clark,  Shomberg,  Ford, 
Strong  and  a  few  others,  were  the  only  exceptions.  Such  were  the 
habits  of  the  army  when  they  began  to  associate  with  the  inhab- 
itants of  Cincinnati,  and  of  the  western  settlements  generally,  and 
to  give  tone  to  public  sentiment. 

"  As  a  natural  consequence,  the  citizens  indulged  in  the  same 
practices,  and  formed  the  same  habits.  As  a  proof  of  this,  it  may 
be  stated,  that  when  Mr.  Burnet  came  to  the  bar,  there  were  nine 
resident  lawyers  engaged  in  the  practice,  of  whom  he  is,  and  has 
been  for  many  years,  the  only  survivor.  They  all  became  con- 
firmed sots,  and  descended  to  premature  graves,  excepting  his 
brother,  who  was  a  young  man  of  high  promise,  but  whose  life  was 
terminated  by  a  rapid  consumption,  in  the  summer  of  1801.  He 
expired  under  the  shade  of  a  tree,  by  the  side  of  the  road,  on  the 
banks  of  Paint  creek,  a  few  miles  from  Chillicothe." 


HAMILTON   COUNTY,  215 

On  the  9th  of  November,  1793,  Wm.  Maxwell  established,  at  Cin- 
cinnati, "  the  Centinel  of  the  North- Western  Territory,"  with  the 
motto,  "  open  to  all  parties — influenced  by  none."  It  was  on  a  half 
sheet,  royal  quarto  size,  and  was  the  first  newspaper  printed  north 
of  the  Ohio  river.  In  1796,  Edward  Freeman  became  the  owner  of 
the  paper,  which  he  changed  to  "  Freeman's  Journal,"  which  he  con- 
tinued until  the  beginning  of  1800,  when  he  removed  to  Chillicothe. 
On  the  28th  of  May,  1799,  Joseph  Carpenter  issued  the  first  number 
of  a  weekly  paper,  entitled  the  "Western  Spy  and  Hamilton  Gazette." 
On  the  11th  of  January,  1794,  two  keel  boats  sailed  from  Cincinnati 
to  Pittsburg,  each  making  a  trip  once  in  four  weeks.  Each  boat  was 
so  covered  as  to  be  protected  against  rifle  and  musket  balls,  and  had 
port-holes  to  fire  out  at,  and  was  provided  with  six  pieces,  carrying 
pound  balls,  a  number  of  muskets  and  ammunition,  as  a  protection 
against  the  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  In  1801,  the  first  sea 
vessel  equipped  for  sea,  of  100  tons,  built  at  Marietta,  passed  down 
the  Ohio,  carrying  produce  ;  and  the  banks  of  the  river  at  Cincinnati 
were  crowded  with  spectators  to  witness  this  novel  event.  Dec. 
19th,  1801,  the  territorial  legislature  passed  a  bill,  removing  the 
seat  of  government  from  Chillicothe  to  Cincinnati. 

January  2d,  1802,  the  territorial  legislature  incorporated  the  town 
of  Cincinnati,  and  the  following  officers  were  appointed :  David 
Zeigler,  president ;  Jacob  Burnet,  recorder  ;  Wm.  Ramsay,  David 
E.  Wade,  Chas.  Avery,  John  Reily,  Wm.  Stanley,  Samuel  Dick  and 
Wm.  Ruffher,  trustees ;  Jo.  Prince,  assessor ;  Abram  Cary,  collec- 
tor, and  James  Smith,  town  marshal.  In  1795,  the  town  contained 
94  cabins,  10  frame  houses,  and  about  500  inhabitants.  In  1800,  the 
population  was  estimated  at  750,  and  in  1810,  it  was  2,540. 

We  give,  on  an  adjoining  page,  a  view  of  Cincinnati,  taken  by  J. 
Cutler,  as  it  appeared  about  the  year  1810.  It  is  from  an  engraving 
in  "  the  Topographical  Description  of  Ohio,  Indiana  Territory,  and 
Louisiana,  by  a  late  officer  of  the  army,"  and  published  at  Boston,  in 
1812. 

That  work  states,  that  Cincinnati  contains  about  400  dwellings,  an  elegant  court-house, 
jail,  3  market-houses,  a  land  office  for  the  sale  of  congress  lands,  2  printing  offices,  issuing 
weekly  gazettes,  30  mercantile  stores,  and  the  various  branches  of  mechanism  are  carried 
on  with  spirit.  Industry  of  every  kind  being  duly  encouraged  by  the  citizens,  it  is  likely  to 
become  a  considerable  manufacturing  place.  It  has  a  bank,  issuing  notes  under  the  author- 
ity of  the  state,  called  the  Miami  Exporting  Company A  considerable  trade 

is  carried  on  between  Cincinnati  and  New  Orleans  in  keel  boats,  which  return  laden  with 
foreign  goods.  The  passage  of  a  boat,  of  forty  tons,  down  to  New  Orleans,  is  computed  at 
about  25,  and  its  return  at  about  65  days. 

In  1819,  a  charter  was  obtained  from  the  state  legislature,  by 
which  Cincinnati  was  incorporated  as  a  city.  This,  since  repeat- 
edly amended  and  altered,  forms  the  basis  of  its  present  municipal 
authority. 

Cincinnati  is  116  miles  southwest  Columbus;  120  southeast  Indi- 
anapolis, la. ;  90  north  northwest  Lexington,  Ky. ;  270  north  north- 
east Nashville,  Tenn. ;  455  below  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  by  the  course  of 
the  river  ;  132  above  Louisville,  Ky.  ;  494  above  the  mouth  of  the 


216  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

Ohio  river,  and  1447  miles  above  New  Orleans  by  the  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  rivers;  518  by  post  route  west  of  Baltimore  ;  617  miles 
west  by  south  of  Philadelphia ;  050  from  New  York  by  Lake 
Erie,  Erie  canal  and  Hudson  river,  and  492  from  Washington  City. 
It  is  in  39  deg.  6  minutes  30  seconds  north  lat.,  and  7  deg.  24  minutes 
25  seconds  west  long.  It  is  the  largest  city  of  the  west,  north  of 
New  Orleans,  and  the  fifth  in  population  in  the  United  States.  It  is 
situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Ohio  river,  opposite  the  mouth  of 
Licking  river,  which  enters  the  Ohio  between  Newport  and  Coving- 
ton, Ky.     The  Ohio  here  has  a  gradual  bend  towards  the  south. 

This  city  is  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  a  valley,  about  twelve 
miles  in  circumference,  surrounded  by  beautiful  hills,  which  rise  to 
the  height  of  300  feet  by  gentle  and  varying  slopes,  and  mostly  cov- 
ered with  native  forest  trees.  The  summit  of  these  hills  presents  a 
beautiful  and  picturesque  view  of  the  city  and  valley.  The  city  is 
built  on  two  table  lands,  the  one  elevated  from  40  to  60  feet  above 
the  other.  Low  water  mark  in  the  river,  which  is  108  below  the 
upper  part  of  the  city,  is  432  feet  above  tide  water  at  Albany,  and 
133  feet  below  the  level  of  Lake  Erie.  The  population  in  1800,  was 
750  ;  in  1810,  2540  ;  in  1820,  9602  ;  in  1830,  24,831  ;  in  1840,  46,338, 
and  in  1847,  over  90,000.  Employed  in  commerce  in  1840,  2,226  ; 
in  manufactures  and  trades,  10,866:  navigating  rivers  and  canals, 
1748  ;  in  the  learned  professions,  377.  Covington  and  Newport  op- 
posite, in  Ky.,  and  Fulton  and  the  adjacent  parts  of  Mill  creek  town- 
ship on  the  north,  are  in  fact,  suburbs  of  Cincinnati,  and  if  added  to 
the  above  population  would  extend  it  to  105,000.  The  shores  of  the 
Ohio  at  the  landing,  is  substantially  paved  to  low  water  mark  and  is 
supplied  with  floating  wharves,  adapted  to  the  great  rise  and  fall  of 
river,  which  renders  the  landing  and  shipping  of  goods  at  all  times 
convenient. 

Cincinnati  seems  to  have  been  originally  laid  out  on  the  model  oi 
Philadelphia,  with  great  regularity.  North  of  Main  street,  between 
the  north  side  of  Front  street  and  the  bank  of  the  river,  is  the  land- 
ing, an  open  area  of  10  acres,  with  about  1000  feet  front.  This  area 
is  of  great  importance  to  the  business  of  the  city,  and  generally  pre- 
sents a  scene  of  much  activity.  The  corporate  limits  include  about 
four  square  miles.  The  central  part  is  compactly  and  finely  built, 
with  spacious  warehouses,  large  stores  and  handsome  dwellings  ; 
but  in  its  outer  parts,  it  is  but  partially  built  up  and  the  houses  ir- 
regularly scattered.  Many  of  them  are  of  stone  or  brick,  but  an 
equal  or  greater  number  are  of  wood,  and  are  generally  from  two  to 
four  stories  high.  The  city  contains  over  11,000  edifices  public  and 
private ;  and  of  those  recently  erected,  the  number  of  brick  ex- 
ceeds those  of  wood,  and  the  style  of  architecture  is  constantly  im- 
proving. Many  of  the  streets  are  well  paved,  extensively  shaded 
with  trees  and  the  houses  ornamented  with  shrubbery.  The  climate 
is  more  variable  than  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  in  the  same  latitude. 
Snow  rarely  falls  sufficiently  deep,  or  lies  long  enough,  to  furnish 
sleighing.     Few  places  are  more  healthy,  the  average  annual  mor- 


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28 


218  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

tality  being  1  in  40.  The  inhabitants  are  from  every  state  in  the 
Union  and  from  various  countries  in  Europe.  Besides  natives  of 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  have  furnished  the  greatest 
number ;  but  many  are  from  New  York,  Virginia,  Maryland  and 
New  England.  Nearly  one  fifth  of  the  adult  population  are  Ger- 
mans. But  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  France  and  Wales,  have 
furnished  considerable  numbers. 

The  Ohio  river  at  Cincinnati,  is  1800  feet,  or  about  one  third  of  a 
mile  wide,  and  its  mean  annual  range  from  low  to  high  water,  is 
about  50  feet ;  the  extreme  range  may  be  about  10  feet  more.  The 
greatest  depressions  are  generally  in  August,  September  and  Octo- 
ber ;  and  the  greatest  rise  in  December,  March,  May  and  June. 
The  upward  navigation  is  generally  suspended  by  floating  ice  for 
eight  or  ten  weeks  in  the  winter.  Its  current  at  its  mean  height,  js 
about  3  miles  an  hour ;  when  higher  and  rising,  it  is  more ;  and 
when  very  low,  it  does  not  exceed  2  miles.  The  quantity  of  rain 
and  snow  which  falls  annually  at  Cincinnati,  is  near  3  feet  9  inches. 
The  wettest  month  is  May,  and  the  driest  January.  The  average 
number  of  clear  and  fair  days  in  a  year,  is  146;  of  variable,  114; 
of  cloudy,  105.  There  have  been,  since  1840,  from  thirty  to  thirty 
eight  steamboats  annually  built  with  an  average  aggregate  tonnage 
of  6500  tons. 

Among  the  public  buildings  of  Cincinnati,  is  the  court  house  on 
Main  street ;  it  is  a  spacious  building.  The  edifice  of  the  Franklin 
and  Lafayette  bank  of  Cincinnati,  on  Third  street,  has  a  splendid 
portico  of  Grecian  Doric  columns,  4  feet  6  inches  in  diameter,  ex- 
tending through  the  entire  front,  was  built  after  the  model  of  the 
Parthenon,  and  is  truly  classical  and  beautiful.  The  first  and  sec- 
ond Presbyterian  churches  are  beautiful  edifices,  and  the  Unitarian 
church  is  singularly  neat.  There  are  several  churches  built  within 
the  last  three  years,  which  possess  great  beauty,  either  internally  or 
externally.  But  the  most  impressive  building  is  the  Catholic  Ca- 
thedral, which  at  far  less  cost,  surpasses  in  beauty  and  picturesque 
effect,  the  metropolitan  edifice  at  Baltimore.  There  are  many  fine 
blocks  of  stores,  on  Front,  Walnut,  Pearl,  Main  and  Fourth  streets, 
and  the  eye  is  arrested  by  many  beautiful  private  habitations.  The 
most  showy  quarters  are  Main  street,  Broadway,  Pearl  and  Fourth 
street,  west  of  its  intersection  with  Main. 

There  are  76  churches  in  Cincinnati,  viz.  :  7  Presbyterian,  (4  old 
and  3  new  school ;)  2  Congregational  ;  12  Episcopal  Methodist ; 
2  Methodist  Protestant ;  2  Wesleyan  Methodist ;  1  Methodist  Epis- 
copal south ;  1  Bethel ;  1  Associate  Reformed  ;  1  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian ;  6  Baptist ;  5  Disciples  ;  1  Universal ist ;  1  Restorationist ; 
1  Christian  ;  8  German  Lutheran  and  Reformed  ;  English  Lutheran 
and  Reformed  1  each ;  1  United  Brethren  ;  1  Welch  Calvinistic  ; 
1  Welch  Congregational ;  1  Unitarian  ;  2  Friends  ;  1  New  Jerusa- 
lem ;  8  Catholic,  6  of  which  are  for  Germans  ;  2  Jews  Synagogues ; 
5  Episcopal  and  1  Second  Advent. 

There  are  5  market  houses  and  3  theatres,  of  which  1  is  German. 


HAMILTON    COUNTV, 


219 


Cincinnati  contains  many  literary  and  charitable  institutions.  The 
Cincinnati  college  was  founded  in  1819.  The  building  is  in  the 
center  of  the  city,  and  's  the  most  beautiful  edifice  of  the  kind 


St.  Xavier's  College. 

in  the  state.  It  is  of  the  Grecian  Doric  order,  with  pilaster  fronts 
and  facade  of  Dayton  marble,  and  cost  about  $35,000.  It  has  7 
professors  or  other  instructors,  about  160  pupils,  one  quarter  of 
whom  are  in  the  collegiate  department.  Woodward  college,  named 
from  its  founder,  who  gave  a  valuable  block  of  ground  in  the  north 


Lane  Seminary. 

part  of  the  city,  has  a  president  and  five  professors,  or  other  in- 
structors, and  including  its  preparatory  department,  near  200  stu- 
dents.    The  Catholics  "have  a  college    called   St.  Xavier's,  which 


220  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

has  about  100  students  and  near  5000  volumes  in  its  libraries.  Lane 
seminary,  a  theological  institution,  is  at  Walnut  Hills,  2  miles  from 
the  centre  of  the  city.  It  went  into  operation  in  1833,  has  near  100 
students,  and  over  10,000  volumes  in  its  libraries.  There  is  no 
charge  for  tuition.  Rooms  are  provided  and  furnished  at  $5  per 
annum,  and  the  students  boarded  at  90  and  62^  cents  per  week. 
The  Medical  coHege  was  chartered  and  placed  under  trustees,  in 
1825.  It  has  a  arge  and  commodious  building,  a  library  of  over 
2000  volumes,  7  professors  and  abcut  150  students.  The  Cincinnati 
law  school  is  connected  with  Cii  einnati  college,  has  3  professors 
and  about  30  students.  The  mechanics'  institute,  chartered  in  1828, 
has  a  valuable  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus,  a  library  and 
a  reading  room.  The  common  free  schools  of  the  city  are  of  a 
high  order,  with  fine  buildings,  teachers  and  apparatus.  In  the  high 
schools,  there  are  not  less  than  1500  pupils  ;  in  the  common  and  pri- 
vate 5000,  and  including  the  students  in  the  collegiate  institutions, 
there  are  7000  persons  in  the  various  departments  of  education. 
In  1831,  a  college  of  teachers  was  established,  having  for  its  object 
the  elevation  of  the  profession,  and  the  advancement  of  the  interest 
of  schools  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  which  holds  an  annual  meeting 
in  Cincinnati,  in  October.  The  young  men's  mercantile  library 
association  has  a  fine  library  and  reading  rooms.  The  library  con- 
tains over  3800  volumes,  and  the  institution  promises  to  be  an  honor 
and  a  blessing  to  the  commercial  community.  The  apprentices'  li- 
brary, founded  in  1821,  contains  2200  volumes. 

The  charitable  institutions  of  the  city  are  highly  respectable. 
The  Cincinnati  orphan  asylum  is  in  a  building,  which  cost  $18,000. 
Attached  is  a  library  and  well-organized  school,  with  a  provision 
even  for  infants  ;  and  it  is  surrounded  by  ample  grounds.  It  has 
trained  up  over  300  children  for  usefulness.  The  Catholics  have 
one  male  and  female  orphan  asylum.  The  commercial  hospital  and 
lunatic  asylum  of  Ohio,  was  incorporated  in  1821.  The  edifice,  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  city,  will  accommodate  250  persons  ;  1100 
have  been  admitted  within  a  year.  A  part  of  the  building  is  used 
for  a  poor  house ;  and  there  are  separate  apartments  for  the  insane. 

The  city  is  supplied  by  water  raised  from  the  Ohio  river,  by  a 
steam  engine,  of  40  horse  power,  and  forced  into  two  reservoirs,  on 
a  hill,  700  feet  distant ;  from  whence  it  is  carried  in  pipes  to  the  in- 
tersection of  Broadway  and  Third  streets,  and  thence  distributed 
through  the  principal  streets  in  pipes.  These  works  are  now  owned 
by  the  city. 

Cincinnati  is  an  extensive  manufacturing  place.  Its  natural  desti- 
tution of  water  power  is  extensively  compensated  at  present  by 
steam  engines,  and  by  the  surplus  water  of  the  Miami  canal,  which 
affords  3000  cubic  feet  per  nlinute.  But  the  Cincinnati  and  White 
Water  canal,  which  extends  25  miles  and  connects  with  the  White 
Water  canal  of  Indiana,  half  a  mile  south  of  Harrison,  on  the  state 
line,  will  furnish  a  great  increase  of  water  power,  equal  to  90  runs 
of  nillstones.     The  manufactures  of  the  city,  already  large,  may  be 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  221 

expected  to  greatly  increase.  By  a  late  enumeration,  it  appears 
that  the  manufactures  of  Cincinnati  of  all  kinds,  employs  10,647 
persons,  a  capital  of  $14,541,842,  and  produces  articles  of  over  sev- 
enteen millions  of  dollars  value. 

The  trade  of  Cincinnati  embraces  the  country  from  the  Ohio  to 
the  lakes,  north  and  south  ;  and  from  the  Scioto  to  the  Wabash,  east 
and  west.  The  Ohio  river  line,  in  Kentucky,  for  50  miles  down, 
and  as  far  up  as  the  Virginia  line,  make  their  purchases  here.  Its 
manufactures  are  sent  into  the  upper  and  lower  Mississippi  country. 
There  are  six  incorporated  banks,  with  aggregate  capital  of 
$5,800,000,  beside  two  unincorporated  banks.  Cincinnati  is  the 
greatest  pork  market  in  the  world.  Not  far  from  three  millions  of 
dollars  worth  of  pork  are  annually  exported. 

Cincinnati  enjoys  great  facilities  for  communication  with  the  sur- 
rounding country.  The  total  length  of  canals,  railroads  and  turn- 
pikes which  center  here,  completed  and  constructing,  is  1125  miles. 
Those  who  have  made  it  a  matter  of  investigation  predict,  that  Cin- 
cinnati will  eventually  be  a  city  of  a  veiy  great  population.  A 
writer*  in  Cist's  "  Cincinnati  in  1841,"  in  a  long  article  on  this  sub- 
ject, commences  with  the  startling  announcement :  "  Not  having  be- 
fore my  eyes  the  fear  of  men,  '  who — in  the  language  of  Governeur 
Morris — with  too  much  pride  to  study  and  too  much  wit  to  think, 
undervalue  what  they  do  not  understand,  and  condemn  what  they 
do  not  comprehend,'  I  venture  the  prediction,  that  within  one  hun- 
dred years  from  this  time,  Cincinnati  will  be  the  greatest  city  in 
America  ;  and  by  the  year  of  our  Lord,  2000,  the  greatest  city  in 
the  world."  We  have  not  space  here  to  recapitulate  the  argu- 
ments on  which  this  prediction  is  based.  The  prediction  itself  we 
place  on  record  for  future  reference.! 

The  few  following  pages  are  devoted  to  incidents  which  have 
transpired  within  the  city  or  county.  They  are  derived  mainly  from 
published  sources. 

A  Legend  of  Jacob  Wetzel. — The  road  along  the  Ohio  river,  leading  to  Storrs  and 
Delhi,  some  four  hundred  yards  below  the  junction  of  Front  and  Fifth  streets,  crosses  what, 
in  early  days,  was  the  outlet  of  a  water-course,  and  notwithstanding  the  changes  made  by 
the  lapse  of  years,  and  the  building  improvements  adjacent,  the  spot  still  possesses  many 
features  of  its  original  surface,  although  now  divested  of  its  forest  character.  At  the  period 
of  this  adventure — Oct.  7th,  1790 — besides  the  dense  forest  of  maple  and  beech,  its  heavy 
mdergrowth  of  spice-wood  and  grape-vine  made  it  an  admirable  lurking  place  for  the 
savage  beasts,  and  more  savage  still,  the  red  men  of  the  woods. 

Wetzel  had  been  out  on  his  accustomed  pursuit — hunting — and  was  returning  to  town,  at 
that  time  a  few  cabins  and  huts  collected  in  the  space  fronting  the  river,  and  extending  from 
Main  street  to  Broadway.  He  had  been  very  successful,  and  was  returning  to  procure  a 
horse  to  bear  a  load  too  heavy  for  his  own  shoulders,  and,  at  the  spot  alluded  to,  had  sat 
down  on  a  decaying  tree-trunk  to  rest  himself,  and  wipe  the  sweat  from  his  brow,  which 
his  forcing  his  way  through  the  brush  had  started,  cool  as  was  the  weather,  when  he  heard 
the  rustling  of  leaves  and  branches,  which  betokened  that  an  animal  or  an  enemy  was  ap- 
proaching.    Silencing  the  growl  of  his  dog,  who  sat  at  his  feet,  and  appeared  equally  con- 

*  J.  W.  Scott,  editor  of  the  Toledo  Blade. 

t  The  preceding  descriptive  sketch  of  Cincinnati  is  abridged  from  that  in  M'Culloch's 
Gazetteer,  by  Charles  Ci-t,  editor  of  the  Advertiser,  with  the  statistics  brought  down  to 
1847. 


222  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

8ciou3  of  dnger,  he  sprang  behind  a  tree  and  discovered  the  dark  form  of  an  Indian,  half 
hidden  by  the  body  of  a  large  oak,  who  had  his  rifle  in  his  hands,  ready  for  any  emergency 
mat  might  require  the  use  of  it — as  he,  too,  appeared  to  be  on  his  guard,  having  heard  the 
low  growling  of  ihe  dog.  At  this  instant,  the  dog  also  spied  the  Indian  and  barked  aloud, 
which  told  the  Indian  of  the  proximity  of  his  enemy.  To  raise  his  rifle  was  but  the  work 
of  a  moment,  and  the  distinct  cracks  of  two  weapons  were  heard  almost  at  the  same  time. 
The  Indian's  fell  from  his  hands,  as  the  ball  of  the  hunter's  had  penetrated  and  broken  the 
elbow  of  his  left  arm,  while  the  hunter  escaped  unhurt.  Before  the  Indian  could  possibly  re- 
load his  rifle  in  his  wounded  condition,  Wetzel  had  rushed  swiftly  upon  him  with  his  knife, 
but  not  before  the  Indian  had  drawn  his.  The  first  thrust  was  parried  off  by  the  Indian 
with  the  greatest  skill,  and  the  shock  was  so  great  in  the  effort  that  the  hunter's  weapon 
was  thrown  some  thirty  feet  from  him.  Nothing  daunted,  he  threw  himself  upon  the  Indian 
with  all  his  force  and  seized  him  around  the  body  ;  at  the  same  time  encircling  the  right 
arm,  in  which  the  Indian  still  grasped  his  knife.  The  Indian,  however,  was  a  very  muscu- 
lar fellow,  and  the  conflict  now  seemed  doubtful  indeed.  The  savage  was  striving  with  all 
his  might  to  release  his  arm,  in  order  to  use  his  knife.  In  their  struggle,  their  feet  became 
interlocked,  and  they  both  fell  to  the  ground,  the  Indian  uppermost,  which  extricated  the 
Indian's  arm  from  the  iron  grasp  of  the  hunter.  He  was  making  his  greatest  endeavors 
to  use  his  knife,  but  could  not,  from  the  position  in  which  they  were  lying,  as  Wetzel  soon 
forced  him  over  on  his  right  side,  and,  consequently,  he  could  have  no  use  of  his  arm. 

Just  at  this  point  of  the  deadly  conflict,  the  Indian  gave  an  appalling  yell,  and,  with  re- 
newed strength,  placed  his  enemy  underneath  him  again,  and  with  a  most  exulting  cry  of 
victory,  as  he  sat  upon  his  body,  raised  his  arm  for  that  fatal  plunge.  Wetzel  saw  death 
before  his  eyes,  and  gave  himself  up  for  lost,  when,  just  at  this  most  critical  juncture,  his 
faithful  dog,  who  had  not  been  an  uninterested  observer  of  the  scene,  sprang  forward  and 
seized  the  Indian  with  such  force  by  the  throat,  as  caused  the  weapon  to  fall  harmless  from 
his  hand.  Wetzel,  seeing  such  a  sudden  change  in  his  fate,  made  one  last  and  desperate 
effort  for  his  life,  and  threw  the  Indian  from  him.  Before  the  prostrate  savage  had  time  to 
recover  himself,  the  hunter  had  seized  his  knife,  and  with  redoubled  energy  rushed  upon 
him,  and  with  his  foot  firmly  planted  on  the  Indian's  breast,  plunged  the  weapon  up  to  the 
hilt  in  his  heart.     The  savage  gave  one  convulsive  shudder,  and  was  no  more. 

As  soon  as  Wetzel  had  possessed  himself  of  his  rifle,  together  with  the  Indian's  weapons, 
he  started  immediately  on  his  way.  He  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  his  ears  were 
assailed  by  the  startling  whoop  of  a  number  of  Indians.  He  ran  eagerly  for  the  river,  and, 
fortunately,  finding  a  canoe  on  the  beach  near  the  water,  was  soon  out  of  reach,  and  made 
his  way,  without  further  danger,  to  the  cove  at  the  foot  of  Sycamore  street. 

The  Indians  came  up  to  the  place  of  the  recent  renconter,  and  discovered  the  body  of  a 
fallen  comrade.  They  gave  a  most  hideous  yell  when,  upon  examination,  they  recognized 
in  the  dead  Indian  the  features  of  one  of  their  bravest  chiefs. 


O.  M.  Spencer  taken  Captive. — In  July,  1792,  two  men,  together  with  Mrs.  Colemar 
and  Oliver  M.  Spencer,  then  a  lad,  were  returning  in  a  canoe  from  Cincinnati  to  Columbia 
They  were  fired  upon  by  two  Indians,  in  ambush  on  the  river  bank ;  one  of  the  men  was 
killed,  and  the  other,  a  Mr.  Light,  wounded.  Mrs.  Coleman  jumped  from  the  canoe  into 
the  river,  and  without  making  any  exertions  to  swim,  floated  down  nearly  two  miles 
It  is  supposed  she  was  borne  up  by  her  dress,  which,  according  to  the  fashion  of  that  time, 
consisted  of  a  stuffed  quilt  and  other  buoyant  robes.  Spencer  was  taken  and  carried  captive 
to  the  Maumee,  where  he  remained  about  eight  months  and  was  ransomed.  A  narrative  of 
his  captivity,  written  by  himself,  has  been  published  by  the  Methodists. 


Death  of  Col.  Eobt.  Elliott. — In  1794,  Col.  Robert  Elliott,  contractor  for  supplying  the 
United  States  army,  while  travelling  with  his  servant  from  Fort  Washington  to  Fort  Ham- 
ilton, was  waylaid  and  killed  by  the  Indians,  at  the  big  hill,  south  of  where  Thos.  Fleming 
lived,  and  near  the  line  of  Hamilton  and  Butler  counties.  When  shot,  he  fell  from  his  horse. 
The  servant  made  his  escape  by  putting  his  horse  at  full  speed,  followed  by  that  of  Elliott's, 
into  Fort  Hamilton.  The  savage  who  shot  the  colonel,  in  haste  to  take  his  scalp,  drew  his 
knife,  and  seized  him  by  the  wig  which  he  wore.  To  his  astonishment,  the  scalp  came  ofT 
at  the  first  touch,  when  he  exclaimed,  "  dam  lie .'"  In  a  few  minutes,  the  surprise  of  the 
pajty  was  over,  and  they  made  themselves  merry  at  the  expense  of  their  comrade.  The 
next  day,  a  party  from  the  fort,  under  the  guidance  of  the  servant,  visited  the  spot,  placed 
the  body  in  a  coffin  and  proceeded  on  their  way  to  Fort  Washington.  About  a  mile  south 
of  Springdale,  they  were  fired  upon  by  Indians,  and  the  servant,  who  was  on  the  horse  of 
his  late  master,  was  shot  at  the  first  fire.     The  party  retreated,  leaving  the  body  of  Elliott 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  223 

with  the  savages,  who  had  broken  open  the  coffin,  when  the  former  rallied,  re-took  the  body 
and  carried  it,  with  that  of  the  servant,  to  Cincinnati,  and  buried  them  side  by  side  in  the 
Presbyterian  cemetery,  on  Twelfth  street.  Several  years  after,  a  neat  monument  was 
erected,  with  the  following  inscription. 


In  memory  of 
ROBERT  ELLIOTT, 

SLAIN    BY    A    PAKTY    OF    INDIANS, 

Near  this  point, 
While  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

Placed  by  his  son, 

Com.  J.  D.  Elliott,  U.  S.  Navy. 

1835. 


DAMON   AND    FIDELITY. 


A  Witch  Story. — About  the  year  1814,  one  of  our  most  wealthy  and  respectable  farmers 
on  Mill  creek,  who  had  taken  great  pains  and  expended  much  money  in  procuring  and 
propagating  a  fine  breed  of  horses,  was  unfortunate  in  losing  a  number  of  them,  by  a  dis- 
temper which  appeared  to  be  of  a  novel  character.  As  the  disease  baffled  all  his  skill,  he 
soon  became  satisfied  that  it  was  the  result  of  witchcraft.  Under  that  impression,  he  con- 
sulted such  persons  as  were  reputed  to  have  a  knowledge  of  sorcery,  or  who  pretended  to 
be  fortune-tellers.  These  persons  instructed  him  how  to  proceed  to  discover  and  destroy 
the  witch.  One  of  the  experiments  he  was  directed  to  make,  was  to  boil  certain  ingredients, 
herbs,  et  cetera,  over  a  hot  fire,  with  pins  and  needles  in  the  cauldron,  which,  he  was  told, 
would  produce  great  mental  and  bodily  distress  in  the  witch  or  wizzard.  He  tried  that 
experiment,  and  while  the  pot  was  boiling  furiously,  placed  himself  in  his  door,  which  over- 
looked the  principal  part  of  his  farm,  including  the  field  in  which  his  horses  were  kept.  It 
so  happened,  that,  while  standing  in  the  door,  he  saw  his  daughter-in-law,  who  lived  in  a 
cabin  about  80  rods  from  his  own  house,  hastening  to  the  spring  for  a  bucket  of  water.  Hi* 
imagination  connected  that  hurried  movement  with  his  incantation  so  strongly,  that  he  im- 
mediately ordered  his  son  to  move  his  family  from  the  farm. 

From  some  cause,  he  had  formed  an  opinion  that  a  Mrs.  Garrison,  an  aged  woman,  in 
feeble  health,  fast  sinking  to  the  grave,  living  some  eight  or  ten  miles  from  his  farm,  was 
the  principal  agent  in  the  destruction  of  his  horses.  He  had  frequently  expressed  that 
opinion  in  the  neighborhood.  Mrs.  Garrison  had  heard  of  it,  and,  as  might  be  expected, 
her  feelings  were  injured  and  her  spirits  much  depressed  by  the  slanderous  report.  One  of 
the  charms  he  had  been  directed  to  try,  was  to  shoot  a  silver  bullet  at  a  horse  while  the 
witch  was  evidently  in  him.  This  he  was  told  would  kill  thefwitch  and  cure  the  animal. 
He  accordingly  prepared  a  silver  ball,  and  shot  it  at  a  very  fine  brood  mare  which  was 
affected  by  the  distemper.  The  mare,  of  course,  was  killed  ;  and  as  it  so  happened,  that,  in 
a  very  short  time  after,  poor  Mrs.  Garrison  died,  the  experiment  was  declared  to  be  success- 
ful, and  the  experimenter  believes  to  this  day  that  his  silver  bullet  killed  the  poor  old  woman. 
However  that  may  be,  his  slanderous  report  had  a  great  effect  on  her  health,  and  no  doubt 
hastened  her  death. 


Explosion  of  the  Moselle. — The  new  and  elegant  steamboat,  Moselle,  Capt.  Perkin,  left 
the  wharf  in  Cincinnati,  April  26th,  1838,  (full  of  passengers,)  for  Louisville  and  St.  Louis  ; 
and,  with  the  view  of  taking  a  family  on  board  at  Fulton,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  above 
the  quay,  proceeded  up  the  river  and  made  fast  to  a  lumber  raft  for  that  purpose.  Here 
the  family  was  taken  on  board  ;  and,  during  the  whole  time  of  their  detention,  the  captain 
had  madly  held  on  to  all  the  steam  that  he  could  create,  with  the  intention,  not  only  of 
showing  off  to  the  best  advantage  the  great  speed  of  his  boat,  as  it  passed  down  the  river 
the  entire  length  of  the  city,  but  that  he  mig'tt  overtake  and  pass  another  boat  which  had 
left  the  wharf  for  Louisville,  but  a  short  time  previous.  As  the  Moselle  was  a  new  brag 
boat,  and  had  recently  made  several  exceedingly  quick  trips  to  and  from  Cincinnati,  it 
would  not  do  to  risk  her  popularity  for  speed,  by  giving  to  another  boat  (even  though  that 
boat  had  the  advantage  of  time  and  distance)  the  most  remote  chance  of  being  the  first  to 
arrive  at  the  destined  port.     This  insane  policy, — this  poor  ambition  of  proprietors  and 


224  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

captains,  has  almost  always  inevitably  tended  to  the  same  melancholy  results.  The  Mo- 
selle had  but  just  parted  from  the  lumber  raft  to  which  she  had  been  fast, — her  wheels  had 
scarcely  made  their  first  revolution, — when  her  boilers  burst  with  an  awful  and  astound- 
ing noise,  equal  to  the  most  violent  clap  of  thunder.  The  explosion  was  destructive  and 
heart-rending  in  the  extreme  ;  heads,  limbs  and  bodies,  were  seen  flying  through  the  air  in 
every  direction,  attended  with  the  most  horrible  shrieks  and  groans  from  the  wounded  and 
dying.  The  boat,  at  the  time  of  the  accident,  was  about  thirty  feet  from  the  shore,  and 
was  rendered  a  perfect  wreck.  It  seemed  to  be  entirely  shattered  as  far  back  as  the  gen- 
tlemen's cabin  ;  and  her  hurricane  deck,  the  whole  length,  was  entirely  swept  away.  The 
boat  immediately  began  to  sink,  and  float  with  a  strong  current  down  the  river,  at  the  same 
time  receding  farther  from  the  shore, — while  the  passengers,  who  yet  remained  unhurt  in 
the  gentlemen's  and  ladies'  cabins,  became  panic-struck,  and  most  of  them,  with  a  fatuity 
which  seems  unaccountable,  jumped  into  the  river.  Being  above  the  ordinary  busirrass  parts 
of  the  city,  there  was  no  boats  at  hand,  except  a  few  large  and  unmanageable  wood-floats, 
which  were  carried  to  the  relief  of  the  sufferers,  as  soon  as  possible,  by  the  few  persons  on 
the  shore.  Many  were  drowned,  however,  before  they  could  be  rescued,  and  many  sunk, 
who  were  never  seen  afterwards.  There  was  one  little  boy  on  the  shore  who  was  seen 
wringing  his  hands  in,  agony,  imploring  those  present  to  save  his  father,  mother  and  three 
sisters, — all  of  whom  were  struggling  in  the  water  to  gain  the  shore, — but  whom  the  little 
fellow  had  the  awful  misfortune  to  see  perish,  one  by  one,  almost  within  his  reach  ;  an  infant 
child,  belonging  to  the  family,  was  picked  up  alive,  floating  down  the  river  on  one  of  the 
frag-ments  of  the  hurricane  deck. 

The  boat  sunk  about  fifteen  minutes  after  the  explosion,  leaving  nothing  to  be  seen  but 
her  chimneys,  and  a  small  portion  of  her  upper  works. 

The  Moselle  was  crowded  with  passengers  from  stem  to  stern,  principally  Germans, 
bound  to  St.  Louis.  Nearly  all  on  board  (with  the  exception  of  those  in  the  ladies'  cabin) 
were  killed  or  wounded.  Most  of  the  sufferers  were  among  the  hands  of  the  boat  and  the 
steerage  passengers.  The  captain  was  thrown  by  the  explosion  into  the  street,  and  was 
picked  up  dead  and  dreadfully  mangled.  Another  man  was  forced  through  the  roof  of  one 
of  the  neighboring  houses  ;  the  pilot  was  thrown  about  a  hundred  feet  into  the  air,  whence  he 
fell  and  found  his  grave  in  the  river, — and  many  were  the  limbs  and  other  fragments  of  hu- 
man bodies,  which  were  found  scattered  about  upon  the  river,  and  far  along  the  shore.  The 
number  destroyed  by  the  explosion,  was  estimated  at  over  two  hundred  persons. 


The  Asiatic  Cholera. — The  cholera  made  its  appearance  in  Cincinnati,  in  October,  1832. 
The  reports  of  the  board  of  health,  as  published  in  the  city  papers,  commenced  on  the  10th 
of  that  month,  and  terminated  on  the  3d  of  November.  The  whole  number  of  deaths,  as 
then  published,  was  351,  which  was  probably  much  less  than  the  real  number.  The  great- 
est number  of  deaths  in  any  one  day,  was  on  Oct.  21st,  when  42  persons  died. 

The  following  articles  are  derived  from  the  newspapers  of  Cin- 
cinnati, and  relate  to  events  of  the  few  past  years. 

The  Great  Freshet  of  February,  1832. — The  Ohio  river  commenced  rising  at  this  place 
about  the  9th  inet.  On  the  12th,  it  began  to  swell  over  the  banks,  and  on  the  14th,  many 
merchants  and  others  near  the  river,  were  compelled  to  remove  their  goods  to  the  second 
story  of  their  houses.  It  continued  to  rise  rapidly  till  Saturday  morning,  Feb.  ISth,  when 
it  came  to  a  stand,  having  risen  sixty  three  feet  above  low  water  mark.  Differences  of 
opinion  exists  as  to  its  comparative  height,  with  the  rises  of  1792  and  1815.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  about  5  feet  higher  than  in  1792  or  1815.  About  noon,  on  the  18th, 
it  commenced  falling  very  s'.owly,  and  yet  continues  to  fall.  In  the  course  of  two  or  three 
days  it  probably  will  be  confined  within  its  banks. 

The  rise  was  of  the  nost  distressing  character.  It  carried  desolation  into  all  the  lower 
part  of  the  city.  Hundreds  of  families  were  turned  houseless  upon  the  community.  Du- 
ring the  early  part  of  the  rise,  many  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city  were  awakened  at  night 
by  the  water  pouring  in  upon  them,  and  were  obliged  to  fly  ;  others  betook  themselves  to  the 
upper  stories,  and  were  brought  away  in  boats  the  next  morning.  Many  families  continue 
to  reside  in  the  upper  part  of  their  dwellings,  making  use  of  boats  in  going  from  and  re- 
turning to  their  stores  and  houses. 

We  have  heard  of  the  death  of  bul.  two  individuals,  Mr.  John  Harding  and  Mr.  William 
Aulsbrook  ;  the  former,  a  man  of  family,  the  latter,  a  single  man.  They  were  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Mr.  William  Tift,  of  this  city,  and  lost  their  lives  in  endeavoring  to  keep  the  water 
out  of  his  cellar.  While  at  work  the  back  wall  of  the  building  gave  way — the  cellar 
rilled  in  an  instant,  and  they  were  unable  to  get  out.     They  both  were  very  worthy  men. 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  225 

The  water  extended  over  about  thirty-five  squares  of  the  thickly  settled  part  of  the  city, 
from  John  street  on  the  west,  to  Deer  creek  on  the  east,  and  north  to  Lower  Market  and 
Pearl  streets.  The  distance  of  about  a  mile  west  of  John  street  was  likewise  submerged 
This  part  of  the  city,  however,  is  but  thinly  settled. 

The  amount  of  damage  sustained  by  merchants,  owners  of  improved  real  estate  and 
others  cannot  be  correctly  ascertained.  Many  houses  have  floated  away,  a  great  num 
ber  have  moved  from  their  foundations  and  turned  over ;  many  walls  have  settled  so  as  to 
injure  the  houses  materially  ;  and  a  great  quantity  of  lumber  and  other  property  has  floated 
off.  The  large  bridge  over  the  mouth  of  Mill  creek  floated  away,  and  that  over  Deer 
creek  is  much  injured.  Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  dry  goods 
groceries,  &,c,  have  been  destroyed  or  materially  injured.  Business  of  almost  every  de- 
scription was  stopped  ;  money  became  scarce,  and  wood  and  flour  enormously  high. 

Active  measures  were  taken  by  the  citizens  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers.  A  town 
meeting  was  held  at  the  council  chamber,  on  the  15th  inst.  G.  W.  Jones  was  appointed 
chairman,  and  Samuel  H.  Goodin,  secretary.  On  motion,  a  committee  of  15  (3  from  a 
ward)  was  appointed  to  take  up  collections  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers,  consisting  of  the 
following  persons:  E.  Hulse,  N.  G.  Pendleton,  E.  C.  Smith,  J.  W.  Gazlay,  Jno.  Wood, 
G.  W.  Jones,  W.  G.  Orr,  W.  Holmes,  A.  Owen,  P.  Britt,  J.  Resor,  O.  Lovell  and  G.  C. 
Miller. 

A  committee  of  vigilance  was  also  appointed,  whose  duty  it  was  to  remove  persons  and 
goods  surrounded  with  water.  The  following  persons  composed  that  committee  :  J.  Pierce, 
Wm.  Phillips,  Saml.  Fosdick,  Wm.  Stephenson,  Chas.  Fox,  Henry  Tatem,  I.  A.  Butter- 
field,  Jas.  M'Intire,  N.  M.  Whittemore,  M.  Coffin,  Jas.  M'Lean,  J.  Aumack,  J.  D.  Gar- 
rard, A.  G.  Dodd  and  Fullom  Perry. 

T.  D.  Carneal,  J.  M.  Mason,  J.  C.  Avery,  Chas.  Fox  and  R.  Buchanan  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  procure  shelter  for  those  whose  houses  were  rendered  untenable.  On  mo- 
tion, it  was  resolved  that  persons  who  may  need  assistance,  be  requested  to  make  applica- 
tion to  the  council  chamber,  where  members  of  the  committee  of  vigilance  shall  rendezvous, 
and  where  one  or  more  shall  at  all  times  remain  for  the  purpose  of  affording  relief.  At  a 
subsequent  meeting,  20  were  added  to  the  committee  of  vigilance. 

It  gives  us  pleasure  to  state,  that  the  members  of  the  foregoing  committees  most  faith- 
fully discharged  their  respective  duties.  A  provision  house  was  opened  by  the  committee 
of  vigilance,  on  Fourth  street,  where  meats,  bread,  wood,  clothes,  Sec,  were  liberally  given 
to  all  who  applied.  The  ladies  supported  their  well-known  character  for  benevolence,  by 
contributing  clothing  and  food  to  the  sufferers.  The  committee  appointed  to  collect  funds, 
found  the  citizens  liberal  in  their  donations.  All  who  had  vacant  houses  and  rooms,  cheer- 
fully appropriated  them  to  the  use  of  those  made  houseless.  Public  buildings,  school  houses, 
and  basement  stories  of  churches,  were  appropriated  to  this  purpose.  Mr.  Brown  of  the 
ampitheatre,  Mr.  Franks,  proprietor  of  the  gallery  of  paintings,  Mr.  R.  Letton,  proprietor 
of  the  Museum,  appropriated  the  entire  proceeds  of  their  houses,  the  first,  on  the  night  of 
17th  ;  the  second,  on  the  18th,  and  the  third,  on  that  of  the  20th,  for  the  relief  of  the  suf- 
ferers. The  Beethoven  society  of  sacred  music  also  gave  a  concert  for  the  same  purpose, 
in  the  second  Presbyterian  church,  on  Fourth  street,  on  the  night  of  the  24th. 


Destruction  of  the  Philanthropist  newspaper  printing  office  by  a  mob,  July  30th,  1836. 
— The  paper  had  then  been  published  in  Cincinnati  about  three  months,  and  was  edited  by 
James  G.  Birney.  As  early  as  the  14th  of  July,  the  press  room  was  broken  open  and  the 
press  and  materials  defaced  and  destroyed.  July  23d,  a  meeting  of  citizens  was  convened 
at  the  Lower  Market  house  "  to  decide  whether  they  will  permit  the  publication  or  distribution 
of  abolition  papers  in  this  city."  This  meeting  appointed  a  committee,  who  opened  a  cor- 
respondence with  the  conductors  of  that  print — the  executive  committee  of  the  Ohio  anti- 
slavery  society — requesting  them  to  discontinue  its  publication.  This  effort  being  unsuc- 
cessful, the  committee  of  citizens  published  the  correspondence,  to  which  they  appended  a 
resolution,  in  one  clause  of  which  they  stated,  "  That  in  discharging  their  duties,  they  have 
used  all  the  measures  of  persuasion  and  conciliation  in  their  power.  That  their  exertions 
have  not  been  successful,  the  above  correspondence  will  show.  It  only  remains,  then,  in 
pursuance  of  their  instructors,  to  publish  their  proceedings  and  adjourn  without  day.  But 
ere  they  do  this,  they  owe  it  themselves,  and  those  whom  they  represent,  to  express  their 
utmost  abhorrence  of  every  thing  like  violence  ;  and  earnestly  to  implore  their  fellow  citi- 
zens to  abstain  therefrom."     The  sequel  is  thus  given  by  a  city  print. 

On  Saturday  night,  July  30th,  very  soon  after  dark  a,  concourse  of  citizens  assembled  at 
the  comer  of  Main  and  Seventh  streets,  in  this  city,  and  upon  a  short  consultation,  broke 
open  the  printing  office  of  the  Philanthropist,  the  abolition  paper,  scattered  the  type  into  the 

29 


226  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

streets,  tore  down  the  presses  and  completely  dismantled  the  office.  It  was  owned  by  A. 
Pugh,  a  peaceable  and  orderly  printer,  who  printed  the  Philanthropist  for  the  anti-slavery 
society  of  Ohio.  From  the  printing  office,  the  crowd  went  to  the  house  of  A.  Pugh,  where 
they  supposed  there  were  other  printing  materials,  but  found  none,  nor  offered  any  violence. 
Then  to  the  Messrs.  Donaldson's,  where  only  ladies  were  at  home.  The  residence  of 
Mr.  Birney,  the  editor,  was  then  visited  ;  no  person  was  at  home,  but  a  youth,  upon  whosa 
explanations  the  house  was  left  undisturbed.  A  shout  was  raised  for  Dr.  Colby's  ;  and  tlw 
concourse  returned  to  Main  street,  proposed  to  pile  up  the  contents  of  the  office  in  the  street 
and  make  a  bonfire  of  them.  A  gentleman  mounted  the  pile,  and  advised  against  burn- 
ing it,  lest  the  houses  near  might  take  fire.  A  portion  of  the  press  was  then  dragged 
down  Main  street,  broken  up  and  thrown  into  the  river.  The  Exchange  was  then  visited 
and  refreshments  taken.  After  which,  the  concourse  again  went  up  Main  street,  to  about 
opposite  the  Gazette  office.  Some  suggestions  were  hinted  that  it  should  be  demolished, 
but  the  hint  was  overruled.  An  attack  was  then  made  upon  the  residence  of  some  blacks, 
in  Church  alley  ;  two  guns  were  fired  upon  the  assailants  and  they  recoiled.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  one  man  was  wounded,  but  that  was  not  the  case.  It  was  some  time  before  a 
rally  could  again  be  made,  several  voices  declaring  they  did  not  wish  to  endanger  them- 
selves. A  second  attack  was  made,  the  houses  found  empty  and  their  interior  contents  de- 
stroyed. .  .  On  the  afternoon  of  Aug.  2d,  pursuant  to  a  call,  a  very  large  and  respect- 
able meeting  of  citizens  met  at  the  courthouse,  and  passed  a  series  of  resolutions,  the  first  of 
which  was  "  that  this  meeting  deeply  regret  the  cause  of  the  recent  occurrences,  and  en- 
tirely disapprove  of  mobs,  or  other  unlawful  assemblages."  The  concluding  resolution  was 
approbatory  of  the  course  of  the  colonization  society,  and  expressed  an  opinion  that  it 
was  "  the  only  method  of  getting  clear  of  slavery." 


Riot  of  September,  1841. — This  city  has  been  in  a  most  alarming  condition  for  several 
days  ;  and  from  until  8  o'clock  on  Friday  evening,  until  3  o'clock  yesterday  [Sunday] 
morning,  almost  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  a  lawless  mob,  ranging  in  number  from  200  to 
1500. 

On  Tuesday  evening  last,  as  we  are  informed,  a  quarrel  took  place  on  the  corner  of 
Sixth  street  and  Broadway,  between  a  party  of  Irishmen  and  some  negroes :  some  two  or 
three  of  each  party  were  wounded.  On  Wednesday  night,  the  quarrel  was  renewed  in 
some  way,  and  sometime  after  midnight  a  party  of  excited  men,  armed  with  clubs,  &c,  at- 
tacked a  house  occupied  as  a  negro  boarding-house  on  Macalister  street,  demanding  the 
surrender  of  a  negro,  whom  they  said  was  secreted  in  the  house,  and  uttering  the  most 
violent  threats  against  the  house  and  the  negroes  in  general.  Several  of  the  adjoining 
houses  were  occupied  by  negro  families.  The  violence  increased  and  was  resisted  by  those 
in  or  about  the  houses — an  engagement  took  place,  in  which  several  were  wounded  on  each 
side.  On  Thursday  night,  another  rencontre  took  place  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Lower 
Market,  between  some  young  men  and  boys  and  some  negroes,  in  which  one  or  two  boys 
were  badly  wounded,  as  was  supposed,  with  knives.  On  Friday  evening,  before  8  o'clock, 
a  mob,  the  principal  organization  of  which,  we  understand,  took  place  in  Kentucky,  openly 
assembled  in  Fifth  street  market,  unmolested  by  the  police  or  citizens.  They  marched 
from  their  rendezvous  towards  Broadway  and  Sixth  street,  armed  with  clubs,  stones,  &c. 
Reaching  the  scene  of  operations  with  shouts  and  blasphemous  imprecations,  they  attacked 
a  negro  confectionary  in  Broadway,  next  to  the  synagogue,  and  demolished  the  doors  and 
windows.  This  attracted  an  immense  crowd.  About  this  time,  before  9  o'clock,  they  were 
addressed  by  J.  W.  Piati,  who  exorted  them  to  peace  and  obedience  to  the  law ;  but  his 
voice  was  drowned  by  shouts  and  throwing  of  stones.  The  Mayor  also  attempted  to  ad- 
dress them.  The  savage  yell  was  instantly  raised  :  "  down  with  him  !  run  him  off!"  were 
shouted  and  intermixed  with  horrid  imprecations  and  exhortations  to  the  mob  to  move  on- 
ward. A  large  portion  of  the  leading  disturbers  appeared  to  be  strangers — some  connected 
with  river  navigation  and  backed  by  boat  hands  of  the  lowest  order.  They  advanced  to 
the  attack  with  stones,  &c,  and  were  repeatedly  fired  upon  by  the  negroes.  The  mob 
scattered,  but  immediately  rallied  again,  and  again  were  in  like  manner  repulsed.  Men 
were  wounded  on  both  sides  and  carried  off — and  many  reported  dead.  The  negroes  ral- 
lied several  times,  advanced  upon  the  crowd,  and  most  unjustifiably  fired  down  the  street 
into  it,  causing  a  great  rush  down  the  street.  These  things  were  repeated  until  past  1 
o'clock,  when  a  party  procured  an  iron  six  pounder  from  near  the  river,  loaded  with  boiler 
punchings,  &c,  and  hauled  it  to  the  ground,  against  the  exhortations  of  the  mayor  and 
others.     It  was  posted  on  Broadway  and  pointed  down  Sixth  street.     The  yells  continued, 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  227 

but  there  was  a  partial  cessation  of  firing.  Many  of  the  negroes  had  fled  to  the  hills.  The 
attack  upon  »he  houses  was  recommenced  with  the  firing  ot  guns  upon  both  sides,  which 
continued  during  most  of  the  night ;  and  exaggerated  rumors  of  the  killed  and  wounded 
filled  the  streets.  The  cannon  was  discharged  several  times.  About  2  o'clock,  a  portion 
of  the  military,  upon  the  call  of  the  mayor,  proceeded  to  the  scene  of  disorder  and  suc- 
ceeded in  keeping  the  mob  at  bay.  In  the  morning,  and  throughout  the  day,  several 
blocks,  including  the  battle-ground,  were  surrounded  with  sentinels  and  kept  under  martial 
law, — keeping  within  the  negroes  there,  and  adding  to  them  such  as  were  brought  in  during 
the  day  for  protection. 

A  meeting  of  citizens  was  held  at  the  court  house  on  Saturday  morning,  at  which  the 
mayor  presided.  This  meeting  was  addressed  by  the  mayor  and  others,  and  a  series  of 
resolutions  passed  discountenancing  mobs — invoking  the  aid  of  the  civil  authorities  to  stay 
the  violence,  repudiating  the  doctrines  of  the  abolitionists,  etc.,  etc.  The  city  council  also 
held  a  special  session,  to  concert  measures  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  the  law  and  restore 
peace  to  the  city.  Intense  excitement  continued  during  the  day,  the  mob  and  their  leaders 
boldly  occupying  the  streets  without  arrest.  'The  negroes  held  a  meeting  in  a  church,  and 
respectfully  assured  the  mayor  and  citizens,  that  they  would  use  every  effort  to  conduct  as 
orderly  citizens,  to  suppress  imprudent  conduct  among  their  own  people,  etc.,  etc.  They 
expressed  their  readiness  to  conform  to  the  law  of  1807,  and  give  bond,  or  to  leave  within 
a  specified  time — and  tendered  their  thanks  to  the  mayor,  watch,  officers  and  gentlemen  of 
the  city,  for  the  efforts  made  to  save  their  property,  their  lives,  their  wives  and  children. 

At  3  P.  M.,  the  mayor,  sheriff,  marshall  and  a  portion  of  the  police,  proceeded  to  the 
battle-ground,  and  there,  under  the  protection  of  the  military,  though  in  the  presence  of 
the  mob,  and  so  far  controlled  by  them,  as  to  prevent  the  taking  away  of  any  negroes  upon 
their  complying  with  the  law.  Several  of  the  negroes  gave  bond  and  obtained  permis- 
sion to  go  away  with  their  sureties,  who  were  some  of  our  most  respectable  citizens, 
but  were  headed  even  within  the  military  sentinels,  and  compelled  to  return,  within  the 
ground.  It  was  resolved  then  to  embody  the  male  negroes,  and  march  them  to  jail  for  se- 
curity, under  the  protection  of  the  civil  and  military  authority.  From  251)  to  300  were 
accordingly  escorted  to  that  place  with  difficulty,  surrounded  by  the  military  and  officers, 
and  a  dense  mass  of  men,  women  and  boys,  confounding  all  distinction  between  the  or- 
derly and  disorderly,  accompanied  with  deafening  yells.  They  were  safely  lodged,  and 
still  remain  in  prison,  separated  from  their  families-  The  crowd  was  in  that  way  dis- 
persed. 

The  succeeding  night,  the  military  were  ordered  out,  the  firemen  were  out,  clothed  with, 
authority  as  a  police  band.  About  eighty  citizens  enrolled  themselves  as  assistants  of  the 
marshall.  A  troop  of  horse,  and  several  companies  of  volunteer  infantry  continued  on 
duty,  until  near  midnight.  Some  were  then  permitted  to  sleep  upon  their  arms  ;  others  re- 
mained on  duty  until  morning,  guarding  the  jail,  &c. 

As  was  anticipated,  the  mob  efficiently  organized,  early  commenced  operations,  dividing 
their  force  and  making  their  attacks  at  different  points,  thus  distracting  the  attention  of  tha 
police.  The  first  successful  onset  was  made  upon  the  printing  office  of  the  Philanthropist, 
They  succeeded  in  entering  the  establishment,  breaking  up  the  press,  and  running  with  it 
amid  savage  yells,  down  through  Main  street  to  the  river  into  which  it  waa  thrown.  The 
military  appeared  in  the  alley  near  the  office,  interrupting  the  mob  for  a  short  time.  They 
escaped  through  the  bye-ways,  and  when  the  military  retired,  returned  to  their  work  of  de- 
struction in  the  office,  which  they  completed.  Several  houses  were  broken  open  indifferent 
parts  of  the  city,  occupied  by  negroes,  and  the  windows,  doors  and  furniture  completely  de- 
stroyed. Among  these  was  the  negro  church  on  Sixth  street.  One  of  their  last  efforts 
was  to  fire  or  otherwise  destroy  the  book  establishment  of  Messrs.  Truman  &  Smith,  on 
Main  street.  From  this  they  were  driven  by  the  police,  and  soon  after,  before  daylight, 
dispersed  from  mere  exhaustion. 

It  is  impossible  to  learn  either  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  on  either  side,  proba- 
bly several  were  killed  and  twenty  or  thirty  variously  wounded,  though  but  few  danger- 
ously. Several  of  the  citizeu-poliee  were  hurt  with  stones,  &o. ;  the  authorities  succeeded 
in  arresting  about  forty  of  the  mob,  who  are  now  in  prison.  The  mob  was  in  many 
cases  encouraged  and  led  on  by  persons  from  Kentucky.  About  11  o'clock  on  Saturday  night, 
a  bonfire  was  lighted  on  that  side  of  the  river,  and  loud  shouts  sent  up,  as  if  a  great  triumph 
had  been  achieved.  In  some  cases  the  motions  of  the  mob  were  directed  and  managed  by 
mere  boys,  who  suggested  the  points  of  attack,  put  the  vote,  declared  the  result  and  led  the 
way  !  After  all  the  negro  men  had  been  disarnjed  and  committeed  to  prison  for  safe 
keeping,  under  a  solemn  pledge  that  their  wives  and  children  should  be  protected,  a  band 


228  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

of  white  men  were  permitted  to  renew  their  brutal  attacks  upon  these  females  and  chil- 
dren. The  excitement  continued  yesterday.  The  governor,  who  had  arrived  in  town, 
issued  his  proclamation.  The  citizens  rallied  with  spirit  to  aid  the  city  authorities.  Strong 
patroles  of  military  and  citizens,  last  night,  prevented  any  further  outbreak. 

Bank  Mob,  Jan.  11,  1842. — Monday  evening,  the  Miami  Exporting  Company  Bank  as- 
signed its  effects,  and  on  Tuesday  morning,  (Jan.  11.)  the  bank  of  Cincinnati  closed  doors. 
Early  in  the  morning,  the  crowd,  in  consequence  of  their  failures,  began  to  collect  around 
the  doors  of  these  institutions,  and  by  11  o'clock,  had  broken  into  them,  destroying  all  the 
movable  property  and  whatever  of  books  or  papers  could  be  laid  hold  of.  About  this  time, 
ten  of  the  city  guards,  headed  by  their  brave  captain,  Mitchell,  appeared,  drove  the  rioters 
away,  and,  for  a  time,  gallantly  maintained  their  position;  but  they  were  called  off.  On 
retiring,  they  were  assailed — they  fired,  and  wounded  some  one  or  two  persons.  The  mob 
had,  with  this  exception,  undisputpd  possession  of  the  city,  and  commenced,  first  an  attack 
upon  Babes'  Exchange  Bank,  and  after  that,  upon  Lougee's  exchange  office,  both  of  which 
they  destroyed,  making  havock  of  every  thing  which  was  at  all  destructible. 


Distressing  Fire,  Feb.  28th,  1843. — On  Saturday  morning,  about  5  o'clock,  a  fire  broke 
out  in  the  smoke-house  of  Messrs.  Pugh  &  Alvord,at  the  corner  of  Walnut  street  and  the 
canal,  which,  in  its  consequences,  has  been  one  of  the  most  distressing  that  ever  occurred  in 
this  city.  The  smoke-house  was  in  the  rear,  and  somewhat  detached  from  the  main  build- 
ing, being  connected  with  it  only  by  a  wooden  door  and  narrow  passage-way,  through  which 
the  meat  was  usually  wheeled.  It  was  thought  the  fire  could  be  confined  to  the  former,  and 
for  that  purpose  the  pork-house  was  closed  as  tight  as  possible,  by  shutting  all  the  doors  and 
windows,  to  exclude  a  rush  of  air  to  feed  the  flames.  In  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  the 
main  building  was  filled  with  smoke,  ratified  air  and  inflammable  gas  from  the  smoke- 
house ;  and  when  the  flames  burst  through  the  wooden  door  connecting  the  two  buildings, 
an  instantaneous  roar  of  flame  was  perceived,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  whole  of 
this  spacious,  substantial  building  was  a  mass  of  ruins.  The  whole  roof  was  lifted  in  the  air 
and  thrown  into  the  streets  in  large  fragments — the  second  story  walls,  on  the  north  and 
south  sides,  were  thrown  down,  and  the  whole  eastern  end  of  both  stories  fronting  on  Wal- 
nut street,  blown  into  the  streets  from  its  foundation  up.  The  appearance  of  the  explosion 
was  awfully  terrific,  and  its  consequences  fatal  to  several  of  our  most  estimable  citizens. 
We  annex  the  names  of  the  killed  and  severely  wounded,  as  far  as  we  can  now  ascertain 
them.  Killed — Joseph  Bonsall,  Caleb  W.  Taylor,  H.  S.  Edmands,  J.  S.  Chamberlain, 
H.  O.  Merrill,  John  Ohe,  a  German  laborer,  with  two  or  three  other  German  laborers. 
Wounded  severely — George  Shillito,  H.  Thorpe,  T.  S.  Shaeffer,  Mr.  Alvord,  (of  the  firm 
of  Pugh  &.  Alvord.)  Samuel  Schooley,  Warren  G.  Finch,  John  Blakemore,  Lewis  Wisby, 
John  M.  Vansickle,  Joseph  Trefts,  A.  Oppenhermer,  Jas.  Tryatt,  Robt.  Rice,  William  H. 
Goodloe. 

A  few  minutes  before  the  explosion,  the  smoke  settled  to  the  ground  around  the  corner  of 
the  building,  on  the  canal  and  Walnut  street  fronts,  which  caused  the  removal  of  the  masses 
of  people  which  filled  those  spaces,  unconscious  of  danger.  But  for  this,  the  force  of  the  ex- 
.plosion  being  in  that  direction,  the  destruction  of  life  would  have  been  frightfully  extensive. 

On  Sunday  morning,  a  special  meeting  of  the  city  council  was  called,  and  in  obedience  to 
one  of  the  resolutions  passed,  the  mayor  issued  a  proclamation,  requesting  the  citizens  to 
suspend  their  business  on  Monday,  the  27th  inst.,  and  attend  the  funerals  of  the  deceased. 
On  Monday,  the  court  of  common  pleas  adjourned  for  this  purpose,  shops  were  closed,  and 
the  business  of  the  day  was  set  aside.  The  bells  were  tolled,  and  little  was  done  save  to  aid 
in  performing  the  last  sad  rites  of  the  dead.  They  had  fallen  in  the  public  service,  and  the 
public  mind  was  anxious  to  testify  to  their  virtues  and  bespeak  the  sorrow  felt  for  the  com- 
mon loss.  Never,  indeed,  did  we  ever  observe  a  deeper  solemnity  than  pervaded  the  im- 
auense  masses  who  attended  the  funeral  services  of  Chamberlain  and  Edmands.  Close 
around  their  biers,  pressed  the  brave  firemen  who  had  stood  by  their  side  whenever  their 
>common  services  were  required  ;  and  as  the  men  of  God  lifted  up  their  voices  in  prayer, 
and  spoke  of  the  virtues  of  the  dead,  their  emotion  was  too  strong  to  be  suppressed  ;  and  as 
they  stood  at  the  altar  and  the  grave,  they  gave  strong  utterance  to  their  own  and  the 
public  sorrow.  And  thus  were  these  useful  citizens  and  worthy  men  borne  to  their  long 
home. 


HAMILTON    COUNTY. 


229 


The  engraving  shows 
the  old  Baptist  church, 
at  Columbia,  as  it  ap- 
peared in  1830,  even  to 

the  loose  weather-board- 
ing. It  was  taken  down 
in  1835,  but  we  have  not 
the  date  of  its  erection. 
The  engraving  is  copied 
from  one  in  the  Ameri- 
can Pioneer,  where  it  is 
stated  that  this  was  the 
first  house  of  worship 
built  in  Ohio,  which,  from 
some  evidence  produ- 
ced below,  we  think  is 
an  error.  The  society 
which  worshipped  in  it, 
was  constituted  in  1790, 
by  Dr.  Stephen  Gano. 
We   have  previously 

slightly  noticed  the  his- 
Old  BapUst  Church  at  Columha.  ^  ^  ^  setUement  &f 

Columbia,  the  second  in  Ohio,  and  now  present,  in  addition,  some 
reminiscences  from  the  narrative  of  the  late  O.  M.  Spencer,  who 
was  there  as  early  as  December,  1790. 

It  is,  perhaps,  unknown  to  many,  that  the  broad  and  extensive  plain  stretching  along  the 
Ohio  from  the  Crawfish  to  the  mouth,  and  for  three  miles  up  the  Little  Miami,  and  now 
divided  into  farms,  highly  cultivated,  was  the  ancient  site  of  Columbia,  a  town  laid  out  by 
Major  Benjamin  Stites,  its  original  proprietor  ;  and  by  him  and  others  once  expected  to  be- 
come a  large  city,  the  great  capital  of  the  west.  From  Crawfish,  the  small  creek  forming 
it3  northwestern  boundary,  more  than  one  mile  up  the  Ohio,  and  extending  back  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile,  and  half  way  up  the  high  hill  which  formed  a  part  of  its  eastern  and 
northern  limits,  the  ground  was  laid  off  into  blocks,  containing  each  eight  lots  of  half  an 
acre,  bounded  by  streets  intersected  at  right  angles.  The  residue  of  the  plain  was  divided 
into  lots  of  four  and  five  acres,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  town.  Over  this  plain,  on  our 
arrival,  we  found  scattered  about  fifty  cabins,  flanked  by  a  small  stockade  nearly  half  a  mile 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Miami,  together  with  a  few  block-houses  for  the  protection  of  the 
inhabitants,  at  suitable  distances  along  the  bank  of  the  Ohio. 

Fresh  in  my  remembrance  is  the  rude  log-house,  the  first  humble  sanctuary  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Columbia,  standing  amidst  the  tall  forest  trees,  on  the  beautiful  knoll,  where  now 
[1834]  is  a  grave-yard,  and  the  ruins  of  a  Baptist  meeting-house  of  later  years.  There, 
on  the  holy  Sabbath,  we  were  wont  to  assemble  to  hear  the  word  of  life  ;  but  our  fathers 
met,  with  their  muskets  and  rifles,  prepared  for  action,  and  ready  to  repel  any  attack  of  the 
enemy.  And  while  the  watchman  on  the  walls  of  Zion  was  uttering  his  faithful  and  pa- 
thetic warning,  the  sentinels  without,  at  a  few  rods  distance,  with  measured  step,  were  now 
pacing  their  walks,  and  now  standing  and  with  strained  eyes  endeavoring  to  pierce  through 
the  distance,  carefully  scanning  every  object  that  seemed  to  have  life  or  motion. 

The  first  clergyman  I  there  heard  preach  was  Mr.  Gano,  father  of  the  late  Gen.  Gano,  of 
this  city,  then  a  captain,  and  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Columbia.  Never  shall  I  forget 
that  holy  and  venerable  man,  with  locks  white  with  years,  as  with  a  voice  tremulous  with 
age,  he  ably  expounded  the  word  of  truth. 

I  well  recollect,  that  in  1791,  so  scarce  and  dear  was  flour,  that  the  little  that  could  be 
afforded  in  families,  was   laid  by  to  be  used  only  in  sickness,  or  for  the  entertainment  of 


230  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

friends,  and  although  com  was  then  abundant,  there  was  but  one  mill,  (Wickerham's,)  a 
floating  mill,  on  the  Little  Miami,  near  where  Turpin's  now  [1834]  stands:  it  was  built  in 
a  small  flat  boat  tied  to  the  bank,  its  wheel  turning  slowly  with  the  natural  current  running 
between  the  flat  and  a  t-mall  pirogue  anchored  in  the  stream,  and  on  which  one  end  of  its 
shaft  rested  ;  and  having  only  one  pair  of  small  stones,  it  was  at  best  barely  sufficient  to 
supply  meal  for  the  inhabitants  of  Columbia  and  the  neighboring  families  ;  and  sometimes, 
from  low  water  and  other  unfavorable  circumstances,  it  was  of  little  use,  so  that  we  were 
obliged  to  supply  the  deficiency  from  hand-mills,  a  most  laborious  mode  of  grinding. 

The  winter  of  1791-2,  was  followed  by  an  early  and  delightful  spring;  indeed,  I  have 
often  thought  that  our  first  western  winters  were  much  milder,  our  springs  earlier,  and  our 
autumns  longer  than  they  now  are.  On  the  last  of  February,  some  of  the  trees  were  putting 
forth  their  foliage  ;  in  March,  the  red  bud,  the  hawthorn  and  the  dog-wood,  in  full  bloom, 
checkered  the  hills,  displaying  their  beautiful  colors  of  rose  and  lily  ;  and  in  April,  the 
ground  was  covered  with  May  apple,  bloodroot,  ginseng,  violets,  and  a  great  variety  of 
herbs  and  tlowers.  Flocks  of  parroquets  were  seen,  decked  in  their  rich  plumage  of  green 
and  gold.  Birds  of  various  species,  and  of  every  hue,  were  flitting  from  tree  to  tree,  and 
the  beautiful  redbird,  and  the  untaught  songster  of  the  west,  made  the  woods  vocal  with 
their  melody.  Now  might  be  heard  the  plaintive  wail  of  the  dove,  and  now  the  rumbling 
drum  of  the  partridge,  or  the  loud  gobble  of  the  turkey.  Here  might  be  seen  the  clumsy 
bear,  doggedly  moving  off,  or  urged  by  pursuit  into  a  laboring  gallop,  retreating  to  his  cita- 
del in  the  lop  of  some  lofty  tree  ;  or  approached  suddenly,  raising  himself  erect  in  the 
attitude  of  defence,  facing  his  enemy  and  waiting  his  approach  ;  there  the  timid  deer,  watch- 
fully resting,  or  cautiously  feeding,  or  aroused  from  his  thicket,  gracefully  bounding  off, 
then  stopping,  erecting  his  stately  head  and  for  a  moment  gazing  around,  or  snuffing  the 
air  to  ascertain  his  enemy,  instantly  springing  off,  clearing  logs  and  bushes  at  a  bound,  and 
soon  distancing  his  pursuers.  It  seemed  an  earthly  paradise  ;  and  but  for  apprehension  of 
the  wily  copperhead,  who  lay  silently  coiled  among  the  leaves,  or  beneath  the  plants,  wait- 
ing to  strike  his  victim  ;  the  horrid  rattle-snake,  who  more  chivalrous,  however,  with  head 
erect  amidst  its  ample  folds,  prepared  to  dart  upon  his  foe,  generously  with  the  loud  noise  of 
his  rattle,  apprised  him  of  danger ;  and  the  still  more  fearful  and  insidious  savage,  who, 
crawling  upon  the  ground,  or  noiselessly  approaching  behind  trees  and  thickets,  sped  the 
deadly  shaft  or  fatal  bullet,  you  might  have  fancied  you  were  in  the  confines  of  Eden  or  the 
borders  of  Elysium. 

At  this  delightful  season,  the  inhabitants  of  our  village  went  forth  to  their  labor,  inclosing 
their  fields,  which  the  spring  flood  had  opened,  tilling  their  ground,  and  planting  their  corn 
for  their  next  year's  sustenance.  1  said,  went  forth,  for  their  principal  corn-field  was  dis- 
tant from  Columbus  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east,  and  adjoining  the  extensive  plain  on 
which  the  town  stood.  That  large  tract  of  alluvial  ground,  still  known  by  the  name  of 
Turkey  Bottom,  and  which,  lying  about  fifteen  feet  below  the  adjoining  plain,  and  annu- 
ally overflowed,  is  yet  very  fertile,  was  laid  off  into  lots  of  five  acres  each,  and  owned  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Columbia  ;  some  possessing  one,  and  others  two  or  more  lots  ;  and  to 
save  labor,  was  enclosed  with  one  fence.  Here  the  men  generally  worked  in  companies 
exchanging  labor,  or  in  adjoining  fields,  with  their  fire-arms  near  them,  that  in  case  of  :>i 
attack  they  might  be  ready  to  unite  for  their  common  defence.  Here,  their  usual  annual 
crop  of  corn  from  ground  very  ordinarily  cultivated,  was  eighty  bushels  per  acre  ;  and  some 
lots,  well  tilled,  produced  a  hundred,  and  in  very  favorable  seasons,  a  hundred  and  ten 
bushels  to  the  acre.  An  inhabitant  of  New  England,  New  Jersey,  or  some  portions  of 
Maryland,  would  scarcely  think  it  credible,  that  in  hills  four  feet  apart,  were  four  or  five 
stalks,  one  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  and  fifteen  feet  in  height,  bearing  each  two  or 
three  ears  of  corn,  of  which  some  were  so  far  from  the  ground,  that  to  pull  them  an  ordi- 
nary man  was  obliged  to  stand  on  tiptoe. 

North  Bend  is  situated  16  miles  below  Cincinnati,  and  4  from  the 
Indiana  line,  at  the  northernmost  point  of  a  bend  in  the  Ohio  river. 
This  place,  which  was  of  note  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  country, 
has  in  later  years  derived  its  interest  from  having  been  the  residence 
of  Gen.  Win.  H.  Harrison,  and  the  spot  where  rest  his  mortal  re- 
mains. The  family  mansion  stands  on  a  level  plat,  about  300  yards 
back  from  the  Ohio,  amid  scenery  of  a  pleasing  and  retired  character. 
The  eastern  half  of  the  mansion,  that  is,  all  that  part  on  the  reader's 
right,  from  the  door  in  the  main  building,  is  built  of  logs ;  but  the 


HAMILTON    COUNTY. 


231 


whole  of  the  building  being  clapboarded  and  painted  white,  has  the 
same  external  appearance.  The  wings  were  alike :  a  part  of  the 
southern  one  was  destroyed  by  fire  since  the  decease  of  its  illus- 
trious occupant,  a  memento  of  which  disaster  is  shown  by  the  naked 


Eesidence  of  the  late  President  Harrison,  at  North  Bend. 

chimney,  that  rises  like  a  monument  over  the  ruins.  The  dwelling 
is  respectably,  though  plainly  furnished,  and  is  at  present  occupied 
by  the  widow  of  the  lamented  Harrison,  long  distinguished  for  the 
virtues  which  adorn  the  female  character. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  the  family  mansion,  and  per- 
haps half  that  distance  from  the  river,  is  the  tomb  of  Harrison.     It 


Tomb  of  President  Harrison. 

stands  upon  the  summit  of  a  small  oval-shaped  hill,  rising  about  100 
feet  from  the  plain,  ornamented  by  a  few  scattering  trees,  and  com- 
manding a  view  of  great  beauty.     The  tomb  is  of  brick,  and  is 


232  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

entered  by  a  plain,  unpainted  door,  on  its  western  end.  There  is 
no  inscription  upon  it,  nor  is  any  required  to  mark  the  resting  place 
of  Harrison. 

The  annexed  sketch  of  General  Harrison,  is  mainly  derived  from 
that  published  in  the  National  Portrait  Gallery,  in  1836. 

William  Henry  Harrison  was  born  at  Berkley,  the  family  seat  of  his  father,  en  James 
river,  25  miles  from  Richmond,  Virginia,  in  1773.        y 

He  was  the  youngest  of  three  sons  of  Benjamin    ytf   y.    ^V,  %£f  '* 

Harrison,  a  descendant  of  the  celebrated  leader  of  ^O^  •  ffZ //Ce/2^^<f&Z<^^' 
the  same  name  in  the  wars  of  Cromwell.     Benja-  /y 

min  Harrison  occupied  a  conspicuous  part  in  our 

own  revolutionary  struggle,  and  was  one  of  the  Facsimile  of  Harrison's  signature. 
most  active  of  that  daring  band  who  set  the  ball  in  motion.  He  represented  Virginia  in 
congress,  in  1774,  '75,  and  '76.  He  was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  the  whole  house, 
when  the  declaration  of  independence  was  agreed  to,  and  was  one  of  its  signers.  He 
was  elected  governor  of  Virginia,  and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  officers  that  ever  filled 
the  executive  chair.     He  died  in  1791. 

Wm.  Henry  Harrison  was  early  placed  at  Hampden  Sydney  College,  which  he  left  at  17 
years  of  age,  his  mind  well  imbued  with  classical  literature,  and  deeply  impressed  with  ad- 
miration of  the  principles  of  republican  Greece  and  Rome.  In  obedience  to  the  wishes 
of  his  father,  whose  hospitable  and  liberal  conduct  through  life  prevented  him  from  prom- 
ising wealth  to  his  son,  he  entered  on  the  study  of  medicine  ;  and  after  a  short  preparatory 
course,  he  repaired,  in  the  spring  of  1791,  to  Philadelphia,  to  prosecute  his  studies  with 
greater  advantage.  The  death  of  his  father  immediately  after  his  arrival,  checked  his  pro- 
fessional aspirations;  and  the  "note  of  preparation"  which  was  sounding  through  the 
country,  for  a  campaign  against  the  Indians  of  the  west,  decided  his  destiny.  He  resolved 
to  enter  into  the  service  of  his  government,  and  to  create  a  name  for  himself  worthy  of  his 
father.  His  guardian,  the  celebrated  Robert  Morris,  opposed  his  wishes  with  all  the  elo- 
quence of  his  great  mind  ;  but  it  was  in  vain  that  he  placed  the  enterprise  before  the 
enthusiastic  youth  in  all  its  hardships  and  privations.  In  order  to  deter  him  from  his  pro- 
ject, he  painted  an  Indian  war  in  a  remote  and  untried  wilderness  in  the  darkest  colors ;  he 
spoke  of  victory,  against  such  foes,  as  not  involving  glory ;  but  of  defeat,  as  insuring  dis- 
grace. The  remonstrances  of  his  friend  and  guardian  were  fruitless,  and  General  Wash- 
ington at  length  yielded  to  the  importunities  of  the  youth ;  he  presented  him  with  an 
ensign's  commission.  With  characteristic  ardor  he  departed  for  Fort  Washington,  now 
Cincinnati ;  where,  however,  he  arrived  too  late  to  participate  in  the  unfortunate  campaign. 
The  fatal  4th  of  November  had  passed,  and  he  was  only  in  time  to  learn  the  earliest  intel- 
ligence of  the  death  of  Butler,  and  of  Oldham,  and  of  the  unparalleled  massacre  of  the  army 
of  St.  Clair. 

The  return  of  the  broken  troops  had  no  effect  in  damping  the  zeal  of  young  Harrison. 
He  devoted  himself  ardently  to  the  study  of  the  theory  of  the  higher  tactics ;  his  education 
gave  him  advantages  possessed  by  few  young  soldiers  of  that  day  ;  and  when,  in  the  suc- 
ceeding year,  the  gallant  Wayne  assumed  the  command,  Ensign  Harrison  was  imme- 
diately noticed  by  this  experienced  commander,  and  selected  by  him  for  one  of  his  aids. 
The  judicious  movements  of  the  new  army,  and  the  success  which  crowned  the  campaign 
under  Wayne,  are  a  brilliant  portion  of  our  history.  Harrison  distinguished  himself  hand- 
somely in  Wayne's  victory,  and  his  chief  did  him  the  justice  to  name  him  specially  in  the 
official  report  of  the  engagement. 

After  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  1795,  Captain  Harrison  was  left  in  command  of  Fort 
Washington ;  and  shortly  after  the  departure  of  General  Wayne  for  the  Atlantic  states,  he 
married  the  daughter  of  Judge  Symmes,  the  proprietor  of  the  Miami  purchase.  The 
writer  of  this  brief  sketch  cannot  let  the  opportunity  slip,  without  offering  a  passing  tribute 
to  the  virtues  of  this  estimable  woman.  She  is  distinguished  for  her  benevolence  and  her 
piety  ;  all  who  know  her,  view  her  with  esteem  and  affection  ;  and  her  whole  course 
through  life,  in  all  its  relations,  has  been  characterized  by  those  qualifications  that  com- 
plete the  character  of  an  accomplished  matron. 

The  idleness  and  dissipation  of  a  garrison  life  comported  neither  with  the  taste  nor  active 
temper  of  Captain  Harrison.  He  resigned  his  commission,  and  commenced  his  civil  career, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  as  secretary  of  the  north-western  territory.  His  capacity 
was  soon  noticed  by  the  leaders  in  the  new  territory,  and  he  was  electe-d,  in  1799,  the  first 
delegate  in  congress  for  that  extensive  region,  now  comprising  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana, 


HAMILTON    COUNTY,  233 


Illinois,  and  the  territory  of  Michigan.  The  first  and  general  object  of  his  attention  as  a 
representative,  was  an  alteration  of  the  land  system  of  the  territory.  The  law,  as  it  then 
existed,  ordained  that  not  less  than  four  thousand  acres  (except  in  particular  cases  effrac- 
tions on  the  banks  of  rivers)  could  be  sold  at  once.  The  operation  of  such  an  ordinance 
must  have  been  fatal  to  that  class  of  population,  whose  industry  and  labor  have  since  caused 
the  country  to  advance  with  such  rapid  strides  to  wealth  and  greatness  ;  it  was  alone  calcu- 
lated to  benefit  the  speculator  and  rich  monopolist.  He  was  appointed  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  land.-;,  (the  only  instance,  it  is  believed,  in  the  history  of  our  legislation,  in 
which  a  delegate  was  so  distinguished,)  and  with  the  aid  of  the  able  men  who  cooperated 
with  him,  he  presented  the  celebrated  land  report,  based  on  his  own  previous  motion.  A 
bill  was  framed,  and  after  undergoing  some  amendments  in  the  senate,  was  passed  into  a 
law,  by  which  one  half  of  the  public  lands  were  divided  into  sections  of  six  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  and  the  other  into  half  sections  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  The  old 
system  of  forfeiture  for  non-payment  was  abolished,  and  payment  ordered  to  be  made,  one 
fourth  in  hand,  and  the  balance  at  the  end  of  two,  three,  and  four  years,  allowing  still  one 
year,  after  the  expiration  of  the  fourth  year,  to  enable  the  purchaser  to  extricate  himself,  if 
necessary.  This  was  a  point  gained,  although  it  was  not  all  the  delegate  contended  for. 
To  this  measure  is  to  be  imputed  the  rapid  settlement  of  the  country  ;  and  if  Mr.  Harrison 
had  then  been  called  from  this  world,  without  rendering  any  other  service  to  his  country, 
he  would  richly  have  merited  the  title  of  benefactor  of  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

The  reputation  acquired  by  the  young  delegate  from  his  legislative  success,  created  a 
party  in  his  favor,  who  intimated  a  desire  that  he  should  supersede  the  venerable  governor 
of  the  territory.  But  Mr.  Harrison  checked  the  development  of  this  feeling  as  soon  as  it 
was  made  known  to  him.  He  cherished  too  high  a  veneration  for  the  pure  and  patriotic 
St.  Clair;  he  had  too  just  an  estimate  of  the  splendid  talents  of  the  governor,  and  too 
much  sympathy  for  the  war-worn,  though  sometimes  unfortunate  hero,  to  sanction  an 
attempt,  which,  whether  successful  or  not,  would  have  inflicted  one  more  pang  in  the  bosom 
of  the  veteran.  A  soldier  can  best  feel  for  a  soldier ;  he  declined  the  interference  of  his 
friends,  and  the  subject  was  dropped.  But  when,  shortly  after,  Indiana  was  erected  into  a 
separate  territory,  he  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Adams  the  first  governor.  Previously,  how- 
ever, to  quitting  congress,  he  was  present  at  the  discussion  of  the  bill  for  the  settlement  of 
Judge  Symmes'  purchase  ;  and  although  this  gentleman  was  his  father-in-law,  he  took  an 
active  part  in  favor  of  those  individuals  who  had  purchased  from  him  before  he  had  ob- 
tained his  patent.  It  was  viewed  as  a  matter  of  doubt,  whether  these  who  had  sued  the 
judge  in  the  courts  of  common  law,  would  be  entitled  to  the  remedy  in  equity  against  him. 
He  went  before  the  committee  in  person,  and  urged  them  to  insert  a  provision  in  their  favor. 
Nor  did  he  desist  until  assured  by  the  attorney  general  and  Mr.  Harper,  that  these  persons 
came  fully  under  the  provisions  of  the  act  as  it  then  stood.  This  was  the  impulse  of  stern 
duty  ;  for  at  the  moment  he  was  thus  engaged,  he  considered  himself  as  jeoparding  a  large 
pecuniary  interest  of  his  father-in-law. 

In  1801,  Governor  Harrison  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  new  office,  at  the  old  mil- 
itary post  of  Vincennes.  The  powers  with  which  he  was  vested  by  law  have  never,  since 
the  organization  of  our  government,  been  conferred  upon  any  other  officer,*  civil  or  mil- 
itary ;  and  the  arduous  character  of  the  duties  he  had  to  perform,  can  only  be  appreciated 
by  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  savage  and  cunning  temper  of  the  northwestern 
Indians  ;  with  the  genius  of  the  early  pioneers,  and  the  nature  of  a  frontier  settlement. 
The  dangers  of  such  actions  as  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  the  defence  of  Fort  Meigs,  and 
the  battle  of  the  Thames,  are  appreciated  and  felt  by  all ;  and  the  victories  which  were 
consequent  upon  them  have  crowned  the  victors  with  a  never  fading  wreath :  but  these 
acts,  brilliant  as  they  were,  fade  when  put  in  comparison  with  the  unremitting  labor  and 
exposure  to  which,  for  many  years  after  the  organization  of  the  first  grade  of  territorial 
government,  the  new  executive  was  exposed.  The  whole  territory  consisted  of  three  settle- 
ments, so  widely  separated  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  contribute  to  their  mutual 
defence  or  encouragement.  The  first  was  Clarke's  grant  at  the  falls  of  Ohio  ;  the  second, 
the  old  French  establishment  at  Vincennes  ;  and  the  third  extended  from  Kaskaskia  to  Ka- 
hokia,  on  the  Mississippi ;  the  whole  comprising  a  population  of  about  five  thousand  souls. 
The  territory  thus  defenceless,  presented  a  frontier,  assailable  almost  at  every  point,  on  the 
northeast,  north,  and  northwest  boundaries.  Numerous  tribes  of  warlike  Indians  were 
thickly  scattered  throughout  the  northern  portion  of  the  territory,  and  far  beyond  its  limits, 

*  Among  his  duties  was  that  of  commissioner  to  treat  with  the  Indians.  In  this  ca- 
pacity, he  concluded  fifteen  treaties,  and  purchased  their  title  to  upwards  of  seventy  millions 
of  acres  of  land. 

30 


234  HAMILTON    COUNTY. 

whose  hostile  feelings  were  constantly  inflnmed  by  the  intrigues  of  British  agents  and 
traders,  if  not  by  the  immediate  influence  of  the  English  government  itself,  and  not  un- 
frequently  by  the  uncontrollable  outrages  of  the  American  hunters  themselves  ;  a  circum- 
stance which  it  always  has  been  found  impossible  to  prevent,  in  the  early  settlement  of  the 
west.  Governor  Harrison  applied  himself  with  characteristic  energy  and  skill.  It  seems 
truly  miraculous  to  us,  when  we  retrospect  into  the  early  history  of  his  government,  that 
he  should  have  been  able  to  keep  down  Indian  invasion  in  the  infant  state  of  the  territory, 
seeing  the  great  capacity  the  savages  displayed  for  harassing  him  at  a  period  when  his  re- 
sources and  means  had  so  much  increased.  The  fact  proclaims  loudly  the  talents  of  the 
chief.  Justice  tempered  by  mildness  ;  conciliation  and  firmness,  accompanied  by  a  never 
s'.umbering  watchfulness ;  were  the  means  he  used.  These  enabled  him  to  surmount  diffi- 
culties, under  which  an  ordinary  capacity  must  have  been  prostrated.  The  voluminous  cor- 
respondence of  Governor  Harrison  with  Mr.  Jefferson,  from  1802  till  1809,  is  a  recorded 
testimony  of  the  ability  and  success  of  his  administration. 

During  the  year  1811,  however,  the  intrigues  of  British  agents  operating  on  the  passions 
of  the  Indians,  brought  affairs  to  a  crisis  which  rendered  hostilities  unavoidable.  Tecum- 
seh,  and  his  prophet  brother,  had  been  laboring  unceasingly,  since  1805,  to  bring  about  this 
result.  Harrison  called  upon  Colonel  Boyd,  of  the  4th  United  States  regiment,  then  at 
Pittsburg,  (who  immediately  joined  him,)  and  embodied  a  militia  force  as  strong  as  the 
emergency  would  permit.  To  these  were  added  a  small  but  gallant  band  of  chivalrous 
volunteers  from  Kentucky,  consisting  of  about  sixty-five  individuals.  With  these  he  com- 
menced his  march  towards  the  prophet's  town  at  Tippecanoe.  On  the  6th  of  November 
he  arrived  in  sight  of  the  Indian  village,  and  in  obedience  to  his  orders,  made  several  fruit- 
less attempts  to  negotiate  with  the  savages.  Finding  it  impossible  to  bring  them  to  any 
discussion,  he  resolved  to  encamp  for  the  night,  under  a  promise  from  the  chiefs  to  hold  a 
conference  next  day.  He  sent  forward  Brigade  Major  Clarke  and  Major  Waller  Taylor, 
to  select  a  proper  position  for  the  encampment.  These  officers  shortly  after  returned,  and 
reported  that  they  had  found  a  situation  well  calculated  for  the  purpose,  and  on  examina- 
tion, the  commander  approved  of  it.  Subsequent  examination  has  proved  that  the  ground 
was  admirably  adapted  to  baffle  the  success  of  a  sudden  attack,  the  only  kind  which  the 
great  experience  of  Harrison  assured  him  would  be  attempted.  The  men  reposed  upon  the 
spot  which  each,  individually,  should  occupy,  in  case  of  attack.  The  event  justified  the 
anticipations  of  the  chief.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  before  daylight,  the  onset  was 
made  with  the  usual  yells  and  impetuosity.  But  the  army  was  ready  ;  Harrison  had  risen 
some  time  before,  and  had  roused  the  officers  near  him.  Our  limits  do  not  permit  us  to 
enter  into  a  detail  of  the  action  ;  the  arrangement  of  the  troops  was  masterly,  and  spoke 
the  well  educated  and  experienced  soldier.  The  Indians  fought  with  their  usual  despera- 
tion, and  maintained  their  ground  for  some  time  with  extraordinary  courage.  Victory  de- 
clared in  favor  of  discipline,  at  the  expense,  however,  of  some  of  the  most  gallant  spirits 
of  the  age.  Among  the  slain  were  Colonels  Daveis  and  Owen,  of  Kentucky,  and  Captain 
Spencer,  of  Indiana.  Governor  Harrison  received  a  bullet  through  his  stock,  without 
touching  his  neck.  The  legislature  of  Kentucky,  at  its  next  session,  while  in  mourning 
for  her  gallant  dead,  passed  the  following  resolution,  viz: 

"Resolved,  That  Governor  William  H.  Harrison  has  behaved  like  a  hero,  a  patriot  and 
general ;  and  that  for  his  cool,  deliberate,  skillful  and  gallant  conduct,  in  the  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe, he  well  deserves  the  thanks  of  the  nation." 

From  this  period,  until  after  the  declaration  of  war  against  England,  Governor  Harrison 
was  unremittingly  engaged  in  negotiating  with  the  Indians,  and  preparing  to  resist  a  more 
extended  attack  from  them.  In  August,  1812,  he  received  the  brevet  of  major  general  in 
the  Kentucky  militia,  to  enable  him  to  command  the  forces  marching  to  relieve  Detroit. 
He  immediately  applied  himself  to  the  proper  organization  of  his  army  on  the  northwestern 
frontier.  The  surrender  of  Hull  changed  the  face  of  affairs ;  he  was  appointed  a  major 
general  in  the  army  of  the  United  States,  and  his  duties  embraced  a  larger  sphere.  Every 
thing  was  in  confusion,  and  every  thing  was  to  be  done  ;  money,  arms  and  men  were  to  be 
raised.  It  is  under  circumstances  like  these  that  the  talents  of  a  great  general  are  devel- 
oped more  powerfully  than  in  conducting  a  battle.  To  do  justice  to  this  part  of  the  biog- 
raphy of  Harrison,  requires  a  volume  of  itself.  Becoming  stronger  from  reverses,  collecting 
munitions  of  war,  and  defending  Fort  Meigs,  were  the  prominent  features  of  his  opera- 
tions, until  we  find  him  in  pursuit  of  Proctor,  on  the  Canadian  shore.  On  the  5th  of 
October,  1813,  he  brought  the  British  army  and  their  Indian  allies,  under  Proctor  and 
Tecumseh,  to  action,  near  the  river  Thames.  The  victory  achieved  by  militia  over  the 
disciplined  troops  of  England,  on  this  brilliant  day,  was  decisive  ;  and  like  the  battle  of  the 
Cowpens,  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  spread  joy  and  animation  over  the  whole  union. 


HAMILTON    COUNTY.  235 

For  this  important  action,  congress  presented  General  Harrison  with  a  gold  medal.     The 
success  of  the  day  is  mainly  attributable  to  the  novel  expedient  of  charging  through  the. 
British  lines  with  mounted  infantry.     The  glory  of  originating  this  manoeuvre  belongs  ex- 
clusively to  General  Harrison. 

The  northwestern  frontier  being  relieved,  and  important  aid  given  to  that  of  Niagara, 
General  Harrison  left  his  troops  at  Sacket's  Harbor,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Smith, 
and  departed  for  Washington  by  the  way  of  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore.  On 
the  whole  route  he  was  received  with  enthusiasm,  and  honored  with  the  highest  maiks  of 
distinction  that  can  be  offered  to  a  citizen  bv  a  republican  people. 

Owing  to  a  misunderstanding  between  Mr.  Secretary  Armstrong  and  himself,  General 
Harrison  resigned  his  commission  in  the  spring  of  1814.  Mr.  Madison  sincerely  deplored 
this  step,  and  assured  Governor  Shelby,  in  a  letter  written  immediately  after  the  resigna- 
tion, "  that  it  would  not  have  been  accepted  had  he  been  in  Washington."  It  was  received 
and  accepted  by  Secretary  Armstrong,  while  the  president  was  absent  at  the  springs. 

General  Harrison  retired  to  his  farm  at  North  Bend,  in  Ohio,  from  which  he  was  suc- 
cessively called  by  the  people,  to  represent  them  in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  and 
in  the  legislature  of  the  state.  In  1824—5,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United 
States;  and  in  1828,  he  was  appointed  minister  to  Columbia,  which  station  he  held  until 
he  was  recalled  by  President  Jackson,  not  for  any  alledged  fault,  but  in  consequence  of  some 
difference  of  views  on  the  Panama  question.  General  Harrison  again  returned  to  the  pur- 
suits of  agriculture  at  North  Bend.  In  1834,  on  the  almost  unanimous  petition  of  the  cit- 
izens of  the  county,  he  was  appointed  prothonotary  of  the  court  of  Hamilton  county. 

In  1840,  General  Harrison  was  called  by  the  people  of  the  United  States  to  preside  over 
the  country  as  its  chief  magistrate.  His  election  was  a  triumphant  one  ;  of  294  votes  for 
president,  he  received  234.  From  the  time  when  he  was  first  nominated  for  the  office 
until  his  death,  he  had  been  rising  in  public  esteem  and  confidence  ;  he  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  his  office  with  an  uncommon  degree  of  popularity,  and  a  high  expectation  was 
cherished  that  his  administration  would  be  honorable  to  himself  and  advantageous  to  the 
country.  His  death,  which  took  place  April  4th,  1841,  just  a  month  after  his  inauguration, 
caused  a  deep  sensation  throughout  the  country.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the  United 
States  that  had  died  in  office.  The  members  of  his  cabinet,  in  their  official  notification 
of  the  event,  said :  "  The  people  of  the  United  States,  overwhelmed  like  ourselves  by  an 
event  so  unexpected  and  so  melancholy,  will  derive  consolation  from  knowing  that  his 
death  was  calm  and  resigned,  as  his  life  had  been  patriotic,  useful  and  distinguished  ;  and 
that  the  last  utterance  of  his  lips  expressed  a  fervent  desire  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  consti- 
tution and  the  preservation  of  its  true  principles.  In  death,  as  in  life,  the  happiness  of 
his  country  was  uppermost  in  his  thoughts." 

President  Harrison  was  distinguished  by  a  generosity  and  liberality  of  feeling  which  was 
exercised  beyond  what  strict  justice  to  himself  and  family  should  have  permitted.  With 
ample  opportuity  for  amassing  immense  wealth,  he  ever  disdained  to  profit  by  his  public 
situation  for  private  emolument.  His  theory  was  too  rigidly  honest  to  permit  him  to  engage 
in  speculation,  and  his  chivalry  was  too  sensitive  to  permit  him  to  use  the  time  belonging 
to  his  country,  for  private  benefit.  After  nearly  fifty  years  devotion  to  his  duties  in  the 
highest  stations,  he  left  at  his  death  but  little  more  to  his  family  than  the  inheritance  of  an 
unsullied  reputation. 

About  30  rods  in  a  westerly  direction  from  the  tomb  of  Harrison, 
on  an  adjacent  hill,  in  a  family  cemetery,  is  the  grave  of  Judge 
Symmes.  It  is  covered  by  a  tablet,  laid  horizontally  upon  brick 
work,  slightly  raised  from  die  ground.  On  it  is  the  following 
inscription : — 


Here  rest  the  remains  of  John  Cleves  Symmes,  who,  at 
the  foot  of  these  hills,  made  the  first  settlement  between 
the  Miami  rivers.  Born  on  Long  Island,  state  of  New 
York,  July  2lst,  A.  D.  1742.  Died  at  Cincinnati,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  A.  D.  1814. 


Mr.  Symmes  was  born  at  Riverhead,  on  Long  Island,  and  early 
in  life  was  employed  in  land  surveying,  and  in  teaching  school.  He 
served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  though  in  what  capacity  is  not 
known,  and   was  in  the  battle  of  Saratoga.     Having  removed  to 


236 


HAMILTON    COUNTY. 


New  Jersey,  he  became  chief  justice  of  the  state,  and  at  one  time 
•represented  it  in  congress.  As  early  as  1787,  and  at  the  same  time 
with  the  agents  of  the  Ohio  company,  he  made  application  to  con- 
gress, in  the  name  of  himself  and  associates,  for  the  purchase  of  a 
large  tract  of  land  lying  between  the  two  Miamies.  "  The  price 
was  06  cents  per  acre,  to  be  paid  in  United  States  military  land 


Block  House,  near  North  Bend. 

warrants,  and  certificates  of  debt  due  from  the  United  States  to 
individuals.  The  payments  were  divided  into  six  annual  instal- 
ments. His  associates  were  principally  composed  of  the  officers  of 
the  New  Jersey  line  who  had  served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution. 
Among  them  were  General  Dayton  and  Elias  Boudinot,  D.  D.  His 
first  contract  was  for  one  million  of  acres,  made  in  October,  1788, 
but  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  making  the  payments,  and  the  embar- 
rassments growing  out  of  the  Indian  war,  the  first  contract  was  not 
fulfilled,  and  a  new  one  was  made  for  two  hundred  and  forty-eight 
thousand  acres,  in  May,  1794,  and  a  patent  issued  to  him  and  his 
associates  in  September  following."*  Meanwhile,  in  the  spring  of 
1789,  Judge  Symmes  had  located  himself  at  North  Bend,  where  he 
laid  out  "  Symmes'  city,"  the  fate  of  which  has  already  been  stated. 
The  residence  of  Judge  Symmes  stood  about  a  mile  northwest  of 
his  grave.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  March,  1811,  and  all  his  val- 
uable papers  consumed.  It  was  supposed  to  have  been  the  act  of  an 
individual,  out  of  revenge  for  his  refusal  to  vote  for  him  as  a  justice 
of  the  peace.  At  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  the  Indians  told  him  and 
others,  that  in  the  war,  they  had  frequently  brought  up  their  rifles 
to  shoot  him,  and  then  recognizing  him,  refrained  from  pulling  the 
trigger.  This  was  in  consequence  of  his  previous  kindness  to  them, 
and  speaks  volumes  in  praise  of  his  benevolence. 

On  the  farm  of  the  late  Wrn.   Henry  Harrison,  jr.,  three  miles 


*  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  the  American  Pioneer. 


HANCOCK    COUNTY.  237 

below  North  Bend,  and  two  from  the  Indiana  line,  was  a  settlement 
made  at  the  same  time  with  North  Bend.  It  was  called  the  Sugar 
Camp  settlement,  and  was  composed  of  about  thirty  houses.  The 
settlers  there  erected  a  block  house,  near  the  Ohio  river,  as  a  pro- 
tection against  the  Indians.  It  is  now  standing,  though  in  a  more 
dilapidated  condition  than  represented  in  the  engraving.  It  is  built 
of  logs,  in  the  ordinary  manner  of  block  houses,  the  distinguishing 
feature  of  which  is,  that  from  the  height  of  a  man's  shoulder,  the 
building,  the  rest  of  the  way  up,  projects  a  foot  or  two  from  the 
lower  part,  leaving,  at  the  point  of  junction  between  the  two  parts, 
a  cavity,  through  which  to  thrust  rifles,  on  the  approach  of  enemies. 
There  are  several  villages  in  the  county,  each  containing  from 
200  to  700  inhabitants.  They  are  Harrison,  20  miles  from  Cin- 
cinnati, on  the  Indiana  line ;  Mt.  Pleasant,  on  the  west  turnpike  to 
Hamilton,  10  miles  from  C. ;  Springfield,  on  the  east  turnpike  to  Ham- 
ilton, 15  from  C. ;  Montgomery,  13  miles  from  C,  on  the  Lebanon 
road  ;  Miami,  14  miles  from  C,  on  the  road  to  Brookville,  Indiana  : 
Reading  10,  and  Sharon,  13  from  C,  each  on  the  Lebanon  turnpike  : 
and  Newtown,  10  from  C,  on  the  Batavia  road.  Elizabethtown, 
Cheviot,  Cleve,  Warsaw,  Sharpsburg,  Madisonville,  Cummingsville, 
Burlington  and  Columbia  are  small  places.  About  six  miles  north 
of  Cincinnati,  in  a  beautiful  situation  among  the  hills,  lias  lately  been 
built  the  Farmer's  Academy,  a  chartered  institution. 


HANCOCK. 

Hancock  was  formed,  April  1st,  1820,  and  named  from  John  Han- 
cock, first  president  of  the  revolutionary  congress.  The"  surface  is 
level  ;  the  soil  is  black  loam,  mixed  with  sand,  and  based  on  lime- 
stone and  very  fertile.  Its  settlers  are  generally  of  Pennsylvania 
origin.  The  principal  products  are  pork,  wheat,  corn,  oats  and 
maple  sugar.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with 
their  population. 


Amanda, 

490 

Findlay, 

1024 

Portage, 

675 

Big  Lick, 

431 

Jackson, 

631 

Richland, 

332 

Blanchard, 

629 

Liberty, 

592 

Ridge, 

479 

Cass, 

588 

Marion, 

707 

Union, 

637 

Delaware, 

532 

Orange, 

314 

Van  Buren, 

432 

Eagle, 

524 

Pleasant, 

252 

Washington, 

830 

The  population  of  Hancock  in  1830,  was  813  ;  and  in  1840,  10,099, 
or  17  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  central  and  southern  part  of  this  county  is  watered  by 
Blanchard's  fork  of  the  Auglaize  and  its  branches.  The  Shawnee 
name  of  this  stream  was  Sho-po-qua-te-sepe,  or  Tailor's  river.  It 
seems  that  Blanchard,  from  whom  this  stream  was  named,  was  a 
tailor,  or  one  that  sewed  garments.  He  was  a  native  of  France, 
and  a  man  of  intelligence ;  but  no  part  of  his  history  could  be  ob- 


238 


HANCOCK    COUNTY. 


tained  from  him.  He  doubtless  fled  his  country  for  some  offense 
against  its  laws,  intermarried  with  a  Shawnee  woman,  and  after  liv- 
ing here  thirty  years,  died  in  1802,  at  or  near  the  site  of  Fort  Find- 
lay.  When  the  Shawnese  emigrated  to  the  west,  seven  of  his  chil- 
dren were  living,  one  of  whom  was  a  chief.*  In  the  war  of  1812, 
a  road  was  cut  through  this  county,  over  which  the  troops  for  the 
northwest  passed.  Among  these  was  the  army  of  Hull,  which  was 
piloted  by  Isaac  Zane,  M'Pherson  and  Robert  Armstrong. 


View  in  Findlay. 

Findlay,  the  county  seat,  is  on  Blanchard's  fork,  90  miles  northeast 
of  Columbus.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  #church, 
I  academy,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  13  mercantile  stores,  1 
foundery,  1  clothing,  1  flouring  and  1  grist  mill,  and  112  families. 
A  branch  railroad  has  been  surveyed  from  Cary,  on  the  Mad  river 
railroad,  to  this  place,  a  distance  of  16  miles,  which  will  probablv 
ere  long  be  constructed.  Findlay  derives  its  name  from  Fort  Find- 
lay, built  in  the  late  war  by  James  Findlay,  who  was  a  citizen  of 
Cincinnati,  a  colonel  in  the  late  war,  and  afterwards  a  member  of 
congress.  This  fort  stood  on  the  south  bank  of  Blanchard's  fork, 
just  west  of  the  present  bridge.  It  was  a  stockade  of  about  fifty. 
yards  square,  with  block  houses  at  its  corners,  and  a  ditch  in  front. 
It  was  used  as  a  depot  for  military  stores  and  provisions. 

About  9  o'clock  one  dark  and  windy  night  in  the  late  war,  Capt.  Wm.  Oliver,  (now  of 
Cincinnati,)  in  company  with  a  Kentuckian,  left  Fort  Meigs  for  Fort  Findlay,  on  an  er- 
rand of  importance,  the  distance  being  about  33  miles.  They  had  scarcely  started  on  their 
dreary  and  perilous  journey,  when  they  unexpectedly  came  upon  an  Indian  camp,  around 
the  fires  of  which,  the  Indians  were  busy  cooking  their  suppers.  Disturbed  by  the  noise 
of  their  approach,  the  savages  sprang  up  and  ran  towards  them.  At  this  they  reined  their 
horses  into  the  branches  of  a  fallen  tree.  Fortunately  the  horses,  as  if  conscious  of  the 
danger,  stood  perfectly  still,  and  the  Indians  passed  around  the  tree,  without  making  any 
discovery  in  the  thick  darkness.  At  this  juncture,  Oliver  and  his  companion  put  spurs  to 
their  horses  and  dashed  forwards  into  the  woods,  through  which  they  passed  all  the  way 
to  their  point  of  destination.  They  arrived  safely,  but  with  their  clothes  completely  torn 
off  by  the  brambles  and  bushes,  and  their  bodies  bruised  all  over  by  contusions  against  the 
trees.  They  had  scarcely  arrived  in  the  fort,  when  the  Indians  in  pursuit  made  their  ap- 
pearance, but  too  late,  for  their  prey  had  escaped. 


*  Col.  John  Johnston. 


HARDIN    COUNTY.  239 

The  town  of  Findlay  was  first  laid  out  by  Ex-Gov.  Joseph  Vance 
and  Elnathan  Corry,  in  1821,  and  in  1829  relaid  out,  lots  sold  and  a 
settlement  systematically  commenced.  In  the  fall  of  1821,  how- 
ever, Wilson  Vance  (brother  of  the  above)  moved  into  Findlay  with 
his  family.  There  weie  then  some  ten  or  fifteen  Wyandot  families 
in  the  place,  who  had  made  improvements.  They  were  a  tempe- 
rate, fine-looking  people,  and  friendly  to  the  first  settlers.  There 
were  at  this  time  but  six  other  white  families  in  the  county,  besides 
that  of  Mr.  Vance.  Mr.  V.  is  now  the  oldest  settler  in  the  county. 
For  the  first  two  or  three  years,  all  the  grain  which  he  used,  he 
brought  in  teams  from  his  brothers'  mills  in  Champaign  county, 
about  forty  miles  distant.  To  this  should  be  excepted  some  little 
corn  which  he  bought  of  the  Indians,  for  which  he  occasionally  paid 
as  high  as  $1  per  bushel,  and  ground  it  in  a  hand-mill. 

There  are  some  curiosities  in  the  town  and  county,  worthy  of 
note.  At  the  south  end  of  Findlay  are  two  gas  wells.  From  one 
of  them,  the  gas  has  been  conducted  by  a.pipe  into  a  neighboring 
dwelling,  and  used  for  light.  A  short  distance  west  of  the  bridge, 
on  the  north  bank  of  Blanchard's  fork  at  Findlay,  is  a  chalybeate 
spring  of  excellent  medicinal  qualities,  and  from  which  issues  inflam- 
mable gas.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  is  a  mineral  spring  pos- 
sessing similar  qualities.  Three  miles  south  of  Findlay,  is  a  syca- 
more of  great  height,  and  34  feet  in  circumference  at  its  base.  Ten 
miles  below  Findlay,  on  the  west  bank  of  Blanchard's  fork,  on  the  road 
to  Defiance,  are  two  sugar  maple  trees,  30  feet  distant  at  their  base, 
which,  about  60  feet  up,  unite  and  form  one  trunk,  and  thus  continue 
from  thence  up,  the  body  of  one  actually  growing  into  the  other,  so 
that  each  loose  their  identity  and  form  one  entire  tree. 

Mount  Blanchard,  Williamstown,  Canonsburg,  Benton,  Van  Bu- 
ren  and  Risdon  are  small  places,  the  largest  of  which  may  contain 
30  dwellings. 


HARDIN. 

Hardin  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1S20. 
About  half  of  the  county  is  level,  and  the  remainder  undulating : 
the  soil  is  part  gravel  y  loam  and  part  clayey,  and  based  on  lime- 
stone. The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  corn  and  swine.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Blancham,   241         Jackson,      260         Pleasant,  569 

Cissna,  259         Liberty,       170         Round  Head,   564 

Dudley,  349  Marion,  177  Taylor  Creek,  400 
Goshen,  549  M'Donald,  285  Washington,  203 
Hale,  267 

The  population  of  Hardin,  in  1840,  was  4583,  or  9  inhabitants  to 
a  square  mile. 


240  HARDIN    COUNTY. 

Col.  John  Hardin,  from  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  an  officer  of  distinction  in 
the  early  settlement  of  the  west.  He  was  born  of  humble  parentage,  in  Fauquier  county, 
Virginia,  in  1753.  From  his  very  youth,  he  was  initiated  into  the  life  of  a  woodsman,  and 
acquired  uncommon  skill  as  a  marksman  and  a  hunter.  In  the  spring  of  1774,  young 
Hardin,  then  not  21  years  of  age,  was  appointed  an  ensign  in  a  militia  company,  and 
shortly  after,  in  an  action  with  the  Indians,  was  wounded  in  the  knee.  Before  he  had  fully 
recovered  from  his  wound,  he  joined  the  noted  expedition  of  Dunmore.  In  the  war  of  the 
revolution,  he  was  a  lieutenant  in  Morgan's  celebrated  rifle  corps.  He  was  high  in  the 
esteem  of  General  Morgan,  and  was  often  selected  for  enterprises  of  peril,  requiring  dis- 
cretion and  intrepidity.  On  one  of  these  occasions,  while  with  the  northern  army,  he  was 
sent  out  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition,  with  orders  to  take  a  prisoner,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  information.  Marching  silently  in  advance  of  his  party,  he  ascended  to  the  top 
of  an  abrupt  hill,  where  he  met  two  or  three  British  soldiers  and  a  Mohawk  Indian.  The 
moment  was  critical.  Hardin  felt  no  hesitation — his  rifle  was  instantly  presented,  and 
they  ordered  to  surrender.  The  soldiers  immediately  threw  down  their  arms — the  Indian 
clubbed  his  gun.  They  stood,  while  he  continued  to  advance  on  them :  but  none  of  his 
men  having  come  up,  and  thinking  he  might  want  some  assistance,  he  turned  his  head  a 
little  and  called  to  them  to  come  on :  at  this  moment,  the  Indian,  observing  his  eye  with- 
irawn  from  him,  reversed  his  gun  with  a  rapid  motion,  in  order  to  shoot  Hardin;  when 
he,  catching  in  his  vision  the  gleam  of  light  reflected  from  the  polished  barrel,  with  equal 
rapidity  apprehended  its  meaning,  and  was  prompt  to  prevent  the  dire  effect.  He  brings 
his  rifle  to  a  level  in  his  own  hands,  and  fires  without  raising  it  to  his  face — he  had  not 
time,  the  attempt  would  have  given  the  Indian  the  first  fire,  on  that  depended  life  and 
death — he  gained  it,  and  gave  the  Indian  a  mortal  wound ;  who,  also,  firing  in  the  suc- 
ceeding moment,  sent  his  ball  through  Hardin's  hair.  The  rest  of  the  party  made  no 
resistance,  but  were  marched  to  camp.  On  this  occasion,  Hardin  received  the  thanks  of 
General  Gates.  In  1786,  he  settled  in  Washington  county,  Kentucky,  and  there  was  no 
expedition  into  the  Indian  country  after  he  settled  in  Kentucky,  except  that  of  General  St. 
Clair,  which  he  was  prevented  from  joining  from  an  accidental  lameness,  in  which  he  was 
not  engaged.  In  these,  he  generally  distinguished  himself  by  his  gallantry  and  success. 
In  Harmar's  expedition,  however,  he  was  unfortunate,  being  defeated  by  the  Indians  when 
on  a  detached  command,  near  Fort  Wayne.  Colonel  Hardin  was  killed  in  the  39th  year 
of  his  age.  He  was — says  Marshall,  in  his  history  of  Kentucky,  from  which  these  facts 
are  derived — a  man  of  unassuming  manners,  and  great  gentleness  of  deportment ;  yet  of 
singular  firmness  and  inflexibility  as  to  matters  of  truth  and  justice.  Prior  to  the  news  of 
his  death,  such  was  his  popularity  in  Kentucky,  that  he  was  appointed  general  of  the  first 
brigade. 

Colonel  Hardin  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  in  1792.  He  was  sent  by  General  Washing- 
ton on  a  mission  of  peace  to  them — and  was  on  his  way  to  the  Shawnees'  town.  He  had 
reached  within  a  few  miles  of  his  point  of  destination,  and  was  within  what  is  now  Shelby 
county,  in  this  state,  when  he  was  overtaken  by  a  few  Indians,  who  proposed  encamping 
with  him,  and  to  accompany  him  the  next  day  to  the  residence  of  their  chiefs.  In  the 
night,  they  basely  murdered  him,  as  was  alledged.for  his  horse  and  equipments,  which  were 
attractive  and  valuable.  His  companion,  a  white  man,  who  spoke  Indian,  and  acted  as 
interpreter,  was  uninjured.  When  the  chiefs  heard  of  Hardin's  death,  they  were  sorry, 
for  they  desired  to  hear  what  the  messenger  of  peace  had  to  communicate.  A  town  was 
laid  out  on  the  spot  some  years  since,  on  the  state  road  from  Piqua  through  Wapakonetta, 
and  named,  at  the  suggestion  of  Col.  John  Johnston,  Hardin,  to  perpetuate  the  memory 
and  sufferings  of  this  brave  and  patriotic  man.  A  son  of  his  was  lately  secretary  to  the 
commonwealth  of  Kentucky. 

Fort  M'Arthur  was  a  fortification  built  in  the  late  war,  on  the 
Scioto  river,  in  this  county,  and  on  Hull's  road.  The  site  was  a 
low,  flat  place,  in  the  far  woods,  and  with  but  little  communication 
with  the  settlements,  as  no  person  could  go  from  one  to  the  other 
but  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  the  woods  being  infested  with  hostile 
Indians. 

The  fort  was  a  weak  stockade,  enclosing  about  half  an  acre. 
There  were  two  block  houses ;  one  in  the  northwest,  and  the  other 
in  the  southeast  angle.  Seventy  or  eighty  feet  of  the  enclosure 
was  composed  of  a  row  of  log  corn  cribs,  covered  with  a  shed  roof, 


HARDIN  COUNTY. 


241 


sloping  inside.  A  part  of  the  pickets  were  of  split  timber,  and 
lapped  at  the  edges :  others  were  round  logs,  set  up  endways,  and 
touching  each  other.  The  rows  of  huts  for  the  garrison  were  a 
few  feet  from  the  walls.  It  was  a  post  of  much  danger,  liable  at 
any  moment  to  be  attacked. 

It  was  at  one  time  commanded  by  Captain  Robert  M'Clelland,  who  recently  died  in 
Greene  county.  He  was  brave,  and  when  roused,  brave  to  rashness.  While  he  com- 
manded at  Fort  M' Arthur,  one  of  his  men  had  gone  a  short  distance  from  the  walls  for 
the  purpose  of  peeling  bark — while  he  was  engaged  at  a  tree,  he  was  shot  twice  through 
the  body,  by  a  couple  of  Indians  in  ambush,  whose  rifles  went  off  so  near  together  that  the 
reports  were  barely  distinguishable.  He  uttered  one  piercing  scream  of  agony,  and  ran 
with  almost  superhuman  speed,  but  fell  before  he  reached  the  fort.  An  instant  alarm  was 
spread  through  the  garrison,  as  no  doubt  was  entertained  but  that  this  was  the  commence- 
ment of  a  general  attack,  which  had  been  long  expected.  Instead  of  shutting  the  gates 
to  keep  out  danger,  M'Clelland  seized  his  rifle,  and  calling  on  some  of  his  men  to  follow, 
of  which  but  few  obeyed,  he  hastened  to  the  place  of  ambush  and  made  diligent  search  for 
the  enemy,  who,  by  an  instant  and  rapid  retreat,  had  effected  their  escape ;  nor  did  he 
return  until  he  had  scoured  the  woods  all  around  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort* 


Kenton. 

Kenton,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Scioto  river  and  Mad  river 
railroad,  71  miles  northwest  of  Columbus,  and  78  from  Sandusky 
City.  It  was  laid  out  only  a  few  years  since,  and  named  from  Gen. 
Simon  Kenton,  a  sketch  of  whom  is  under  the  head  of  Logan  county. 
The  view  shown  was  taken  southwest  of  the  town.  The  railroad 
is  shown  in  front,  with  the  depot  on  the  left :  the  Presbyterian  church 
appears  near  the  center  of  the  view.  In  the  center  of  the  town  is 
a  neat  public  square.  From  the  facilities  furnished  by  the  railroad, 
Kenton  promises  to  be  an  inland  town  of  considerable  business  and 
population.  It  now  contains  8  dry  goods  and  4  grocery  stores,  1 
newspaper  printing  office,  1  foundery,  1  grist  and  1  saw  mill,  1 
Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  church,  and  had  in  1840,  300  inhab- 
itants, since  which  it  is  estimated  to  have  more  than  doubled  its  pop- 
ulation. There  is  a  house  in  this  town,  the  rain  flowing  from  its 
north  ridge  finds  its  way  to  Lake  Erie,  and  that  from  its  south  ridge 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Patterson,  10  miles  north,  on  the  railroad, 
and  Roundhead,  14  southwest  of  Kenton,  are  small  villages.     This 

*  Thomas  C.  Wright. 
31 


242  HARRISON    COUNTY. 

last  was  named  from  Roundhead,  a  Wyandot  chief,  who  had  a  vil- 
lage there.  Major  Galloway,  who  visited  it  about  the  year  1800, 
says  that  there  were  then  quite  a  number  of  apple  trees  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  that  the  Indians  raised  many  swine.  Roundhead,  whose 
Indian  name  was  Stiahta,  was  a  fine  looking  man.  He  had  a  brother 
named  John  Battise,  of  great  size  and  personal  strength.  His  nose, 
which  was  enormous,  resembled,  in  hue,  a  blue  potatoe,  was  full  of 
indentations,  and  when  he  laughed,  it  shook  like  jelly.  These  In- 
dians joined  the  British  in  the  late  war,  and  Battise  was  killed  at 
Fort  Meigs. 


population. 

Archer, 

1009 

Athens, 

1435 

Cadiz, 

2386 

Franklin, 

941 

Freeport, 

1294 

1349 

Nottingham, 

1368 

1465 

Rumley, 

1027 

896 

Short  Creek, 

2023 

1344 

Stock, 

826 

1090 

Washington, 

1004 

HARRISON. 

Harrison  was  formed  Jan.  1st,  1814,  from  Jefferson  and  Tuscara- 
was, and  named  from  Gen.  Wm.  H.  Harrison.  It  is  generally  very 
hilly :  these  hills  are  usually  beautifully  curving  and  highly  culti- 
vated. The  soil  is  clayey,  in  which  coal  and  limestone  abound. 
It  is  one  of  the  greatest  wool-growing  counties  in  Ohio,  having,  in 
1847,  102,971  sheep.  Large  quantities  of  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  hay 
are  produced,  and  a  considerable  number  of  horses,  cattle  and  swine 
exported.     The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their 

German, 

Green, 

Monroe, 

Moorefield, 

North, 

The  population,  in  1820,  was  14,345,  in  1830,  20,920,  and  in  1840, 
20,099  ;  or  50  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

In  April,  1799,  Alex.  Henderson  and  family,  from  Washington 
county,  Pennsylvania,  squatted  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  sec- 
tion on  which  Cadiz  stands :  at  this  time,  Daniel  Peterson  resided  at 
the  forks  of  Short  Creek,  with  his  family,  the  only  one  within  the 
present  limits  of  Harrison.  In  1800,  emigrants,  principally  from 
Western  Pennsylvania,  began  to  cross  the  Ohio  river  ;  and  in  the 
course  of  five  or  six  years,  there  had  settled  within  the  county  the 
following  named  persons,  with  their  families,  viz.  : 

John  Craig,  John  Taggart,  John  Jamison,  John  M'Fadden,  John  Kernahan,  John  Huff, 
John  Maholm,  John  Wallace,  John  Lyons,  Rev.  John  Rea,  Danl.  Welch,  William  Moore, 
Jas.  Black,  Saml.  Dunlap,  James  Arnold,  J  sseph  and  Samuel  M'Fadden,  Saml.  Gilmore, 
James  Finney,  Thos.  and  Robt.  Vincent,  Robert  Braden,  Jas.  Wilkin,  Samuel  and  George 
Kernahan,  Thos.  Dickerson,  Joseph  Holmes,  James  Hanna,  Joseph,  Wm.  and  Eleazer  Huff, 
Baldwin  Parsons,  James  Haverfield,  Robert  Cochran,  Samuel  Maholm,  Hugh  Teas,  Joseph 
Clark,  Morris  West,  Jacob  Sheplar,  Martin  Snider,  Saml.  Osborn,  Saml.  Smith,  and  per- 
haps others,  besides  those  in  Cadiz  and  on  Short  Creek  ;  Thomas  Taylor,  John  Ross,  Thos. 
Hitchcock,  Arthur  and  Thomas  Barrett,  Robert  and  Thos.  Maxwell,  Absalom  Kent,  John 
Pugh,  Michael  Waxier,  Wm.  M'Clary,  Joseph,  Joel  and  Wm.  Johnson,  George  Layport, 
William  Ingles,  Thos.  Wilson,  and  perhaps  others  on  Stillwater  ;  John  M'Connell,  George 
Brown,  John  Love.  Wm.  and  Robt.  M'Cullough,  Brokaw  and  others,  on  Wheeling  creek. 


HARRISON   COUNTY. 


243 


Robt.  Maxwell,  Wm.  and  Joseph  Huff  and  Michael  Maxler,  were 
great  hunters,  and  the  three  former  had  been  Indian  spies,  and  had 
many  perilous  adventures  with  the  Indians.  On  one  occasion,  after 
peace,  an  Indian  boasted,  in  the  presence  of  Wm.  Huff  and  others, 
that  he  had  scalped  so  many  whites.  Towards  evening,  the  Indian 
left  for  his  wigwam,  but  never  reached  it.  Being,  shortly  after, 
found  killed,  some  inquiry  was  made  as  to  the  probable  cause  of  his 
death,  when  Huff  observed,  that  he  had  seen  him  the  last  time,  sitting 
on  a  log,  smoking  his  pipe  ;  that  he  was  looking  at  him  and  reflecting 
what  he  had  said  about  scalping  white  people,  when  suddenly  his 
pipe  fell  from  his  mouth,  and  he,  Huff,  turned  away,  and  had  not 
again  seen  him  until  found  dead. 

Beside  frequent  trouble  with  the  Indians,  the  first  settlers  were 
much  annoyed  by  wild  animals.  On  one  occasion,  two  sons  of  Geo. 
Layport  having  trapped  a  wolf,  skinned  it  alive,  turned  it  loose,  and 
a  few  days  after  it  was  found  dead. 


County  Buildings  at  Cadiz. 

One  mile  west  of  the  east  boundary  line  of  Harrison  county,  there 
was  founded,  in  1805,  a  Presbyterian  church,  called  "Beaoh  Spring," 
of  which  Rev.  John  Rea  is  at  present,  and  for  more  than  40  years 
has  been,  the  stated  pastor.  Their  beginning  was  small ;  a  log  cabin, 
of  not  more  than  20  feet  square,  was  sufficient  to  contain  all  the 
members  and  all  that  attended  with  them.  Their  log  cabin  being 
burned  down  by  accident,  a  large  house,  sufficient  to  contain  a  thou- 
sand worshippers,  was  raised  in  its  room,  and  from  50  communing 
members,  they  increased  in  a  short  time  to  3  and  400,  and  became 
the  largest  Presbyterian  church  in  the  state. 

Cadiz,  the  county  seat,  is  a  remarkably  well-built  and  city-like 
town,  4  miles  southeasterly  from  the  center  of  the  county,  in 
easterly  from  Columbus,  24  westerly  from  Steubenville,  and  24  north- 
erly from  Wheeling.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Me- jodist 
Episcopal,  1  Associate,  (Seceder,)  and  1  Associate  Reform  vc  <  lurch, 
It  also  contains  2  printing  presses,  12  dry  goods,  7groc-iry     ;nd  2 


244  HARRISON    c;UNTY. 

drug  stores,  and  had,  in  1840,  1028  inhabitants,  and  is  now  estima- 
ted to  contain  1200. 

Cadiz  was  laid  out  in  1803  or  '4,  by  Messrs.  Biggs  and  Beatty. 
Its  site  was  then  like  most  of  the  surrounding  country,  a  forest,  and 
its  location  was  induced  by  the  junction  there  of  the  road  from  Pitts- 
burgh, by  Steubenville,  with  the  road  from  Washington,  Pa.,  by 
Wellsburgh,  Va.,  from  where  the  two  united,  passed  by  Cambridge 
to  Zanesville  ;  and  previous  to  the  construction  of  the  national  road 
through  Ohio,  was  travelled  more,  perhaps,  than  any  other  road 
northwest  of  the  Ohio  river.  In  April,  1807,  it  contained  the  follow- 
ing named  persons,  with  their  families  :  Jacob  Arnold,  innkeeper  : 
Andrew  M'Neeley,  hatter,  and  justice  of  the  peace  ;  Joseph  Harris, 
merchant ;  John  Jamison,  tanner  ;  John  M'Crea,  wheelwright,  Robt. 
Wilkin,  brickmaker ;  Connell  Abdill,  shoemaker  ;  Jacob  Myers,  car- 
penter, John  Pritchard,  blacksmith  ;  Nathan  Adams,  tailor ;  James 
Simpson,  reed-maker  ;  Wm.  Tingley,  school  teacher,  and  old  granny 
Young,  midwife  and  baker,  who  was  subsequently  elected  (by  the 
citizens  of  the  township,  in  a  fit  of  hilarity)  to  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace ;  but  females  not  being  eligible  to  office  in  Ohio,  the  old 
lady  was  obliged  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  serving  her  constituents. 

The  first  celebration  of  independence  in  Cadiz  was  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1806,  when  the  people  generally,  of  the  town  and  country,  for 
miles  around,  attended  and  partook  of  a  fine  repast  of  venison,  wild 
turkey,  bear  meat,  and  such  vegetables  as  the  country  afforded  ; 
while  for  a  drink,  rye  whiskey  was  used.  There  was  much  hilarity 
and  good  feeling,  for  at  this  time,  men  were  supported  for  office  from 
their  fitness,  rather  than  from  their  political  sentiments. 

About  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Cadiz,  on  the  northern  peak  of 
a  high  sandy  ridge,  are  the  remains  of  what  is  called  the  "  standing 
stone"  from  which  a  branch  of  Stillwater  derived  its  name.  The 
owner  of  the  land  has  quarried  off  its  top  some  eight  feet.  It  is 
sandstone,  and  was  originally  from  16  to  18  feet  high,  about  50  feet 
-around  its  base,  and  tapered  from  midway  up  to  a  cone-like  top, 
being  only  about  20  feet  around  near  its  summit.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  a  place  of  great  resort  by  the  Indians,  and  its  origin  has  been  a 
subject  of  speculation  with  many  perspns.  It  is,  however,  what 
geologists  term  a  boulder,  and  was  brought  to  its  present  position 
from,  perhaps,  a  thousand  miles  north,  embedded  in  a  huge  mass  of 
ice,  in  some  great  convulsion  of  nature,  ages  since. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  most  important  villages  in  the  county 
-with  their  distance  and  direction  from  Cadiz,  and  population  in  1840 
Harrisville,  9  southeast,  262;  New  Jefferson,  11  northeast,  155 
New  Rumley,  11  north,  136;  Deersville,  12  west,  202;  Freeport, 
17  south  of  west,  255;  Moorfield,  12  southwest,  210;  Athens,  6  south, 
319.  At  this  last,  is  "Franklin  college,  a  respectable  institution, 
founded  in  1825,  which  has  at  present  65  students  and  a  library  of 
near  2,000  volumes.  Quite  a  number  of  students  have  graduated 
there,  and  its  situation,  in  regard  to  retirement,  economy  and  health, 
is  auspicious  to  its  success.     At  present,  Rev.  Alex.  D.  Clark  is  pre- 


HENRY    COUNTY.  245 

sident,  Rev.  Andrew  M.  Black,  prof,  of  languages,  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Gorden,  prof,  of  mathematics.* 


HENRY. 


Henry  was  formed,  April  1st,  1820,  from  old  Indian  territory,  and 
named  from  Patrick  Henry,  the  celebrated  Virginian  orator  in  the 
revolutionary  era.  This  county  is  well  supplied  with  running 
streams,  and  the  soil  naturally  rich  and  productive.  The  principal 
products  are  Indian  corn,  oats,  potatoes  and  maple  sugar.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Adams,  188         Fredonia,         105         Richfield,  83 

Damascus,        489         Napoleon,        609         Richland,  542 

Flatrock,  476 

The  population  of  Henry,  in  1840,  was  2,492,  or  5  inhabitants  to  a 
square  mile. 

A  greater  part  of  this  county  is  covered  by  the  famous  "  Black 
Swampy  This  tract  reaches  over  an  extent  of  country  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  in  length,  with  an  average  breadth  of  forty 
miles,  about  equalling  in  area  the  state  of  Connecticut.  It  is  at  pre- 
sent thinly  settled,  and  has  a  population  of  about  50,000  ;  but,  proba- 
bly, in  less  than  a  century,  when  it  shall  be  cleared  and  drained,  it 
will  be  the  garden  of  Ohio,  and  support  half  a  million  of  people.  The 
surface  is  generally  high  and  level,  and  "  sustains  a  dense  growth  of 
forest-trees,  among  which  beech,  ash,  elm,  and  oak,  cotton  wood  and 
poplar,  most  abound.  The  branches  and  foliage  of  this  magnificent 
forest  are  almost  impenetrable  to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  its  gloomy 
silence  remained  unbroken  until  disturbed  by  the  restless  emigrants 
of  the  west."  It  is  an  interesting  country  to  travel  through.  The 
perfect  uniformity  of  the  soil,  the  level  surface  of  the  ground,  alike 
retaining  and  alike  absorbing  water,  has  given  to  the  forest  a  ho- 
mogeneous character :  the  trees  are  all  generally  of  the  same  height, 
so  that  when  viewed  at  a  distance  through  the  haze,  the  forest  ap- 
pears like  an  immense  blue  wall,  stretched  across  the  horizon.  It  is 
yet  the  abode  of  wild  animals  :  flocks  of  deer  are  occasionally  seen 
bounding  through  its  labyrinths,  flowers  and  flowering  shrubs  bloom 
in  its  midst,  and  beautiful  birds  make  it  vocal  with  melody. 

Throughout  the  swamp,  a  mile  or  two  apart,  are  slight  ridges  of 
limestone,  from  40  rods  to  a  mile  wide,  running  usually  in  a  westerly 
direction,  and  covered  with  black  walnut,  butternut,  red  elm  and 
maple.  The  top  soil  of  the  swamp  is  about  a  foot  thick,  and  com- 
posed of  a  black,  decayed  vegetable  matter,  extremely  fertile.  Be- 
neath this,  and  extending  several  feet,  is  a  rich  yellow  clay,  having 
large  quantities  of  the  fertilizing  substances  of  lime  and  silex.    Lower 

*  The  facts  embodied  under  the  head  of  Harrison  county,  were  mainly  derived  from  the 
communication  of  a  gentleman  residing  in  Cadiz. 


246  HENRY    COUNTY. 

still  is  a  stratum  of  black  clay  of  great  depth.  The  water  of  the 
swamp  is  unpleasant  to  the  taste,  from  containing  a  large  quantity  of 
sulphur :  it  is,  however,  healthy  and  peculiarly  beneficial  to  persons 
of  a  costive  habit,  or  having  diseases  of  the  blood.  The  soil  is  ex- 
cellent for  grain  and  almost  all  productions  :  garden  vegetables  and 
fruit  thrive  wonderfully.  We  were  shown  an  orchard  of  apple  trees, 
some  of  which  had  attained  the  height  of  20  feet,  and  measured  at 
their  base  20  inches,  which,  when  first  planted,  five  years  since, 
were  mere  twigs,  but  a  few  feet  in  height,  and  no  larger  than  one's 
finger. 

The  notorious  Simon  Girty  once  resided  5  miles  above  Napoleon, 
at  a  place  still  called  "  Girty's  Point."  His  cabin  was  on  the  bank 
of  the  Maumee,  a  few  rods  west  of  the  residence  of  Mr.  Elijah  Gunn. 
All  traces  of  his  habitation  have  been  obliterated  by  culture,  and 
a  fine  farm  riow  surrounds  the  spot. 

Simon  Girty  was  from  Pennsylvania,  to  which  his  father  had  emigrated  from  Ireland. 
The  old  man  was  beastly  intemperate,  and  nothing  ranked  higher  in  his  estimation  than  a 
jug  of  whiskey  "  Grog  was  his  song,  and  grog  would  he  have."  His  sottishness  turned 
his  wife's  affection.  Ready  for  seduction,  she  yielded  her  heart  to  a  neighboring  rustic, 
who,  to  remove  all  obstacles  to  their  wishes,  knocked  Girty  on  the  head  and  bore  off  the 
trophy  of  his  prowess.  Four  sons  of  this  interesting  couple  were  left,  Thomas,  Simon, 
George  and  James.  The  three  latter  were  taken  prisoners,  in  Braddock's  war,  by  the 
Indians.  George  was  adopted  by  the  Delawares,  became  a  ferocious  savage,  and  died  in 
a  drunken  fit.  James  was  adopted  by  the  Shawnees,  and  became  as  depraved  as  his  other 
brothers.  It  is  said,  he  often  visited  Kentucky,  at  the  time  of  its  first  settlement,  and  in- 
.fiicted  most  barbarous  tortures  upon  all  captive  women  who  came  within  his  reach.  Traders, 
who  were  acquainted  with  him,  say,  so  furious  was  he,  that  he  would  not  have  turned  on 
his  heel  to  save  a  prisoner  from  the  flames.  To  this  monster  are  to  be  attributed  many  of 
the  cruelties  charged  upon  his  brother  Simon  ;  yet  he  was  caressed  by  Proctor  and  Elliott. 
Simon  was  adopted  by  the  Senecas,  and  became  an  expert  hunter.  In  Kentucky  and  Ohio, 
he  sustained  the  character  of  an  unrelenting  barbarian.  Sixty  years  ago,  with  his  name 
was  associated  everything  cruel  and  fiend-like.  To  the  women  and  children,  in  particular, 
nothing  was  more  terrifying  than  the  name  of  Simon  Girty.  At  that  time,  it  was  believed 
by  many  that  he  had  fled  from  justice  and  sought  refuge  among  the  Indians,  determined  to 
do  his  countrymen  all  the  harm  in  his  power.  Tliis  impression  was  an  erroneous  one. 
Being  adopted  by  the  Indians,  he  joined  them  in  their  wars,  and  conformed  to  their  usages. 
This  was  the  education  he  had  received,  and  their  foes  were  his.  Although  trained  in  all 
his  pursuits  as  an  Indian,  it  is  said  to  be  a  fact  susceptible  of  proof,  that,  through  his  impor- 
tunities, many  prisoners  were  saved  from  death.  His  influence  was  great,  and  when  he 
chose  to  be  merciful,  it  was  generally  in  his  power  to  protect  the  imploring  captive.  His 
reputation  was  that  of  an  honest  man,  and  he  fulfilled  his  engagements  to  the  last  cent.  It 
is  said,  he  once  sold  his  horse  rather  than  to  incur  the  odium  of  violating  his  promise.  He 
was  intemperate,  and  when  intoxicated,  ferocious  and  abusive  alike  of  friends  and  foes. 
Although  much  disabled  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life,  by  rheumatism,  he  rode  to  his  hunting 
grounds  in  pursuit  of  game.  Suffering  the  most  excruciating  pains,  he  often  boasted  of  his 
warlike  spirit.  It  was  his  constant  wish,  one  that  was  gratified,  that  he  might  die  in  battle. 
He  was  at  Proctor's  defeat,  and  was  cut  to  pieces  by  Col.    Johnson's  mounted  men. 

The  above  we  derive  from  Campbell's  sketches.  We  have,  in 
addition,  some  anecdotes  and  facts,  which  throw  doubt  over  the 
character  of  Simon  Girty,  as  there  given. 

In  September,  1777,  Girty  led  the  attack  on  Fort  Henry,  on  the 
site  of  Wheeling,  during  which  he  appeared  at  the  window  of  a  cabin, 
with  a  white  flag,  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort  in  the 
name  of  his  Britannic  majesty.  He  read  the  proclamation  of  Gov. 
Hamilton,  and  promised  the  protection  of  the  crown  if  they  would 


HENRY    COUNTY.  247 

Jay  down  their  arms  and  swear  allegiance  to  the  king.  He  warned 
them  to  submit  peaceably,  and  admitted  his  inability  to  restrain  his 
warriors,  when  excited  in  the  strife  of  battle.  Col.  Shepherd,  the 
commandant,  promptly  replied,  that  they  would  never  surrender  to 
him,  and  that  he  could  only  obtain  possession  of  the  fort  when  there 
remained  no  longer  an  American  soldier  to  defend  it.  Girty  re- 
newed his  proposition,  but  it  was  abruptly  ended  by  a  shot  from  a 
thoughtless  youth,  and  Girty  retired  and  opened  the  siege,  which 
proved  unsuccessful.  Baker's  station,  in  that  vicinity,  was  also  at- 
tacked, not  far  from  this  time,  by  Girty  and  his  band,  but  without 
success. 

In  August,  1782,  a  powerful  body  of  Indians,  led  by  Girty,  appear- 
ed before  Bryan  "s  station,  in  Kentucky,  about  five  miles  from  Lex- 
ington. The  Kentuckians  made  such  a  gallant  resistance,  that  the 
Indians  became  disheartened,  and  were  about  abandoning  the  siege  ; 
upon  this,  Girty  thinking  he  might  frighten  the  garrison  into  a  sur- 
render, mounted  a  stump,  within  speaking  distance,  and  commenced 
a  parley.  He  told  them  who  he  was,  that  he  looked  hourly  for  rein- 
forcements with  cannon,  and  that  they  had  better  surrender  at  once  ; 
if  they  did  so,  no  one  should  be  hurt ;  otherwise,  he  feared  they  would 
all  fall  victims.  The  garrison  were  intimidated ;  but  one  young 
man,  named  Reynolds,  seeing  the  effect  of  this  harangue,  and  believ- 
ing his  story,  as  it  was,  to  be  false,  of  his  own  accord,  answered  him 
in  this  wise :  "  You  need  not  be  so  particular  to  tell  us  your  name  ; 
we  know  your  name  and  you  too.  I've  had  a  villainous  untrust- 
worthy cur  dog  this  long  while,  named  Simon  Girty,  in  compliment 
to  you  ;  he's  so  like  you — just  as  ugly  and  just  as  wicked.  As  to  the 
cannon,  let  them  come  on  ;  the  country's  roused,  and  the  scalps  ot 
your  red  cut-throats,  and  your  own  too,  will  be  drying  on  our  cabins 
in  twenty-four  hours ;  and  if,  by  chance,  you  or  your  allies  do  get 
into  the  fort,  we've  a  big  store  of  rods  laid  in,  on  purpose  to  scourge 
you  out  again."  This  method  of  Reynolds  was  effectual ;  the  In- 
dians withdrew,  and  were  pursued  a  few  days  after,  the  defenders 
of  the  fort  being  reinforced,  to  the  Blue  licks,  where  the  Indians  lay 
in  ambush,  and  defeated  the  Kentuckians  with  great  slaughter.  Girty 
was  also  at  St.  Clair's  defeat  and  led  the  attack  on  Colerain. 

Dr.  Knight,  in  his  narrative  of  his  captivity  and  burning  of  Col. 
Crawford,  (see  Wyandot  co.,)  speaks  of  the  cruelty  of  Simon  Girty 
to  the  colonel  and  himself.  Col.  John  Johnston  corroborates  the 
account  of  Dr.  Knight.  In  a  communication  before  us  he  says . 
"  He  was  notorious  for  his  cruelty  to  the  whites,  who  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians.  His  cruelty  to  the  unfortunate  Col.  Crawford, 
is  well  known  to  myself,  and  although  I  did  not  witness  the  tragedy, 
I  can  vouch  for  the  facts  of  the  case,  having  had  them  from  eye  wit- 
nesses. When  that  brave  and  unfortunate  commander  was  suffering 
at  the  stake  by  a  slow  fire,  in  order  to  lengthen  his  misery  to  the 
longest  possible  time,  he  besought  Girty  to  have  him  shot,  to  end  his 
torments,  when  the  monster  mocked  him  by  firing  powder  without  ball 
at  him.     Crawford  and  Girty  had  been  intimately  acquainted  in  the 


248  HENRY  COUNTY. 

early  settlement  of  Pennsylvania ;  I  knew  a  brother  of  the  latter  at 
Pittsburg,  in  1793. 

When  Simon  Kenton  was  taken  prisoner,  his  life  was  saved 
through  the  interposition  of  Girty.  (See  a  sketch  of  Kenton  in  Lo- 
gan county.) 

Mr.  Daniel  M.  Workman,  now  living  in  Logan  county,  gave  us  orally  the  following 
respecting  the  last  years  of  Girty.  In  1813,  said  he,  I  went  to  Maiden  and  put  up  at  a  hotel 
kept  by  a  Frenchman.  I  noticed  in  the  bar-room,  a  grey  headed  and  blind  old  man.  The 
landlady,  who  was  his  daughter,  a  woman  of  about  thirty  years  of  age,  inquired  of  me, 
'•  Do  you  know  who  that  is  V  pointing  to  the  old  man.  On  my  replying,  "  No  !"  she  re- 
joined, it  is  Simon  Girty  !  He  had  then  been  blind  about  four  years.  In  1815,  I  returned 
to  Maiden  and  ascertained  that  Girty  had  died  a  short  time  previous.  Simon  Kenton  in- 
formed me  that  Girty  left  the  whites,  because  he  was  not  promoted  to  the  command  of  a 
company  or  a  battallion.  I  was  also  so  informed  by  my  father-in-law,  who  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Indians.  Girty  was  a  man  of  extraordinary  strength,  power  of  endurance, 
courage  and  sagacity.     He  was  in  height  about  5  feet  10  inches  and  strongly  made. 

Oliver  M.  Spencer,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians  while 
a  youth,  in  1792,  in  his  narrative  of  his  captivity  makes  some  men- 
tion of  the  Girtys.  While  at  Defiance,  the  old  Indian  priestess, 
Cooh-coo-cheeh,  with  whom  he  lived,  took  him  to  a  Shawnee  village, 
a  short  distance  below,  on  a  visit.  There  he  saw  the  celebrated 
chief,  Blue  Jacket,  and  Simon  Girty,  of  whom  he  speaks  as  follows : 

One  of  the  visitors  of  Blue  Jacket,  (the  Snake,)  was  a  plain,  grave  chief  of  sage  appear- 
ance ;  the  other,  Simon  Girty,  whether  it  was  from  prejudice,  associating  with  his  look 
the  fact,  that  he  was  a  renegado,  the  murderer  of  his  own  countrymen,  racking  his  diabolic 
invention  to  inflict  new  and  more  excruciating  tortures,  or  not,  his  dark  shaggy  hair,  his 
low  forehead,  his  brows  contracted,  and  meeting  above  his  short  flat  nose  ;  his  grey  sunken 
eyes,  averting  the  ingenious  gaze  ;  his  lips  thin  and  compressed,  and  the  dark  and  sinister 
expression  of  his  countenance,  to  me,  seemed  the  very  picture  of  a  villain.  He  wore  the 
Indian  costume,  but  without  any  ornament ;  and  his  silk  handkerchief,  while  it  supplied 
the  place  of  a  hat,  hid  an  unsightly  wound  in  his  forehead.  On  each  side,  in  his  belt,  was 
stuck  a  silver-mounted  pistol,  and  at  his  left,  hung  a  short  broad  dirk,  serving  occasionally 
the  uses  of  a  knife.  He  made  of  me  many  inquiries  ;  some  about  my  family,  and  the  par- 
ticulars of  my  captivity  ;  but  more  of  the  strength  of  the  different  garrisons  ;  the  number 
of  American  troops  at  Fort  Washington,  and  whether  the  president  intended  soon  to  send 
another  army  against  the  Indians.  He  spoke  of  the  wrongs  he  had  received  at  the  hands 
of  his  countrymen,  and  with  fiendish  exultation  of  the  revenge  he  had  taken.  He  boasted 
of  his  exploits,  of  the  number  of  his  victories,  and  of  his  personal  prowess  ;  then  raising 
his  handkerchief,  and  exhibiting  the  deep  wound  in  his  forehead,  (which  I  was  afterwards 
told  was  inflicted  by  the  tomahawk  of  the  celebrated  Indian  chief,  Brandt,  in  a  drunken 
frolic,)  said  it  was  a  sabre  cut,  which  he  received  in  battle  at  St.  Clair's  defeat  ;  adding 

with  an  oath,  that  he  had  "  sent  the  d d  Yankee  officer"  that  gave  it,  "  to  h — 1."     He 

ended  by  telling  me  that  I  would  never  see  home  ;  but  if  I  should  turn  out  to  be  a  good 
hunter  and  a  brave  warrior,  I  might  one  day  be  a  chief."  His  presence  and  conversation 
having  rendered  my  situation  painful,  I  was  not  a  little  relieved  when,  a  few  hours  after, 
ending  our  visit,  we  returned  to  our  quiet  lodge  on  the  bank  of  the  Maumee. 

Just  before  Spencer  was  liberated  from  captivity,  he  had  an  in- 
terview with  Joseph  Girty,  and  not  a  very  pleasant  one  either,  judg- 
ing from  his  narration  of  it. 

Elliot  ordered  Joseph  to  take  me  over  to  James  Girty's,  where  he  said  our  breakfast 
would  be  provided.  Girty's  wife  soon  furnished  us  with  some  coffee,  wheat  bread,  and 
stewed  pork  and  venison,  of  which  (it  being  so  much  better  than  the  food  to  which  I  had 
been  lately  accustomed)  I  ate  with  great  govt;  but  I  had  not  more  than  half  breakfasted, 
when  Girty  came  in,  and  seating  himself  opposite  me,  said,  "  So,  my  young  Yankee, 
you're  about  to  start  for  home."  I  answered,  "  Yes,  sir,  I  hope  so."  That,  he  said,  would 
depend  on  my  master,  in  whose  kitchen  he  had  no  doubt  I  should  first  serve  a  few  years' 
apprenticeship  as  a  scullion.     Then  taking  his  knife,  said,  fwhile  sharpening  it  on  a  whet- 


HIGHLAND    COUNTY.  249 

Stone,)  "  I  see  your  eare  are  whole  yet,  but  I'm  d — n — y  mistaken  if  you  leave  this  without 
the  Indian  ear  mark,  that  we  may  know  you  when  we  catch  you  again."  I  did  not  wait 
to  prove  whether  he  was  in  jest,  or  in  downright  earnest  ;  but  leaving  my  breakfast  half 
finished,  I  instantly  sprang  from  the  table,  leaped  out  of  the  door,  and  in  a  few  seconds  took 
refuge  in  Mr.  Ironside's  house.  On  learning  the  cause  of  my  flight,  Elliot  uttered  a  sar- 
donic laugh,  deriding  my  unfounded  childish  fears,  as  he  was  pleased  to  term  them  ;  but 
Ironside  looked  serious,  shaking  his  head,  as  if  he  had  no  doubt  that  if  I  had  remained, 
Girty  would  have  executed  his  threat. 

We  finish  this  notice  of  the  Girtys  by  a  brief  extract  from  the  mss. 
of  Jonathan  Alder,  who  knew  Simon — showing  that  he  was  by  no 
means  wholly  destitute  of  kind  feelings. 

I  knew  Simon  Girty  to  purchase  at  his  own  expense,  several  boys  who  were  prisoners, 
take  them  to  the  British  and  have  them  educated.  He  was  certainly  a  friend  to  many 
prisoners. 

Napoleon,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Maumee  river  and  Wabash 
and  Erie  canal,  17  miles  below  Defiance,  40  above  Toledo  and  154 
nw.  of  Columbus.  It  is  a  small  village  containing  about  300  inhab- 
itants.    Florida,  8  miles  above,  on  the  canal,  is  also  a  small  town. 


HIGHLAND. 

Highland  was  formed  in  May,  1805,  from  Ross,  Adams  and  Cler- 
mont, and  so  named  because  on  the  high  land  between  the  Scioto  and 
Little  Miami.  The  surface  is  part  rolling  and  part  level,  and  the 
soil  various  in  its  quality.  As  a  whole,  it  is  a  wealthy  and  produc- 
tive county,  and  the  wheat  raised  here  being  of  a  superior  quality, 
commands  the  highest  market  price.  The  principal  productions  are 
wheat,  Indian  corn,  oats,  maple  sugar,  wool,  swine  and  cattle.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  its  townships,  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Brush  Creek,  1502         Jackson,  2352         Paint,  2560 

Clay,  783         Liberty,  3521          Salem,  1004 

Concord,         1014         Madison,  1916         Union,  1089 

Dodson,  795         New  Market,    1302         White  Oak,  887 

Fairfield,        3544 

The  population  of  Highland  in  1820,  was  12,308  ;  in  1830,  16,347  ; 
in  1840,  22,269,  or  40  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  was  first  settled  about  the  year  1801  ;  the  principal 
part  of  the  early  settlers  were  from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina, 
many  of  whom  were  Friends.  The  first  settlement  was  made  in 
the  vicinity  of  New  Market,  by  Oliver  Ross,  Robert  Huston,  Geo. 
W.  Barrere  and  others.  Among  the  settlers  of  the  county,  was 
Bernard  Weyer,  the  discoverer  of  the  noted  cave  in  Virginia,  known 
as  "  Weyer's  cave,"  who  is  yet  living  on  the  rocky  fork  of  Paint 
creek.  The  celebrated  pioneer  and  hunter,  Simon  Kenton,  made  a 
trace  through  this  county,  which  passed  through  or  near  the  site  of 
Hillsboro' :  it  is  designated  in  various  land  titles  as  "  Kenton's  Trace" 
In  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county,  near  the  village  of  Sinking 
Spring,  is  an  eminence  five  hundred  feet  above  Brush  creek,  which 

32 


250 


HIGHLAND    COUNTY. 


washes  its  base,  called  "  Fort  Hill ;"  on  its  summit,  is  an  ancient 
work  of  over  half  a  mile  in  length ;  a  full  description  and  drawing 
of  which,  by  Dr.  John  Locke,  is  in  the  Geological  Reports  of  Ohio 


Gorge  in  Rocky  Fork  of  Paint  Creek. 

About  13  miles  east  of  Hillsborough,  near  the  county  line  and  road 
to  Chillicothe,  the  Rocky  fork  of  Paint  creek  passes  for  about  two 
miles,  previous  to  its  junction  with  the  main  stream,  through  a  deep 
gorge,  in  some  places  more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  depth,  and  form- 
ing a  series  of  wild  picturesque  views,  one  of  which,  at  a  place 
called  "  the  narrows,"  is  here  represented.  In  the  ravine  are  numer- 
ous caves,  which  are  much  visited.  One  or  two  of  them  have  been 
explored  for  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards. 

Hillsborough,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  dividing  ridge  between  the 
Miami  and  Scioto,  in  a  remarkably  healthy  situation,  62  miles  south- 
easterly from  Columbus,  and  36  westerly  from  Chillicothe.  It  was 
laid  out  as  the  seat  of  justice  in  1807,  on  land  of  Benjamin  Ellicott, 
of  Baltimore,  the  site  being  selected  by  David  Hays,  the  commis- 
sioner appointed  for  that  purpose.     Prior  to  this,  the  seat  of  justice 


HIGHLAND    COUNTY.  251 

was  at  New  Market,  although  the  greater  part  of  the  population  of 
Highland,  was  north  and  east  of  Hillsborough.  The  original  town 
plat  comprised  200  acres,  100  of  which  Mr.  Ellicott  gave  to  the 


View  in  Hillsborough. 

county,  and  sold  the  remainder  at  $2  per  acre.  It  contains  1  Pres- 
byterian, 1  Methodist  and  1  Baptist  church,  2  newspaper  printing 
offices,  14  stores,  and  had  in  1840,  868  inhabitants.  It  is  a  neat  vil- 
lage, the  tone  of  society  elevated,  and  its  inhabitants  disposed  to 
foster  the  literary  institutions  situated  here. 

The  Hillsborough  academy  was  founded  in  1827  ;  its  first  teacher 
was  the  Rev.  J.  M'D.  Mathews.  A  charter  was  obtained  shortly 
after,  and  the  funds  of  the  institution  augmented  by  two  valuable 
tracts,  comprising  2000  acres,  given  by  Maj.  Adam  Hoops  and  the 
late  Hon.  John  Brown,  of  Kentucky.  A  handsome  brick  building 
has  been  purchased  by  its  trustees,  on  a  beautiful  eminence  near  the 
town,  which  is  devoted  to  the  purposes  of  the  institution.  It  has 
the  nucleus  for  a  fine  library,  and  ere  long  will  possess  an  excellent 
philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus.  It  is  now  very  flourishing, 
and  has  a  large  number  of  pupils ;  "  the  classical  and  mathematical 
courses  are  as  thorough  and  extensive,  as  at  any  college  in  the  west ;" 
instruction  is  also  given  in  other  branches  usually  taught  in  colleges. 
Especial  attention  is  given  to  training  young  men  as  teachers.  It  is 
under  the  charge  of  Isaac  Sains,  Esq.  The  Oakland  female  sem- 
inary, a  chartered  institution,  was  commenced  in  1839,  by  the  Rev. 
J.  M'D.  Mathews,  who  has  still  charge  of  it.  It  now  has  over  100 
pupils,  and  is  in  excellent  repute.  Diplomas  are  conferred  upon  its 
graduates.  The  academy  is  beautifully  located  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  village,  and  is  well  furnished  with  maps,  apparatus,  &c,  and  has 
a  small  library. 

The  Hon.  William  A.  Trimble  was  born  in  Woodford,  Ky.,  April  4th,  1786.  His 
father,  Capt.  James  Trimble,  had  emigrated  with  his  family  from  Augusta,  Va.,  to  Ken- 
tucky. In  the  year  1804,  being  deeply  impressed  with  the  evils  of  slavery,  he  was  about 
to  remove  into  Highland,  when  he  was  taken  unwell  and  died.  His  son  William  grad- 
uated at  Transylvania  university,  after  which  he  returned  to  Ohio,  spent  some  time  in  the 
office  of  his  brother  Allen,  since  Gov.  Trimble,  later  studied  law  at  Litchfield,  Conn.,  and 
returned  to  Highland  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  1812,  he  was  chosen  major  in  the  Ohio  vc'unteers, 


252  HOCKING    COUNTY. 

was  at  Hull's  surrender  and  was  liberated  on  his  patrole.  Some  time  in  the  following 
winter  he  was  regularly  exchanged,  and  in  March  was  commissioned  major  in  the  26th 
regiment.  In  the  defence  of  and  sortie  from  Fort  Erie,  he  acted  with  signal  bravery,  and 
received  a  severe  wound,  which  was  the  prominent  cause  of  his  death,  years  after.  He 
continued  in  the  army  until  1819,  with  the  rank  of  brevet  lieutenant  colonel,  at  which 
time  he  was  elected  to  the  national  senate,  to  succeed  Mr.  Morrow,  whose  time  of  ser- 
vice had  expired.  In  December,  1819,  he  took,  his  seat,  and  soon  gave  promise  of  much 
future  usefulness.  He  progressed  for  two  sessions  of  congress  in  advancing  the  public 
interest,  and  storing  his  mind  with  useful  knowledge,  when  nature  yielded  to  the  recurring 
shocks  of  disease,  and  he  died,  Dec.  13th,  1821,  aged  35  years. 

Greenfield,  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  county,  19  miles  from 
Hillsborough  and  21  west  of  Chillicothe,  on  Paint  creek,  in  a  beautiful 
and  highly  cultivated  country,  is  a  flourishing  town,  containing  4 
churches,  a  printing  office,  an  academy,  a  large  number  of  stores 
which  do  an  extensive  business,  and  a  population  nearly  equal  to  the 
county  seat.  Large  quantities  of  corn  are  raised  in  that  section,  on 
the  bottom  lands  of  the  various  streams.  Near  the  town  are  ex- 
cellent limestone  quarries,  and  one  of  a  fine-grained  sandstone. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  towns  in  the  county,  with  their  distances 
and  directions  from  Hillsborough  and  population,  in  1840;  Leesburgh, 
11  north,  298;  Lexington,  11  west  of  north,  151;  Lynchburg,  10 
west,  102  ;  Marshall,  9  south  of  east,  126  ;  New  Market,  6  south, 
212  ;  Petersbui'g,  10  north  of  east,  278  ;  Rainsborough,  10  east,  115, 
and  Sinking  Spring,  16  southeast,  223  ;  Belfast,  Buford,  Danville, 
Monroe,  Mourytown,  Dodsonville,  Allensburgh  and  New  Boston, 
are  small  places. 


HOCKING. 

Hocking  was  formed  March  1st,  1818,  from  Ross,  Athens  and 
Fairfield.  The  land  is  generally  hilly  and  broken,  but  along  the 
streams,  level  and  fertile.  The  principal  products  are  Indian  corn, 
wheat,  tobacco  and  maple  sugar.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Benton,  448         Jackson,  472         Starr,  622 

Falls,  1625         Laurel,  836         Swan,  759 

Good  Hope,      469         Marion,  1370         Washington,  1124 

Greene,  1189         Salt  Creek,      821 

The  population  of  Hocking,  in  1820,  was  2080;  in  1830,4008, 
and  in  1840,  9735,  or  22  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  name  of  this  county  is  a  contraction  of  that  of  the  river 
Hockhocking,  which  flows  through  it.  Hock-hock-ing,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Delaware  Indians,  signifies  a  bottle :  the  Shawnees 
have  it,  Wea-tha-kagh-qua  sepe,  i.  e.  bottle  river.  Jno.  White,  in 
the  American  Pioneer,  says  :  "about  six  or  seven  miles  northwest  of 
Lancaster,  there  is  a  fall  in  the  Hockhocking,  of  about  twenty  feet : 
above  the  fall,  for  a  short  distance,  the  creek  is  very  narrow  and 
straight,  forming  a  neck,  while  at  the  falls  it  suddenly  widens  on 


HOCKING    COUNTY.  253 

each  side  and  swells  into  the  appearance  of  the  body  of  a  bottle. 
The  whole,  when  seen  from  above,  appears  exactly  in  the  shape 
of  a  bottle,  and  from  this  fact,  the  Indians  called  the  creek  Hock- 
hocking." 

Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  a  late  publication,  has  incidentally  given  a 
description  of  the  wild  scenery  of  the  southwestern  part  of  Hocking. 

One  of  the  favorite  descents  of  the  Indians  was  down  the  waters  of  Queer  creek,  a  tribu- 
tary of  Salt  creek,  and  opened  a  direct  course  to  their  town  of  old  Chillicothe.  It  is  a 
wild,  romantic  ravine,  in  ">vhich  the  stream  has  cut  a  passage,  for  several  miles  in  extent, 
through  the  solid  rock,  forming  mural  cliffs,  now  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
in  height.  They  are  also  full  of  caverns  and  grottoes,  clothed  with  dark  evergreens  of  the 
hemlock  and  cedar.  Near  the  outlet  of  this  rocky  and  narrow  valley,  there  stood,  a  few 
years  since,  a  large  beech  tree,  on  which  was  engraven,  in  legible  characters,  "  This  is  the 
road  to  hell,  1782."  These  words  were  probably  traced  by  some  unfortunate  prisoner  then 
on  his  way  to  the  old  Indian  town  of  Chillicothe.  This  whole  region  is  full  of  interesting 
scenery,  and  affords  some  of  the  most  wild  and  picturesque  views  of  any  other  of  equal 
extent  in  the  state  of  Ohio.  It  was  one  of  the  best  hunting  grounds  for  the  bear ;  as  its 
numerous  grottoes  and  caverns  afforded  them  the  finest  retreats  for  their  winter  quarters. 
These  caverns  were  also  valuable  on  another  account,  as  furnishing  vast  beds  of  nitrous 
earth,  from  which  the  old  hunters,  in  time  of  peace,  extracted  large  quantities  of  saltpetre 
for  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder,  at  which  art  some  of  them  were  great  proficients.  One 
of  these  grottoes,  well  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity,  by  the  name  of  the  "  Ash 
cave,"  contains  a  large  heap  of  ashes  piled  up  by  the  side  of  the  rock  which  forms  one  of 
its  boundaries.  It  has  been  estimated,  by  different  persons,  to  contain  several  thousand 
bushels.  The  writer  visited  this  grotto  in  1837,  and  should  say  there  was  at  that  time  not 
less  than  three  or  four  hundred  bushels  of  clean  ashes,  as  dry  and  free  from  moisture  as 
they  were  on'  the  day  they  were  burned.  Whether  they  are  the  refuse  of  the  old  salt- 
petre makers,  or  were  piled  up  there  in  the  course  of  ages,  by  some  of  the  aborigines  who 
made  these  caverns  their  dwelling  places,  remains  as  yet  a  subject  for  conjecture. 

These  ravines  and  grottoes  have  all  been  formed  in  the  out-cropping  edges  of  the  sand- 
stone and  conglomerate  rocks,  which  underlie  the  coal  fields  of  Ohio,  by  the  wasting  action 
of  the  weather,  and  attrition  of  running  water.  The  process  is  yet  going  on  in  several 
streams  on  the  southwest  side  of  Hocking  county,  where  the  water  has  a  descent  of  thirty, 
forty  or  even  fifty  feet  at  a  single  pitch,  and  a  fall  of  eighty  or  a  hundred  in  a  few  rods. 
The  falls  of  the  Cuyahoga  and  the  Hockhocking,  are  cut  in  the  same  geological  formation, 
The  water,  in  some  of  these  branches,  is  of  sufficient  volume  to  turn  the  machinery  of  a 
a  grist  or  sawmill,  and  being  lined  and  overhung  with  the  graceful  foliage  of  the  evergreen 
hemlock,  furnishes  some  of  the  wildest  and  most  beautiful  scenery.  This  is  especially  so 
at  the  "  Cedar  falls,"  and  "  the  falls  of  Black  Jack."  The  country  is  at  present  but  par- 
tially settled,  but  when  good  roads  are  opened  and  convenient  inns  established,  no  portion 
of  Ohio  can  afford  a  richer  treat  for  the  lovers  of  wild  and  picturesque  views. 

There  is  a  tradition  among  the  credulous  settlers  of  this  retired  spot,  that  lead  ore  was 
found  here  and  worked  by  the  Indians;  and  many  a  weary  day  has  been  spent  in  its  fruit- 
less search  among  the  cliffs  and  grottoes  which  line  all  the  streams  of  this  region.  They 
often  find  ashes  and  heaps  of  cinders  ;  and  the  "  pot  holes"  in  a  bench  of  the  sand  rock  in 
the  "  Ash  cave,"  evidently  worn  by  the  water  at  a  remote  period,  when  the  stream  ran 
here,  although  it  is  now  eighty  or  one  hundred  feet  lower,  and  ten  or  twelve  rods  farther 
north,  they  imagine,  were  in  some  way  used  for  smelting  the  lead. 

This  tract  of  country  once  belonged  to  the  Wyandots,  and  a  con- 
siderable town  of  that  tribe,  situated  at  the  confluence  of  a  small 
stream  with  the  river,  one  mile  below  Logan,  gives  the  name  Oldtoxcn 
to  the  creek.  The  abundance  of  bears,  deer,  elks,  and  occasionally 
buffaloes,  with  which  the  hills  and  vallies  were  stored,  together  with 
the  river  fishing,  must  have  made  this  a  desirable  residence.  About 
five  miles  southeast  of  Logan,  are  two  mounds,  of  the  usual  conical 
form,  about  sixty  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  erected  entirely  from 
stones,  evidently  brought  from  a  great  distance  to  their  present 
location. 


254 


HOCKING    COUNTY. 


For  the  annexed  historical  sketch  of  the  county,  we  are  indebted 
to  a  resident. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1798,  several  families  from  different  places,  passing  through  the 
territory  of  the  Ohio  company,  settled  at  various  points  on  the  river,  some  of  whom  re- 
mained, while  others  again  started  in  pursuit  of  "'  the  far  west."  The  first  actual  settler 
in  the  county  was  Christian  Westenhaver,  from  near  Hagerstown,  Md.,  of  German  ex- 
traction, a  good  practical  farmer  and  an  honest  man,  who  died  in  1829,  full  of  years,  and 
leaving  a  numerous  race  of  descendants.  In  the  same  spring  came  the  Brians,  the  Pence* 
and  the  Francisco's,  from  western  Virginia,  men  renowned  for  feats  of  daring  prowess  in 
hunting  the  bear,  an  animal  at  that  time  extremely  numerous.     As  an  example  of  the 


View  in  Logan. 

privations  of  pioneer  life,  when  Mr.  Westenhaver  ascended  the  river  with  his  family,  a 
sack  of  corn-meal  constituted  no  mean  part  of  his  treasures.  By  the  accidental  upsetting 
of  his  canoe,  this  unfortunately  became  wet,  and  consequently  blue  and  mouldy.  Never- 
theless it  was  kept,  and  only  on  special  occasions  served  out  with  their  bountiful  supply  of 
bear's  meat,  venison  and  turkeys,  until  the  approaching  autumn  yielded  them  potatoes  and 
roasting  ears,  which  they  enjoyed  with  a  gusto  that  epicures  might  well  envy.  And  when 
fall  gave  the  settlers  a  rich  harvest  of  Indian  corn,  in  order  to  reduce  it  to  meal  they  had 
to  choose  between  the  hommony  mortar,  or  a  toilsome  journey  of  near  thirty  miles  over  an 
Indian  trace  to  the  mill.  Notwithstanding  these  drawbacks,  there  is  but  little  doubt  that 
for  many  years  there  was  more  enjoyment  of  real  life  than  ordinarily  falls  to  a  more  arti- 
ficial state  of  society.  True,  though  generally  united,  disputes  would  sometimes  arise,  and 
when  other  modes  of  settlement  were  unavailing,  the  last  resort,  a  duel,  decided  all.  But 
in  this,  no  "  Colt's  revolver"  was  put  in  requisition,  but  the  pugilistic  ring  was  effectual. 
Here  the  victor's  wounded  honor  was  fully  satisfied,  and  a  treat  of  "  old  Monongahela" 
(rye  whiskey)  by  the  vanquished,  restored  perfect  good  feelings  among  all  parties.  As  to 
deciding  disputes  by  law,  it  was  almost  unthought  of.  It  is  true,  there  were  some  few 
men  'ycelped  justices  of  the  peace,  generally  selected  for  strong  natural  sense,  who  ad- 
mirably answered  all  the  purposes  of  their  election.  One,  a  very  worthy  old  gentleman, 
being  present  at  what  he  considered  an  unlawful  demonstration,  commanded  the  peace;, 
which  command  not  being  heeded,  he  immediately  threw  off  his  "  warmus,"*  rolled  up  his 

*  The  "  warmus''  is  a  working  garment,  similar  in  appearance  to  a  "  roundabout,'"  but 
more  full,  and  being  usually  made  of  red  flannel,  is  elastic  and  easy  to  the  wearer.  It  ia 
an  article  generally  unknown  in  New  England,  New  York,  and  the  extreme  northern  or 
southern  part  of  our  country,  but  is  more  peculiar  to  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania.  If 
any  traveller,  in  passing  through  Ohio,  should  chance  to  see  a  large  number  of  "  lobster 
back"  people  on  the  farms,  or  about  the  village  taverns,  he  may  at  once  know,  without 
any  inquiry,  that  he  is  among  the  descendants  of  the  worthy  settlers  of  the  "  key-stone 
state." 


HOLMES    COUNTY.  255 

9leeves,  and  shouted,  "  Boys !  I'll  be if  you  shan't  keep  the  peace,"  which  awful 

display  of  magisterial  power  instantly  dispersed  the  terror-stricken  multitude.  This  state 
of  things  continued  with  slow,  but  almost  imperceptible  alterations,  until  1818,  when  the 
number  of  inhabitants,  and  their  advance  in  civilization,  obtained  the  organization  of  the 
county. 

Logan,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Hockhocking  river  and  canal, 
one  mile  below  the  great  fall  of  the  Hockhocking  river,  47  miles  se. 
of  Columbus,  18  below  Lancaster,  and  38  miles  e.  of  Chillicothe.  It 
was  laid  out  about  the  year  1816,  and  contains  4  stores,  1  Presby- 
terian and  1  Methodist  church,  and  about  600  inhabitants.  The 
view,  taken  near  the  American  hotel,  shows  in  the  center  the  court 
house,  an  expensive  and  substantial  structure,  and  on  the  extreme 
right,  the  printing  office.  There  are  no  other  villages  in  the  county 
of  any  note. 


1400 

Ripley, 

1279 

898 

Salt  Creeek. 

1730 

1361 

Walnut  Creek, 

1000 

1347 

Washington, 

1457 

1088 

HOLMES. 

Holmes  was  formed  January  20th,  1824,  from  Coshocton,  Tusca- 
rawas and  Wayne,  and  organized  the  succeeding  year.  The  south- 
western part  is  broken  and  very  hilly,  and  the  soil  thin ;  the  re- 
mainder of  the  county  is  hilly  and  uneven,  but  produces  excellent 
wheat.  Along  Killbuck's  creek,  coal  of  a  superior  quality  abounds. 
The  principal  products  are  wheat,  Indian  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  maple 
sugar,  swine,  sheep  and  neat  cattle.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Berlin,         1151         Mechanic, 

German,      1281         Monroe, 

Hardv.        1985         Paint, 

Killbuck,      906         Prairie, 

Knox,  1178         Richland, 

The  population  of  Holmes,  in  1830,  was  9123,  and  in  1840, 18,061, 
or  45  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  was  named  from  Major  Holmes,  a  gallant  young  offi- 
cer of  the  war  of  1812,  who  was  killed  in  the  unsuccessful  attack 
upon  Mackinac,  under  Colonel  Croghan,  August  4th,  1814.  Its 
settlers  principally  originated  from  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and 
Virginia :  among  them  are  also  some  Swiss  Germans.  It  was  first 
settled  about  1810,  by  Thomas  Butler,  who  settled  about  7  miles 
north  of  Millersburg,  on  the  Wooster  road,  and  Peter  Casey,  who 
built  a  cabin  half  a  mile  west  of  the  county  seat.  About  this  time, 
William  and  Samuel  Morrison  and  George  Carpenter  settled  on 
Doughty's  fork,  8  miles  south  of  the  court  house.  In  the  late  war, 
there  was  a  block  house  erected,  called  "  Morgan's  block  house," 
just  over  the  northern  line  of  the  county,  on  the  road  to  Wooster. 
There  were  24000  acres  of  choice  land  scattered  about  the  county 
of  the  Connecticut  Western  Reserve  school  land,  which,  not  being 
in  market  until  1831,  operated  disadvantageously  to  the  dense  settle- 


256  HOLMES    COUNTY. 

merit  of  the  country.     Since  then,  Holmes  has  more  than  doubled 
its  population. 

Nearly  2  miles  south  of  Millersburg,  on  land  belonging  to  the 
Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  of  Bethany,  is  a  strongly  impregnated 
chalybeate  spring.  In  the  northwest  corner  of  Holmes,  is  "  Odell's 
lake,"  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  about  three  miles  long,  half  a  mile 
broad,  and  abounding  in  fish  of  various  kinds. 


View  in  Millersburg. 

Millersburg,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  elevated  ground,  sur- 
rounded by  lofty  hills,  on  Killbuck  creek,  87  miles  northeast  of 
Columbus,  and  about  70  south  of  Cleveland.  It  was  laid  out  in 
1824,  by  Charles  Miller  and  Adam  Johnson,  and  public  lots  sold  on 
the  4th  of  June,  of  that  year.  There  had  been  previously,  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  north,  a  town  of  the  same  name,  laid  out  about  the  year 
1816.  The  names  recollected  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  village,  are 
Seth  Hunt,  Colonel  Wm.  Painter,  Samuel  S.  Henry,  George  Stout, 
Samuel  C.  M'Dowell,  R.  K.  Enos,  Jonathan  Korn,  John  Smurr, 
John  Glasgow,  Thomas  Hoskins,  James  Withrow,  James  M'Kennan 
— the  first  lawyer  in  Holmes — and  James  S.  Irvine,  the  first  physi- 
cian in  the  same.  A  short  time  previous  to  the  sale,  three  houses 
were  erected  :  the  first  was  a  frame,  on  the  ne.  corner  of  Jackson 
and  Washington  streets  ;  the  second,  a  frame,  on  the  ne.  corner  of 
Washington  and  Adams  streets ;  and  the  last,  a  log,  on  the  site  of 
S.  C.  Bever's  residence.  The  Seceder  church,  the  first  built,  was 
erected  in  1830,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  in  1833.  The  village 
was  laid  out  in  the  forest,  and  in  1830,  the  population  reached  to 
320.  About  fourteen  years  since,  on  a  Sunday  afternoon,  a  fire 
broke  out  in  the  frame  house  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Adams  streets,  and  destroyed  a  large  part  of  the  village.  Among 
the  buildings  burnt,  was  the  court  house  and  jail,  which  were  of  log, 
the  first  standing  on  the  ne.  corner  of  the  public  square,  and  the 
other  a  few  rods  south  of  it.  Millersburg  contains  1  Presbyterian, 
1  Episcopal  Methodist,  1  Lutheran  and  1  Seceder  church,  2  news- 
paper printing  offices,  10  dry  goods  and  3  grocery  stores,  1  foundery, 
1  grist  mill,  and  had,  in  1846,  673  inhabitants. 


HURON    COUNTY.  257 

In  the  eastern  part  of  Holmes,  is  an  extensive  settlement  of  Dun- 
kards,  who  originated  from  eastern  Pennsylvania,  and  speak  the  Ger- 
man language.  They  are  excellent  farmers,  and  live  in  a  good  sub- 
stantial style.  The  men  wear  long  beards  and  shad-bellied  coats, 
and  use  hooks  and  eyes  instead  of  buttons.  The  females  are  attired 
in  petticoats  and  short  gowns,  caps  without  frills,  and  when  doing 
out-door  labor,  instead  of  bonnets,  wear  broad-brimmed  hats. 

Berlin,  7  miles  e.  of  Millersburg,  on  the  Dover  road,  has  2 
churches,  5  stores,  1  foundery,  1  machine  shop,  and  is  a  thriving 
business  place,  with  a  population  of  near  400.  Nashville,  1 1  w.  of 
M.,  has  3  churches,  3  stores,  and  something  less  than  300  inhabitants. 
Benton,  Middletown,  Lafayette,  Oxford,  Napoleon,  Farmersville  and 
New  Carlisle  are  small  villages. 


HURON. 

Huron  was  formed,  February  7th,  1809,  and  organized  in  1815. 
It  originally  constituted  the  whole  of  "  the  fire-lands."  The  name, 
Huron,  was  given  by  the  French  to  the  Wyandot  tribe :  its  signifi- 
cation is  probably  unknown.  The  surface  is  mostly  level,  some 
parts  slightly  undulating ;  soil  mostly  sandy  mixed  with  clay,  form- 
ing a  loam.  In  the  northwest  part  are  some  prairies,  and  in  the 
northern  part  are  the  sand  ridges  which  run  on  the  southern  side  of 
Lake  Erie,  and  vary  in  width  from  a  few  rods  to  more  than  a  mile. 
Huron  was  much  reduced  in  1838,  in  population  and  area,  by  the 
formation  of  Erie  county.  Its  principal  productions  are  hay  and 
grass,  wheat,  corn,  oats,  barley,  buckwheat,  flaxseed,  potatoes,  but- 
ter, cheese,  wool  and  swine.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  town- 
ships in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Bronson,         1291     Lyme,  1318 

Clarksfield,    1473     New  Haven,    1270 

Fairfield,        1067     New  London,  1218 

Fitchville,      1294     Norwich,  676 

Greenfield,     1460     Norwalk,  2613 

Greenwich,    1067     Peru,  1998 

Hartland,         925     Richmond,  306 

The  population  of  Huron  in  1820,  was  6,677  ;  in  1830, 13,340,  and 
in  1840,  23,934,  or  52  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Norwalk,  the  county  seat,  named  from  Norwalk,  Ct.,  is  110  miles 
n.  of  Columbus  and  16  from  Sandusky  City.  It  lies  principally  on 
a  single  street,  extending  nearly  2  miles  and  beautifully  shaded  by 
maple  trees.  Much  taste  is  evinced  in  the  private  dwellings  and 
churches,  and  in  adorning  the  grounds  around  them  with  shrubbery. 
As  a  whole,  the  town  is  one  of  the  most  neat  and  pleasant  in  Ohio. 
The  view  given  represents  a  small  portion  of  the  principal  street : 
on  the  right  is  shown  the  court-house  and  jail,  with  a  part  of  the 
public  square,  and  in  the  distance  is  seen  the  tower  of  the  Norwalk 

33 


Ridgefield, 

1599 

Ripley, 

804 

Ruggles, 

1244 

Sherman, 

692 

Townsend, 

868 

Wakeman, 

702 

258 


HURON    COUNTY, 


institute.     Norwalk  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Baptist,  1  Episcopal, 
1  Methodist  and  1  Catholic  church,  9  dry  goods,  1  book  and  4  gro- 


View  in  Norwalk. 

eery  stores,  1  bank,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  flouring  mill,  2 
foundries,  and  about  1800  inhabitants.  The  Norwalk  institute  is  an 
incorporated  academy,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Baptists:  a  large 
and  substantial  brick  building,  three  stories  in  height,  is  devoted  to 
its  purposes  :  the  institution  is  flourishing  and  numbers  over  100 
pupils,  including  both  sexes.  A  female  seminary  has  recently  been 
commenced  under  auspicious  circumstances,  and  a  handsome  build- 
ing erected  in  the  form  of  a  Grecian  temple.  About  a  mile  west  of 
the  village  are  some  ancient  fortifications. 

The  site  of  Norwalk  was  first  visited  with  a  view  to  the  founding 
of  a  town,  by  the  Hon.  Elisha  Whittlesey,  Piatt  Benedict,  and  one 
or  two  others,  in  October,  1815.  The  place  was  then  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  there  were  but  a  few  settlers  in  the  county.  The  ex- 
amination being  satisfactory,  the  town  plat  was  laid  out  in  the  spring 
following,  by  Almon  Ruggles,  and  lots  offered  for  sale  at  from  $60 
to  $100  each.  In  the  fall  of  1817,  Piatt  Benedict  built  a  log  house, 
with  the  intention  of  removing  his  family,  but  in  his  absence  it  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  He  reconstructed  his  dwelling  shortly  after,  and 
thus  commenced  the  foundation  of  the  village.  In  the  May  after, 
Norwalk  was  made  the  county  seat,  and  the  public  buildings  sub- 
sequently erected.  The  year  after,  a  census  was  taken,  and  the 
population  had  reached  109.  In  the  first  few  years  of  the  settlement, 
the  different  denominations  appearing  to  have  forgotten  their  pecu- 
liar doctrines,  were  accustomed  to  meet  at  the  old  court  house  for 
sacred  worship,  at  the  second  blowing  of  the  horn.  In  1820,  the 
Methodists  organized  a  class,  and  in  1821,  the  Episcopal  society  was 
constituted.  From  that  time  to  the  present,  the  village  has  grown 
with  the  progressive  increase  of  the  country. 

In  1819,  two  Indians  were  tried  and  executed  at  Norwalk,  for 
murder.  Their  names  were  Ne-go-sheck  and  Ne-gon-a-ba,  the  last 
of  which  is  said  to  signify  "  one  who  icalksfar."  The  circumstances 
of  their  crime  and  execution  we  take  from  the  mss.  history  of  the 
"  fire-lands,"  by  the  late  C.  B.  Squier,  E-q.* 

*For  some  facts  respecting  the  history  of  the  "  fire-1   ads,"  see  Erie  county  and  the  sketch 
of  the  Western  Reserve  in  this  volume. 


JACKSON    COUNTV.  259 

In  the  spring  of  1816,  John  Wood  of  Venice,  and  George  Bishop  t>f  Danbury,  were  trap- 
ping for  muskrats  on  the  west  side  of  Danbury,  in  the  vicini'y  of  the  "  two  harbors,"  sc 
called  ;  and  having  collected  a  few  skins,  had  lain  down  for  the  night  in  their  temporary 
hat.  Three  straggling  Ottawa  Indians  came,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  upon  their  camp 
and  discovered  them  sleeping.  To  obtain  their  little  pittance  of  furs,  &c,  they  were  in- 
duced to  plan  their  destruction.  After  completing  their  arrangements,  the  two  eldest  armed 
themselves  with  clubs,  singled  out  their  victims,  and  each,  with  a  well-directed  blow  upon 
their  heads,  dispatched  them  in  an  instant.  They  then  forced  their  youngest  companion. 
Negasow,  who  had  been  until  then  merely  a  spectator,  to  beat  the  bodies  with  a  club,  that 
lie  might  be  made  to  feel  that  he  was  a  participator  in  the  murder,  and  so  refrain  from  ex- 
posing their  crime.  After  securing  whatever  was  then  in  the  camp  that  they  desired,  they 
took  up  their  line  of  march  for  the  Maumee,  avoiding,  as  far  as  possible,  the  Indian  settle- 
ments on  their  course. 

Wood  left  a  wife  to  mourn  his  untimely  fate,  but  Bishop  was  a  single  man.  Their  bodies 
were  found  in  a  day  or  two  by  the  whites,  under  such  circumstances,  that  evinced  that  they 
had  been  murdered  by  Indians,  and  a  pursuit  was  forthwith  commenced.  The  Indians  liv- 
ing about  the  mouth  of  Portage  river,  had  seen  these  straggling  Indians  passing  eastward, 
now  suspected  them  of  the  crime,  and  joined  the  whites  in  the  pursuit.  They  were  over- 
taken in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Maumee  river,  brought  back  and  examined  before  a 
magistrate.  They  confessed  their  crime  and  were  committed  to  jail.  At  the  trial  the  two 
principals  were  sentenced  to  be  hung  in  June,  1819:  the  younger  one  was  discharged. 
The  county  of  Huron  had  at  this  time  no  secure  jail,  and  they  were  closely  watched  by  an 
armed  guard.  They  nevertheless  escaped  one  dark  night.  The  guard  fired  and  wounded 
one  of  them  severely  in  the  body,  but  he  continued  to  run  for  several  miles,  till  tired  and 
faint  with  the  loss  of  blood,  he  laid  down,  telling  his  companion  he  should  die,  .md  urging  him 
to  continue  on.  The  wounded  man  was  found  after  the  lapse  of  two  or  three  days,  some- 
where in  Penn  township  in  a  dangerous  condition,  but  he  soon  recovered.  The  other  was 
recaptured  near  the  Maumee  by  the  Indians,  and  brought  to  Norwalk,  where  they  were  both 
hanged  according  to  sentence. 

In  this  transaction,  the  various  Indian  tribes  evinced  a  commen- 
dable willingness  that  the  laws  of  the  whites  should  be  carried  out. 
Many  of*  them  attended  the  execution,  and  only  requested  that  the 
bodies  of  their  comrades  should  not  be  disturbed  in  their  graves. 

There  are  several  large  and  thriving  villages  in  this  county,  con- 
taining each  several  churches  and  stores,  and  doing  considerable 
business.  Belle vue,  13  miles  w.  of  Norwalk,  on  the  county  line  and 
Mad  river  railroad,  has  a  population  of  nearly  700.  Paris,  or  Ply- 
mouth, is  20  miles  ssw.,  on  the  county  line,  and  the  Sandusky  City 
and  Mansfield  railroad,  New  Haven  17  ssw.  of  N.,  on  the  same 
railroad,  and  Monroeville,  5  w.  of  N.,  have  each  about  500  inhabi- 
tants. Maxville,  or  Peru,  6  ssw.  of  N.,  Steamburg,  10  s.,  and  Fitch-- 
ville,  12  se.,  are  of  less  note,  though  villages  of  importance. 


JACKSON. 

Jackson  was  organized  in  March,  1810,  and  named  from  President 
Jackson.  The  surface  is  hilly,  but  in  many  parts  produces  excellent 
wheat.  The  county  is  rich  in  minerals,  and  abounds  in  coal  and 
iron  ore:  and  mining  will  be  extensively  prosecuted  whenever  con> 
munication  is  had  with  navigable  waters  by  railroads.  The  early 
settlers  were  many  of  them  western  Virginians  ;  and  a  considerable 
portion  of  its  present  inhabitants  are  from  Wales  and  Pennsylvania, 
who  are  developing  its  agricultural  resources.     The  exports  are 


260  JACKSON    COVNTY. 

cattle,  horses,  wool,  swine,  mill-stones,  lumber,  tobacco  and  iron. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Bloomfield,  721  Jackson,  410  Milton,  912 

Clinton,  824  Jefferson,  752  Richland,  54S 

Franklin,  1055  Liberty,  474  Scioto,  931 

Hamilton,  415  Lick,  822  Washington,  481 

Harrison,  378  Madison,  724 

The  population  of  Jackson,  in  1820,  was  3,842,  in  1830,  5,941,  and 
in  1840,  9,744 ;  or  20  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Mr.  Samuel  Davis,  who  is  now  residing  in  Franklin  county,  near 
Columbus,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  and  made  his  escape 
while  within  the  present  limits  of  this  county.  He  was  born  in  New 
England,  moved  to  the  west,  and  was  employed  by  the  governor  of 
Kentucky  as  a  spy  against  the  Indians  on  the  Ohio.  The  circum- 
stances of  his  captivity  and  escape  are  from  his  biography,  by  Col. 
John  M'Donald. 

In  the  fall  of  1792,  when  the  spies  were  discharged,  Davis  concluded  he  would  make  a 
winter's  hunt  up  the  Big  Sandy  river.  He  and  a  Mr.  William  Campbell  prepared  them- 
selves with  a  light  canoe,  with  traps  and  ammunition,  for  a  fall  hunt.  They  set  off  from 
Massie's  station,  (Manchester,)  up  the  Ohio ;  thence  up  Big  Sandy  some  distance,  hunting 
and  trapping  as  they  went  along.  Their  success  in  hunting  and  trapping  was  equal  to  their 
expectation.  Beaver  and  otter  were  plenty.  Although  they  saw  no  Indian  sign,  they  were 
very  circumspect  in  concealing  their  canoe,  either  by  sinking  it  in  deep  water,  or  conceal- 
ing it  in  thick  willow  brush.  They  generally  slept  out  in  the  hills,  without  fire.  This  con- 
stant vigilance  and  care  was  habitual  to  the  frontier  men  of  that  day.  They  hunted  and 
trapped  till  the  winter  began  to  set  in.  They  now  began  to  think  of  returning,  before  the 
rivers  would  freeze  up.  They  accordingly  commenced  a  retrograde  move  down  the  river, 
trapping  as  they  leisurely  went  down.  They  had  been  several  days  going  down  the  river — 
they  landed  on  a  small  island  covered  with  willows.  Here  they  observed  signs  of  beaver. 
They  set  their  traps,  dragged  their  canoe  among  the  willows,  and  remained  quiet  till  late 
in  the  night.  They  now  concluded  that  any  persons,  white,  red,  or  black,  that  might  hap- 
pen to  be  in  the  neighborhood,  would  be  in  their  camp.  They  then  made  a  small  fire 
among  the  willows,  cooked  and  eat  their  supper,  and  lay  down  to  sleep  without  putting  out 
:their  fire.  They  concluded  that  the  light  of  their  small  fire  could  not  penetrate  through  the 
thick  willows.  They  therefore  lay  down  in  perfect  self-security.  Sometime  before  day, 
as  they  lay  fast  asleep,  they  were  awakened  by  some  fellows  calling  in  broken  English. 
'•  Come,  come — get  up,  get  up."  Davis  awoke  from  sleep,  looked  up,  and,  to  his  astonish- 
ment, found  himself  and  companion  surrounded  by  a  number  of  Indians,  and  two  standing 
over  him  with  uplifted  tomahawks.  To  resist,  in  such  a  case,  would  be  to  throw  away 
their  lives  in  hopeless  struggle.     They  surrendered  themselves  prisoners. 

The  party  of  Indians,  consisting  of  upwards  of  thirty  warriors,  had  crossed  the  Ohio  about 
the  mouth  of  Guyandotte  river,  and  passed  through  Virginia  to  a  station  near  the  head  of 
Big  Sandy.  They  attacked  the  station  and  were  repulsed,  after  continuing  their  attack  two 
days  and  nights.  Several  Indians  were  killed  during  the  siege,  and  several  wounded. 
They  had  taken  one  white  man  prisoner  from  the  station,  by  the  name  of  Daniels,  and  taken 
all  the  horses  belonging  to  the  station.  The  Indians  had  taken,  or  made,  some  canoes,  in 
which  they  placed  their  wounded  and  baggage,  and  were  descending  the  river  in  their  canoes. 
As  they  were  moving  down  in  the  night,  they  discovered  a  glimpse  of  Davis's  fire  through 
the  willows.  They  cautiously  landed  on  the  island,  found  Davis  and  Campbell  fast  asleep, 
and  awakened  them  in  the  manner  above  related. 

Davis  and  Campbell  were  securely  fastened  with  tugs,  and  placed  in  their  own  canoe. 
Their  rifles,  traps,  and  the  proceeds  of  their  successful  hunt,  all  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Indians.  The  Indians  made  no  delay,  but  immediately  set  oft'  down  the  river  in  their 
< canoes  with  their  prisoners,  while  their  main  force  went  by  land,  keeping  along  the  river 
bottoms  with  the  horses  they  had  taken  from  the  station — keeping  near  the  canoes,  so  as  to 
be  able  to  support  each  other  in  case  of  pursuit  or  attack.  Early  the  next  day,  they  reached 
the  Ohio.     The  wounded  and  prisoners  were  first  taken  across  the  Ohio,  and  placed  under 


JACKSON    COUNTY.  261 

a  guard.  They  returned  with  the  canoes,  (leaving  their  arms  stacked  against  a  tree,)  to 
assist  in  getting  the  horses  across  the  river.  It  was  very  cold,  and  as  soon  as  the  horses 
would  find  themselves  swimming,  they  would  turn  round  and  land  on  the  same  shore.  The 
Indians  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  before  they  got  the  horses  across  the  Ohio.  The  guard 
who  watched  Davis  and  his  companions,  were  anxious,  impatient  spectators  of  the  restive 
disposition  of  the  horses  to  take  the  water.  Upon  one  occasion,  the  guard  left  the  prisoners 
twenty  or  thirty  yards,  to  have  a  better  view  of  the  difficulty  with  the  horses.  Davis  and 
his  fellow-prisoners  were  as  near  to  where  the  arms  were  stacked  as  were  the  Indian  guard. 
Davis,  who  possessed  courage  and  presence  of  rnind  in  an  eminent  degree,  urged  his  fellow- 
prisoners  to  embrace  the  auspicious  moment,  seize  the  arms,  and  kill  the  guard.  His  com- 
panions faltered — they  thought  the  attempt  too  perilous — should  they  fail  of  success,  nothing 
but  instant  death  would  be  the  consequence.  While  ths  prisoners  were  he.-itating  to  adopt 
the  bold  plan  of  Davis,  their  guard  returned  to  their  aims,  to  the  chagrin  of  Davis.  This 
opportunity  of  escape  was  permitted  to  pass  by  without  being  used.  Davis  ever  after 
affirmed,  that  if  the  opportunity  which  then  presented  it  elf  for  their  escape  had  been  boldly 
seized,  their  escape  was  certain.  He  frequently  averred  to  the  writer  of  this  narrative,  that 
if  Duncan  M' Arthur,  Nat  Beasly,  or  Sam.  M' Dowel,  had  been  with  him  upon  this  occasion, 
similarly  situated,  that  he  had  no  doubt  they  would  not  only  have  made  their  escape,  but 
killed  the  guard  and  the  wounded  Indians,  and  carried  off  or  destroyed  the  Indians'  arms. 
He  said,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  pusillanimity  of  his  fellow-prisoners,  they  might  have 
promptly  and  boldly  snatched  themselves  from  captivity,  and  done  something  worth  talking 
about.  The  opportunity,  once  let  slip,  could  not  again  be  recalled.  The  Indians,  after  a 
great  deal  of  exertion,  at  length  got  the  horses  across  the  Ohio,  and  hastily  fixed  litters  to 
carry  their  wounded  They  destroyed  their  canoes,  and  went  ahead  for  their  own  country. 
This  body  of  Indians  was  commanded  by  a  Shawnee  chief,  who  called  himself  Captain 
Charles  Wilkey.  After  Wayne's  treaty,  in  1795,  when  peace  blessed  our  frontiers,  the 
writer  of  this  sketch  became  well  acquainted  with  this  Captain  Wilky.  He  was  a  short, 
thick,  strong,  active  man,  with  a  very  agreeable  and  intelligent  countenance.  He  was 
communicative  and  social  in  his  manners.  The  first  three  or  four  years  after  Chillicothe 
was  settled,  this  Indian  mixed  freely  with  the  whites,  and  upon  no  occasion  did  he  show  a 
disposition  to  be  troublesome.  He  was  admitted  by  the  other  Indians  who  spoke  of  him,  to 
be  a  warrior  of  the  first  order — fertile  in  expedients,  and  bold  to  carry  his  plans  into  execu- 
tion.    Davis  always  spoke  of  him  as  being  kind  and  humane  to  him. 

The  Indians  left  the  Ohio,  and  pushed  across  the  country  in  the  direction  of  Sandusky  ; 
and  as  they  were  encumbered  with  several  wounded,  and  a  good  deal  of  baggage,  without 
road  or  path,  they  travelled  very  slow,  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  miles  a  day.  As  many 
of  the  prisoners,  taken  by  the  Indians,  were  burned  with  slow  fires,  or  otherwise  tortured  to 
death,  Davis  brooded  over  his  captivity  in  sullen  silence,  and  determined  to  effect  his  escape 
the  first  opportunity  that  would  offer,  that  would  not  look  like  madness  to  embrace.  At  all 
events,  he  determined  to  effect  his  escape  or  die  a  fighting.  The  Indians  moved  on  till 
they  came  to  Salt  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Jackson  county,  0.,  and  there  camped  for  the 
night.  Their  manner  of  securing  their  prisoners  for  the  night,  was  as  follows :  They  took 
a  strong  tug,  made  from  the  raw  hide  of  the  buffalo  or  elk.  This  tug  they  tied  tight  around 
the  prisoner's  waist.  Each  end  of  the  tug  was  fastened  around  an  Indian's  waist.  Thus, 
with  the  same  tug  fastened  to  two  Indians,  he  could  not  turn  to  the  one  side  or  the  other, 
without  drawing  an  Indian  with  him.  In  this  uncomfortable  manner,  the  prisoner  had  to 
lay  on  his  back  till  the  Indians  thought  proper  to  rise.  If  the  Indians  discovered  the  pris- 
oner making  the  least  stir,  they  would  quiet  him  with  a  few  blows.  In  this  painful  situation, 
the  prisoners  must  lay  till  light  in  the  morning,  when  they  would  be  unconfined.  As  the 
company  of  Indians  was  numerous,  the  prisoners  were  unconfined  in  daylight,  but  were  told 
that  instant  death  would  be  the  consequence  of  any  movement  to  leave  the  line  of  march, 
upon  any  occasion  whatever,  unless  accompanied  by  an  Indian. 

One  morning,  just  before  day  began  to  appear,  as  Davis  lay  in  his  uncomfortable  situa- 
tion, he  hunched  one  of  the  Indians,  to  whom  he  was  fastened,  and  requested  to  be  untied. 
The  Indian  raised  up  hi3  head  and  looked  round,  and  found  it  was  still  dark,  and  no  In- 
dians up  about  the  fires,  He  gave  Davis  a  severe  dig  with  his  fist,  and  bid  him  lay  still. 
Davis's  mind  was  now  in  a  state  of  desperation.  Fire  and  faggot,  sleeping  or  awake,  were 
constantly  floating  before  his  mind's  eye.  This  torturing  suspense  w:>uld  chill  his  soul  with 
horror.  After  sometime,  a  number  of  Indians  rose  ^  and  made  their  fires.  It  was  grow- 
ing light,  but  not  light  enough  to  draw  a  bead.  Davis  again  jogged  one  of  the  Indians  to 
whom  he  was  fastened,  and  said  the  tug  hurt  his  middle,  and  again  requested  the  Indian  to 
untie  him.  The  Indian  raised  up  his  head  and  looked  round,  and  saw  it  was  getting  light, 
and  a  number  of  Indians  about  the  fires,  he  untied  him.     Davis  rose  to  his  fcet,  and  was 


262  JACKSON    COUNTY. 

determined,  as  soon  as  he  could  look  round  and  see  the  most  probable  direction  of  making 
his  escape,  to  make  the  attempt,  at  all  hazards.  He  "  screwed  his  courage  to  the  sticking 
point."  It  was  a  most  desperate  undertaking.  Should  he  fail  to  effect  his  escape,  death, 
instant,  cruel  death,  was  his  certain  doom.  As  he  rose  up  to  his  feet,  with  this  deter- 
mined intention,  his  heart  fluttered  with  tremors — his  sight  grew  dim  at  the  thought  of  the 
perilous  plunge  he  was  about  to  make.  He  rose  up  to  his  feet — stood  a  minute  between 
the  two  Indians  to  whom  he  had  been  fastened,  and  took  a  quick  glance  at  the  Indians  who 
were  standing  around  him.  In  the  evening,  the  Indians  had  cut  two  forks,  which  were 
stuck  into  the  ground  ;  a  pole  was  laid  across  these  forks,  and  all  their  rifles  were  leaned 
against  the  pole.  If  he  made  his  start  back  from  the  Indian  camp,  the  rifles  of  the  Indians, 
who  were  standing  round  the  fires,  and  who,  he  knew,  would  pursue  him,  would  be  before 
them  ;  and  as  they  started  after  him,  they  would  have  nothing  to  do  but  pickup  a  rifle  as 
they  ran.  On  the  contrary,  if  he  made  his  plunge  through  the  midst  of  them,  they  would 
have  to  run  back  for  their  guns,  and  by  that  time,  as  it  was  only  twilight  in  the  morning, 
he  could  be  so  far  from  them  that  their  aim  would  be  very  uncertain.  All  this  passed 
through  his  mind  in  a  moment.  As  he  determined  to  makt  his  dash  through  the  midst  of 
the  Indians  who  were  standing  around  the  fires,  he  prepared  his  mind  and  body  for  the 
dreadiul  attempt.  The  success  of  his  daring  enterprise  depended  on  the  swiftness  of  his 
heels.  He  knew  his  bottom  was  good.  A  large,  active  Indian  was  standing  between 
Davis  and  the  fire.  He  drew  back  his  fist  and  struck  that  Indian  with  all  his  force,  and 
dropped  him  into  the  fire  ;  and  with  the  agility  of  a  buck,  he  sprang  over  his  body,  and  took 
to  the  woods  with  all  the  speed  that  was  in  his  power.  The  Indians  pursued,  yelling  and 
screaming  like  demons ;  but,  as  Davis  anticipated,  not  a  gun  was  fired  at  him.  Several 
Indians  pursued  him  for  some  distance,  and  for  some  time  it  was  a  doubtful  race.  The 
foremost  Indian  was  so  close  to  him,  that  he  sometimes  fancied  that  he  felt  his  clutch. 
However,  at  length  Davis  began  to  gain  ground  upon  his  pursuers — the  breaking  and  rust- 
ling of  brush  was  still  farther  and  farther  off.  He  took  up  a  long,  sloping  ridge ;  when 
he  reached  the  top,  he,  for  the  first  time,  looked  back,  and,  to  his  infinite  pleasure,  saw  no 
person  in  pursuit.  He  now  slackened  his  pace,  and  went  a  mile  or  two  further,  when  he  be- 
gan to  find  his  feet  gashed  and  bruised  by  the  sharp  stones  over  which  he  had  run,  without 
picking  his  way,  in  his  rapid  flight.  He  now  stopped,  pulled  off  his  waistcoat,  tore  it  in  two 
pieces,  and  wrapped  them  around  his  feet,  instead  of  moccasons.  He  now  pushed  his  way 
lor  the  Ohio.  He  crossed  the  Scioto  river,  not  far  from  where  Piketon,  in  Pike  county, 
now  stands.  He  then  marched  over  the  rugged  hills  of  Sunfish,  Camp  creek,  Scioto  Brush 
creek,  and  Turkey  creek,  and  struck  the  Ohio  river  eight  or  ten  miles  below  the  mouth  of 
Scioto.  It  was  about  the  first  of  January.  He  was  nearly  three  days  and  two  nights  with- 
out food,  fire,  or  covering,  exposed  to  the  winter  storms.  Hardy  as  he  undoubtedly  was, 
these  exposures  and  privations  were  almost  too  severe  for  human  nature  to  sustain.  But 
as  Davis  was  an  unwavering  believer  in  that  All-seeing  eye,  whose  providence  prepares 
means  to  guard  and  protect  those  who  put  their  trust  in  him,  his  confidence  and  courage 
never  forsook  him  for  a  moment,  during  this  trying  and  fatiguing  march. 

When  he  arrived  at  the  Ohio,  he  began  to  look  about  for  some  dry  logs  to  make  a  kind 
of  raft,  on  which  to  float  down  the  stream.  Before  he  began  to  make  his  raft,  he  looked  up 
the  Ohio,  and  to  his  infinite  gratification,  he  saw  a  Kentucky  boat  come  floating  down  the 
stream.  He  now  thought  his  deliverance  sure.  Our  fondest  hopes  are  frequently  blasted 
in  disappointment.  As  soon  as  the  boat  floated  opposite  to  him,  he  called  to  the  people  in 
the  boat — told  them  of  his  lamentable  captivity,  and  fortunate  escape.  The  boatmen  heard 
his  tale  of  distress  with  suspicion.  Many  boats,  about  this  time,  had  been  decoyed  to  shore 
by  similar  tales  of  woe  ;  and  as  soon  as  landed,  their  inmates  cruelly  massacred.  The  boat- 
men heard  his  story,  but  refused  to  land.  They  said  they  had  heard  too  much  about  such 
prisoners,  and  escapes,  to  be  deceived  in  his  case.  As  the  Ohio  was  low,  he  kept  pace 
with  the  boat  as  it  slowly  glided  along.  The  more  pitiably  he  described  his  forlorn  situ- 
ation, the  more  determined  were  the  boat  crew  not  to  land  for  him.  He  at  length  request- 
ed them  to  row  the  boat  a  little  nearer  the  shore,  and  he  would  swim  to  them.  To  this 
proposition  the  boatmen  consented.  They  commenced  rowing  the  boat  towards  the  shore, 
when  Davi3  plunged  into  the  freezing  water  and  swam  for  the  boat.  The  boatmen,  seeing 
him  swimming  towards  them,  their  suspicions  gave  way,  and  they  rowed  the  boat  with  all 
their  force  to  meet  him.  He  was  at  length  lifted  into  the  boat,  almost  exhausted.  (Our 
old  boatmen,  though  they  had  rough  exteriors,  had  Samaritan  hearts.)  The  boatmen  were 
not  to  blame  for  their  suspicion.  They  now  administered  to  his  relief  and  comfort  every 
thing  that  was  in  their  power.  That  night,  or  the  next  morning,  he  was  landed  at  Massie's 
station,  (Manchester,)  among  his  former  friends  and  associates,  where  he  soon  recovered 
bis  asual  health  and  activity. 


JACKSON    COUNTY.  263 

Jackson,  the  county  seat,  was  laid  out  in  1817,  and  is  73  miles  se. 
of  Columbus,  and  28  from  Chillicothe.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian, 
1  Baptist,  1  Episcopal  Methodist  and  1  Protestant  Methodist  church, 
6  or  8  stores,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  and,  in  1840,  had  297  in- 
habitants ;  since  which,  the  town  has  rapidly  improved,  and  is  now 
judged  to  contain  a  population  of  500.  Tn  this  vicinity  are  several 
valuable  mineral  springs,  and  also  remains  of  ancient  fortifications. 

The  famous  "  old  Scioto  salt-works"  are  in  this  region,  on  the 
banks  of  Salt  creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Scioto.  The  wells  were  sunk 
to  the  depth  of  about  30  feet,  but  the  water  was  very  weak,  requir- 
ing tenor  fifteen  gallons  to  make  a  pound  of  salt.  It  was  first  made 
by  the  whites  about  the  year  1798,  and  transferred  from  the  kettles 
to  pack-horses  of  the  salt  purchasers,  who  carried  it  to  the  various 
settlements,  and  sold  it  to  the  inhabitants  for  three  or  four  dollars  per 
bushel,  as  late  as  1808.  This  saline  was  thought  to  be  so  important 
to  the  country,  that,  when  Ohio  was  formed  into  a  state,  a  tract  of 
six  miles  square  was  set  apart  by  Congress,  for  the  use  of  the  state, 
embracing  this  saline.  In  1804,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  legislature, 
regulating  its  management,  and  appointing  an  agent  to  rent  out  small 
lots  on  the  borders  of  the  creek,  where  the  salt  water  was  most 
abundant  to  the  manufacturers.*  As  better  and  more  accessible 
saline  springs  have  been  discovered,  these  are  now  abandoned. 

The  expression,  very  common  in  this  region,  "  shooting  one  with  a  pack-saddle,"  is  said 
to  have  originated,  in  early  days,  in  this  way.  A  person,  who  had  come  on  horseback,  from 
some  distance,  to  the  salt-works  to  purchase  salt,  had  his  pack-saddle  stolen  by  the  boilers, 
who  were  a  rough,  coarse  set,  thrown  into  the  salt  furnace,  and  destroyed.  He  made  little 
or  no  complaint,  but  determined  to  have  revenge  for  the  trick  played  upon  him.  On  the 
next  errand  of  this  nature,  he  partly  filled  his  pack-saddle  with  gunpowder,  and  gave  the 
boilers  another  opportunity  to  steal  and  burn  it,  which  they  embraced — when,  lo  !  much  to 
their  consternation,  a  terrific  explosion  ensued,  and  they  narrowly  escaped  serious  injury. 

These  old  salt-works  were  among  the  first  worked  by  the  whites 
in  Ohio.  They  had  long  been  known,  and  have  been  indicated  on 
maps,  published  as  early  as  1755.  The  Indians,  prior  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country,  used  to  come  from  long  distances  to  make  salt 
at  this  place ;  and  it  was  not  uncommon  for  them  to  be  accompanied 
by  whites,  whom  they  had  taken  captive  and  adopted.  Daniel 
Boone,  when  a  prisoner,  spent  some  time  at  these  works.  Jonathan 
Alder,  a  sketch  of  whom  is  under  the  head  of  Madison  county,  was 
taken  prisoner,  when  a  boy,  by  the  Indians,  in  1782,  in  Virginia,  and 
adopted  into  one  of  their  families,  near  the  head  waters  of  Mad  river. 
He  had  been  with  them  about  a  year,  when  they  took  him  with  them 
to  the  salt-works,  where  he  met  a  Mrs.  Martin,  likewise  a  prisoner. 
The  meeting  between  them  was  affecting.  We  give  the  particulars 
in  his  own  simple  and  artless  language. 

It  was  now  better  than  a  year  after  I  was  taken  prisoner,  when  the  Indians  started  off  to 
the  Scioto  salt-springs,  near  Chillicothe,  to  n.ake  salt,  and  took  me  along  with  them.  Here 
I  got  to  see  Mrs.  Martin,  that  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  same  time  I  was,  and  this  was  the 
first  time  that  I  had  seen  her  since  we  were  separated,  at  the  council-house.     When  6he 

*  Dr.  Hildreth  on  the  "  Saliferous  Rock  formation  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio;"  Silliman's 
Journal,  Vol.  XXIV,  No.  1,  pp.  48,  49. 


264  JEFFERSON    COUNTY. 

saw  me,  she  came  smiling  and  asked  me  if  it  was  me.  I  told  her  it  was.  She  asked  me 
how  I  had  been.  I  told  her  I  had  been  very  unwell,  for  I  had  had  the  fever  and  ague  for 
a  long  time.  So  she  took  me  off  to  a  log,  and  there  we  sat  down  ;  and  she  combed  my 
head,  and  asked  me  a  great  many  questions  about  how  I  lived,  and  if  I  didn't  want  to  see 
my  mother  and  little  brothers.  I  told  her  that  I  should  be  glad  to  see  them,  but  never  ex- 
pected to  again.  She  then  pulled  out  some  pieces  of  her  daughter's  scalp,  that  she  said 
were  some  trimmings  they  had  trimmed  off  the  night  after  she  was  killed,  and  that  she 
meant  to  keep  them  as  long  as  she  lived.  She  then  talked  and  cried  about  her  family,  that 
was  all  destroyed  and  gone,  except  the  remaining  bits  of  her  daughter's  scalp.  We  staid 
here  a  considerable  time,  and,  meanwhile,  took  many  a  cry  together  ;  and  when  we  parted 
again,  took  our  last  and  final  farewell,  for  I  never  saw  her  again. 

There  was  found  in  this  county,  about  ten  years  since,  the  re- 
mains of  a  mastodon,  described  in  the  public  prints  of  the  time. 
Near  the  southern  line  of  the  county,  is  the  iron  furnace  of  Ellison, 
Tewksbury  &  Co.,  called  "  the  Jackson  Furnace."  Allensville,  Mid- 
dleton,  Oak  Hill  and  Charleston,  are  small  post  villages. 


JEFFERSON. 

Jefferson,  named  from  President  Jefferson,  was  the  fifth  county 
established  in  Ohio :  it  was  created  by  proclamation  of  Gov.  St. 
Clair,  July  29th,  1797 :  its  original  limits  included  the  country  west 
of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio ;  and  east  and  north  of  a  line  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga ;  southwardly  to  the  Muskingum,  and  east 
to  the  Ohio :  within  those  boundaries  is  Cleveland,  Canton,  Steuben- 
ville,  Warren  and  many  other  large  towns  and  populous  counties. 
The  surface  is  hilly  and  the  soil  fertile.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest 
manufacturing  counties  in  the  state,  and  abounds  in  excellent  coal. 
The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  Indian  corn  and  oats.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Brush  Creek,  757         Ross,  927         Steubenville,  5203 

Cross  Creek,        1702         Salem,  2044         Warren,  1945 

Island  Creek,       1867         Saline,  963         Wayne,  1746 

Knox,  1529         Smithfield,     2095         Wells,  1492 

Mount  Pleasant,  1676         Springfield,    1077 

The  population  of  Jefferson,  in  1820,  was  18,531  ;  in  1830,  22,489, 
and  in  1840,  25,031,  or  62  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  old  Mingo  town,  three  miles  below  Steubenville,  now  the 
site  of  the  farms  of  Jeremiah  H.  Hallock,  Esq.  and  Mr.  Daniel 
Potter,  was  a  place  of  note  prior  to  the  settlement  of  the  country. 
It  was  the  point  where  the  troops  of  Col.  Williamson  rendezvoused 
in  the  infamous  Moravian  campaign,  and  those  of  Col.  Crawford,  in 
his  unfortunate  expedition  against  the  Sandusky  Indians.  It  was 
also,  at  one  time,  the  residence  of  Logan,  the  celebrated  Mingo 
chief,  whose  form  was  striking  and  manly,  and  whose  magnanimity 
and  eloquence  has  seldom  been  equalled.  He  was  a  son  of  the 
Cayuga  chief  Skikellimus,  who  dwelt  at  Shamokin,  Pa.,  in  1742,  and 
was  converted  to  Christianity,  under  the  preaching  of  the  Moravian 
missionaries.     Skikellimus  highly  esteemed  James  Logan,  the  secre- 


o 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY.  2G5 

tary  of  the  province,  named  his  son  from  him,  and  probably  had  him 
baptized  by  the  missionaries. 

In  early  life,  Logan  for  a  while  dwelt  in  Pennsylvania :  and  in 
Day's  Historical  Collections  of  that  state,  is  a  view  in  Mifflin  county, 
of  Logan's  spring,  which  will  long  remain  a  memorial  of  this  dis- 
tinguished chief.  The  letter  below,  gives  an  incident  which  oc- 
curred there,  that  speaks  in  praise  of  Logan.  It  was  written  by 
the  Hon.  R.  P.  Maclay,  a  member  of  the  state  senate,  and  son  of 
the  gentleman  alluded  to  in  the  anecdote,  and  published  in  the  Pitts- 
burg Daily  American. 

Senate  Chamber,  March  21,  1842. 
To  George  Darsie,  Esq.,  of  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania. 

Dear  Sir — Allow  me  to  correct  a  few  inaccuracies  as  to  place  and  names,  in  the  anec- 
dote of  Logan,  the  celebrated  Mingo  chief,  as  published  in  the  Pittsburg  Daily  American 
of  March  17th,  1842,  to  which  you  called  my  attention.  The  person  surprised  at  the 
spring  now  called  the  Big  spring,  and  about  six  [four]  miles  west  of  Logan"s  spring,  was 
William  Brown — the  first  actual  settler  in  a  Kishacoquillas  valley,  and  one  of  the  associate 
judges  in  Mifflin  county,  from  its  organization  till  his  death,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  or 
two — and  not  Samuel  Maclay,  as  stated  by  Dr.  Hildreth.  I  will  give  you  the  anecdote  as 
I  heard  it  related  by  Judge  Brown  himself,  while  on  a  visit  to  my  brother,  who  then  owned 
and  occupied  the  Big  Spring  farm.* 

"  The  first  time  I  ever  saw  that  spring,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  my  brother,  James 
Reed  and  myself,  had  wandered  out  of  the  valley  in  search  of  land,  and  finding  it  very 
good,  we  were  looking  about  for  springs.  About  a  mile  from  this  we  started  a  bear,  and 
separated  to  get  a  shot  at  him.  I  was  travelling  along,  looking  about  on  the  rising  ground 
for  the  bear,  when  I  came  suddenly  upon  the  spring  ;  and  being  dry,  and  more  rejoiced  to 
find  so  fine  a  spring  than  to  have  killed  a  dozen  bears,  I  set  my  rifle  against  a  bush  and 
rushed  down  the  bank  and  laid  down  to  drink.  Upon  putting  my  head  down,  I  saw  re- 
flected in  the  water,  on  the  opposite  side,  the  shadow  of  a  tall  Indian.  I  sprang  to  my 
rifle,  when  the  Indian  gave  a  yell,  whether  for  peace  or  war  I  was  not  just  then  sufficiently 
master  of  my  faculties  to  determine  ;  but  upon  my  seizing  my  rifle,  and  facing  him,  he 
knocked  up  the  pan  of  his  gun,  threw  out  the  priming,  and  extended  his  open  palm  toward 
me  in  token  of  friendship.  After  putting  down  our  guns,  we  again  met  at  the  spring,  and 
shook  hands.  This  was  Logan — the  best  specimen  of  humanity  I  ever  met  with,  either 
white  or  red.  He  could  speak  a  little  English,  and  told  me  there  was  another  white  hunter 
a  little  way  down  the  stream,  and  offered  to  guide  me  to  his  camp.  There  I  first  met 
your  father.  We  remained  together  in  the  valley  a  week,  looking  for  springs  and  selecting 
lands,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  friendship  which  never  has  had  the  slightest  inter- 
ruption. 

We  visited  Logan  at  his  camp,  at  Logan's  spring,  and  your  father  and  he  shot  at  a  mark 
for  a  dollar  a  shot.  Logan  lost  four  or  five  rounds,  and  acknowledged  himself  beaten. 
When  we  were  about  to  leave  him,  he  went  into  his  hut,  and  brought  out  as  many  deer- 
skins as  he  had  lost  dollars,  and  handed  them  to  Mr.  Maclay — who  refused  to  take  them, 
alledging  that  we  had  been  his  guests,  and  did  not  come  to  rob  him — that  the  shooting  had 
been  only  a  trial  of  skill,  and  the  bet  merely  nominal.  Logan  drew  himself  up  with  great 
dignity,  and  said, '  Me  bet  to  make  you  shoot  your  best — me  gentleman,  and  me  take  your 
dollar  if  me  beat.'  So  he  was  obliged  to  take  the  skins,  or  affront  our  friend,  whose  nice 
sense  of  honor  would  not  permit  him  to  receive  even  a  horn  of  powder  in  return. 

"  The  next  year,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  I  brought  my  wife  up  and  camped  under  a 
big  walnut  tree,  on  the  bank  of  Tea  creek,  until  I  had  built  a  cabin  near  where  the  mill 
now  stands,  and  have  lived  in  the  valley  ever  since.  Poor  Logan"  (and  the  big  tears 
coursed  each  other  down  his  cheeks)  "  soon  after  went  into  the  Alleghany,  and  I  never 
saw  him  again." 

Yours,  R.  P.  MACLAY. 

Mrs.  Norris,  who  lives  near  the  site  of  Logan's  spring,  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  Brown :  she  confirmed  the  above,  and  gave  Mr.  Day 

*  This  spring  is  a  few  rods  south  of  the  Huntington  road,  in  the  rear  of  a  blacksmith's 
shop,  four  miles  west  of  Reedville. 

34 


2G6  JEFFERSON    COUNTY. 

the  following  additional  incidents,  highly  characteristic  of  the  be* 
nevolent  chief,  which  we  take  from  that  gentleman's  work. 

Logan  supported  his  family  by  killing  deer,  dressing  the  skins,  and  selling  them  to  the 
whites.  He  had  sold  quite  a  parcel  to  one  De  Yong,  a  tailor,  who  lived  in  Ferguson's 
valley,  below  the  gap.  Tailors  in  those  days  dealt  extensively  in  buckskin  breeches.  Logan 
received  his  pay,  according  to  stipulation,  in  wheat.  The  wheat,  on  being  taken  to  the 
mill,  was  found  so  worthless  that  the  miller  refused  to  grind  it.  Logan  was  much  cha- 
grined, and  attempted  in  vain  to  obtain  redress  from  the  tailor.  He  then  took  the  matter 
before  his  friend  Brown,  then  a  magistrate  ;  and  on  the  judge's  questioning  him  as  to  the 
character  of  the  wheat,  and  what  was  in  it,  Logan  sought  in  vain  to  find  words  to  express 
the  precise  nature  of  the  article  with  which  the  wheat  was  adulterated,  but  said  that  it 
resembled  in  appearance  the  wheat  itself,  "  It  must  have  been  cheat"  said  the  judge. 
"  Yoh  !"  said  Logan,  "  that  very  good  name  for  him."  A  decision  was  awarded  in  Logan's 
favor,  and  a  writ  given  to  Logan  to  hand  to  the  constable,  which,  he  was  told,  would  bring 
him  the  money  for  his  skins.  But  the  untutored  Indian — too  uncivilized  to  be  dishonest — 
could  not  comprehend  by  what  magic  this  little  paper  would  force  the  tailor,  against  his 
will,  to  pay  for  the  skins.  The  judge  took  down  his  own  commission,  with  the  arms  of  the 
king  upon  it,  and  explained  to  him  the  first  principles  and  operations  of  civil  law.  "  Law 
good,"  said  Logan  ;  "  make  rogues  pay."  But  how  much  more  simple  and  efficient  was  the 
law  which  the  Great  Spirit  had  impressed  upon  his  heart — to  do  as  he  would  be  done  by  ! 

When  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Norris  (afterwards  Mrs.  Gen.  Potter)  was  just  beginning  to  learn 
to  walk,  her  mother  happened  to  express  her  regret  that  she  could  not  get  a  pair  of  shoes 
to  give  more  firmness  to  her  little  step.  Logan  stood  by,  but  said  nothing.  He  soon  after 
asked  Mrs.  Brown  to  let  the  little  girl  go  up  and  spend  the  day  at  his  cabin.  The  cautious 
heart  of  the  mother  was  alarmed  at  such  a  proposition ;  but  she  knew  the  delicacy  of  an 
Indian's  feelings — and  she  knew  Logan,  too — and  with  secret  reluctance,  but  apparent 
cheerfulness,  she  complied  with  his  request.  The  hours  of  the  day  wore  very  slowly  away, 
and  it  was  nearly  night,  when  her  little  one  had  not  returned.  But  just  as  the  sun  was 
going  down,  the  trusty  chief  was  seen  coming  down  the  path  with  his  charge  ;  and  in  a 
moment  more  the  little  one  trotted  into  her  mother's  arms,  proudly  exhibiting  a  beautiful 
pair  of  moccasons  on  her  little  feet — the  product  of  Logan's  skill. 

Logan  took  no  part  in  the  old  French  war,  which  ended  in  1760, 
except  that  of  a  peace  maker,  and  was  always  the  friend  of  the 
white  people  until  the  base  murder  of  his  family,  to  which  has  been 
attributed  the  origin  of  Dimmore's  war.  This  event  took  place 
near  the  mouth  of  Yellow  creek,  in  this  county,  about  17  miles 
above  Steubenville.  The  circumstances  have  been  variously  re- 
lated. We  annex  them  as  given  by  Henry  Jolly,  Esq.,  who  was 
for  a  number  of  years  an  associate  judge  on  the  bench  of  Washing- 
ton county,  in  this  state.  The  facts  are  very  valuable,  as  coming 
from  the  pen  of  one  who  saw  the  party  the  day  after  the  murder ; 
was  personally  acquainted  with  some  of  the  individuals,  and  fa- 
miliar with  that  spot  and  the  surrounding  region.*     He  says  : 

I  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  but  I  very  well  recollect  what  I  then  saw,  and  the 
information  that  I  have  since  obtained,  was  derived  from  (I  believe)  good  authority.  In 
the  spring  of  the.  year  1774,  a  party  of  Indians  encamped  on  the  northwest  of  the  Ohio, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  creek.  A  party  of  whites,  called  "  Greathouse's  party," 
lay  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  The  Indians  came  over  to  the  white  parly, 
consisting,  I  think,  of  five  men  and  one  woman,  with  an  infant.  The  whites  gave 
them  rum,  which  three  of  them  drank,  and  in  a  short  time  they  became  very  drunk. 
The  other  two  men  and  the  woman  refused  to  drink.  The  sober  Indians  were  chal- 
lenged to  shoot  at  a  mark,  to  which  they  agreed  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  emptied 
their  guns,  the  whites  shot  them  down.  The  woman  attempted  to  escape  by  flight, 
but  was  also  shot  down  ;  she  lived  long  enough,  however,  to  beg  mercy  for  her  babe, 
telling  them  that  it  was  a  kin  to  themselves.     The  whites  had  a  man  in  the  cabin,  pre- 

*  This  statement  was  written  for  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  by  Mr.  Jolly,  and  published  in  Silk- 
man's  Journal,  for  183G. 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY.  267 

pared  with  a  tomahawk  for  the  purpose  of  killing  the  three  drunken  Indians,  which  was 
immediately  done.  The  party  of  men  then  moved  off  for  the  interior  settlements,  and 
came  to  "  Catfish  camp"  on  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  where  they  tarried  until  the  day 
following.  I  very  well  recollect  my  mother  feeding  and  dressing  the  babe  ;  chirruping  to 
the  little  innocent,  and  its  smiling.  However,  they  took  it  away,  and  talked  of  sending  it 
to  its  supposed  father,  Col.  George  Gibson,  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  "  who  was  then,  and  had  been 
for  many  years  a  trader  among  the  Indians."  The  remainder  of  the  party  at  the  mouth 
of  Yellow  creek,  finding  that  their  friends  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  were  massa- 
cred, attempted  to  escape  by  descending  the  Ohio  ;  and  in  order  to  prevent  being  discovered 
by  the  whites,  passed  on  the  west  side  of  Wheeling  island,  and  landed  at  Pipe  creek,  a  small 
stream  that  empties  into  the  Ohio  a  few  miles  below  Grave  creek,  where  they  were  over- 
taken by  Cresap,  with  a  party  of  men  from  Wheeling.*  They  took  one  Indian  scalp,  and 
had  one  white  man  (Big  Tarrener)  badly  wounded.  They,  I  believe,  carried  him  in  a  lit- 
ter from  Wheeling  to  Redstone.  I  saw  the  party  on  their  return  from  their  victorious  cam- 
paign. The  Indians  had  for  some  time  before  these  events,  thought  themselves  intruded 
upon  by  the  "  Long  Knife,"  as  they  at  that  time  called  the  Virginians,  and  many  of  them 
were  for  war.  However,  they  called  a  council,  in  which  Logan  acted  a  conspicuous  part. 
He  admitted  their  grounds  of  complaint,  but  at  the  same  time  reminded  them  of  some  ag- 
gressions on  the  part  of  the  Indians,  and  that  by  a  war  they  could  but  harrass  and  distress 
the  frontier  settlements  for  a  short  time  ;  that  "  the  Long  Knife"  would  come  like  the  trees 
in  the  woods,  and  that  ultimately  they  should  be  driven  from  the  good  lands  which  they 
now  possessed.  He  therefore  strongly  recommended  peace.  To  him  they  all  agreed  ; 
grounded  the  hatchet,  and  every  thing  wore  a  tranquil  appearance  ;  when  behold,  the  fu- 
gitives arrived  from  Yellow  creek  ;  and  reported  that  Logan's  father,  brother  and  sister, 
were  murdered !  Three  of  the  nearest  and  dearest  relations  of  Logan,  had  been  massa- 
cred by  white  men.  The  consequence  was,  that  this  same  Logan,  who  a  few  days  before 
was  so  pacific,  raised  the  hatchet,  with  a  declaration  that  he  would  not  ground  it  until  he 
had  taken  ten  for  one  ;  which  I  believe  he  completely  fulfilled,  by  taking  thirty  scalps  and 
prisoners  in  the  summer  of  1774.  The  above  has  often  been  related  to  me  by  several  per- 
sons who  were  at  the  Indian  towns  at  the  time  of  the  council  alluded  to,  and  also  when 
the  remains  of  the  party  came  in  from  Yellow  creek.  Thomas  Nicholson  in  particular,  has 
told  me  the  above  and  much  more.  Another  person  (whose  name  I  cannot  recollect)  in- 
formed me  that  he  was  at  the  towns  when  the  Yellow  creek  Indians  came  in,  and  that 
there  was  great  lamentation  by  all  the  Indians  of  that  place.  Some  friendly  Indian  advised 
him  to  leave  the  Indian  settlements,  which  he  did.  Could  any  rational  person  believe  for  a 
moment,  that  the  Indians  came  to  Yellow  creek  with  hostile  intentions,  or  that  they  had 
any  suspicion  of  similar  intentions  on  the  part  of  the  whites,  against  them  ?  Would  five 
men  have  crossed  the  river,  three  of  them  become  in  a  short  time  dead  drunk,  while  the 
other  two  discharged  their  guns,  and  thus  put  themselves  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the 
whites  ;  or  would  they  have  brought  over  a  squaw  with  an  infant  pappoos,  if  they  had  not 
reposed  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  friendship  of  the  whites  ?  Every  person  who  is  at  all 
acquainted  with  Indians  knows  better  ;  and  it  was  the  belief  of  the  inhabitants  who  were 
capable  of  reasoning  on  the  subject,  that  all  the  depredations  committed  on  the  frontiers,  by 
Logan  and  his  party,  in  1774,  were  as  a  retaliation  for  the  murder  of  Logan's  friends  at 
Yellow  creek.  It  was  well  known  that  Michael  Cresap  had  no  hand  in  the  massacre  at 
Yellow  creek.t 

During  the  war  which  followed,  Logan  frequently  showed  his 
magnanimity  towards  prisoners  who  fell  into  his  hands.  Among 
them  was  Maj.  Wm.  Robinson,  of  Clarksburg,  Va.,  from  whose  de- 
claration, given  in  Jefferson's  Notes,  and  information  orally  commu- 

*  Cresap  did  not  live  at  Wheeling,  but  happened  to  be  there  at  that  time  with  a  party 
of  men,  who  had,  with  himself,  just  returned  from  an  exploring  expedition  down  the  Ohio, 
for  the  purpose  of  selecting  and  appropriating  lands  (called  in  the  west,  locating  lands) 
along  the  river  in  choice  situations  ;  a  practice  at  that  early  day  very  common,  when  Vir- 
ginia claimed  both  sides  of  the  stream,  including  what  is  now  the  state  of  Ohio. — 5.  P.  H. 

t  A  brother  of  Capt.  Daniel  Greathouse,  said  to  have  been  present  at  the  massacre,  was 
killed  by  the  Indians  the  24th  March,  1791,  between  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto  and  Lime- 
stone, while  emigrating  to  Kentucky  in  a  flat  boat,  with  his  family.  He  seems  to  have 
made  little  or  no  resistance  to  the  Indians,  who  attacked  him  in  canoes.  They  probably 
knew  who  he  was,  and  remembered  the  slaughter  of  Logan's  family,  as  he  was  taken  on 
shore,  tied  to  a  tree,  and  whipped  to  death  with  rods. — S.  P.  H. 


268  JEFFERSON  COUNTY. 

nicated  by  his  son,  Col.  James  Robinson,  now  living  near  Coshocton, 
these  facts  are  derived. 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1774,  Major  Robinson,  then  a  resident  on  the 
west  fork  of  Monongahela  river,  was  in  the  field  with  Mr.  Colburn 
Brown  and  Mr.  Helen,  pulling  flax,  when  they  were  surprised  and 
fired  upon  by  a  party  of  eight  Indians,  led  by  Logan.  Mr.  Brown 
was  killed  and  the  other  two  made  prisoners.  On  the  first  alarm, 
Mr.  Robinson  started  and  ran.  When  he  had  got  about  50  yards, 
Logan  called  out  in  English,  "  Stop,  I  won't  hurt  you  I"  "  Yes,  you 
will,"  replied  Robinson,  in  tones  of  fear.  "  No,  I  won't,"  rejoined 
Logan,  "  but  if  you  don't  stop,  by  —  I'll  shoot  you."  Robinson  still 
continued  his  race,  but  stumbling  over  a  log,  fell  and  was  made  cap- 
tive by  a  fleet  savage  in  pursuit.  Logan  immediately  made  himself 
known  to  Mr.  Robinson  and  manifested  a  friendly  disposition  to  him, 
told  him  that  he  must  be  of  good  heart  and  go  with  him  to  his  town, 
where  he  would  probably  be  adopted  in  some  of  their  families. 
When  near  the  Indian  village,  on  the  site  of  Dresden,  Muskingum 
county,  Logan  informed  him  that  he  must  run  the  gauntlet,  and  gave 
him  such  directions,  that  he  reached  the  council-house  without  the 
slightest  harm.  He  was  then  tied  to  a  stake  for  the  purpose  of 
being  burnt,  when  Logan  arose  and  addressed  the  assembled  council 
of  chiefs,  in  his  behalf.  He  spoke  long  and  with  great  energy,  until 
the  saliva  foamed  from  the  sides  of  his  mouth.  This  was  followed 
by  other  chiefs  in  opposition,  and  rejoinders  from  Logan.  Three 
separate  times  was  he  tied  to  the  stake  to  be  burnt,  the  councils  of 
the  hostile  chiefs  prevailing,  and  as  often  untied  by  Logan  and  a  belt 
of  wampum  placed  around  him  as  a  mark  of  adoption.  His  life  ap- 
peared to  hang  on  a  balance ;  but  the  eloquence  of  Logan  prevailed, 
and  when  the  belt  of  wampum  was  at  last  put  on  him  by  Logan, 
he  introduced  a  young  Indian  to  him,  saying,  "  this  is  your  cousin, 
you  are  to  go  home  with  him  and  he  will  take  care  of  you." 

From  this  place,  Mr.  Robinson  accompanied  the  Indians  up  the 
Muskingum,  through  two  or  three  Indian  villages,  until  they  arrived 
at  one  of  their  towns  on  the  site  of  New  Comerstown,  in  Tusca- 
rawas county.  About  the  21st  of  July,  Logan  came  to  Robinson 
and  brought  a  piece  of  paper,  saying  that  he  must  write  a  letter  for 
him,  which  he  meant  to  carry  and  leave  in  some  house,  which  he 
should  attack.  Mr.  Robinson  wrote  a  note  with  ink,  which  he  man- 
ufactured from  gun-powder.  He  made  three  separate  attempts  before 
he  could  get  the  language,  which  Logan  dictated,  sufficiently  strong 
to  satisfy  that  chief.  This  note  was  addressed  to  Col.  Cresap,  whom 
Logan  supposed  was  the  murderer  of  his  family.  It  was  afterwards 
found,  tied  to  a  war  club,  in  the  cabin  of  a  settler  who  lived  on  or 
near  the  north  fork  of  Holston  river.*  It  was  doubtless  left  by  Lo- 
gan after  murdering  the  family.  A  copy  of  it  is  given  below,  which 
on  comparison  with  his  celebrated  speech,  shows  a  striking  similar- 
ity of  style. 

*  See  letter  of  Judge  Innes,  in  the  Fionecr,  Vol.  I,  p.  14. 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY.  269 

Captain  Cresap: 

What  did  you  kill  my  people  on  Yellow  creek  for  ?     The  white  people  killed  my  kin 
at  Conestoga,  a  great  while  ago  ;  and  I  thought  nothing  of  that.     But  you  killed  my  kin 
again  on  Yellow  creek  and  took  my  cousin  prisoner.     Then  I  thought  I  must  kill  too  ;  and 
I  have  been  three  times  to  war  since  ;  but  the  Indians  are  not  angry  ;  only  myself. 
July  2lst,  1774.  Captain  John  Logan. 

Major  Robinson,  after  remaining  with  the  Indians  about  four 
months,  returned  to  his  home  in  Virginia.  In  1801,  he  removed  to 
Coshocton  county,  and  settled  on  a  section  of  military  land,  on  the 
Muskingum,  a  few  miles  below  Coshocton,  where  he  died  in  1815, 
aged  72  years.     His  son  resides  on  the  same  farm. 

Dunmore's  war  was  of  short  duration.  It  was  terminated  in  No- 
vember of  the  same  year,  within  the  present  limits  of  Pickaway 
county,  in  this  state,  under  which  head  will  oe  found  a  copy  of  the 
speech  which  has  rendered  immortal  the  name  of  Logan. 

The  heroic  adventure  of  the  two  Johnson  boys,  who  killed  two 
Indians  in  this  county,  has  often  and  erroneously  been  published. 
One  of  these,  Henry,  the  youngest  is  yet  living  in  Monroe  county,  in 
this  state,  where  we  made  his  acquaintance  in  the  spring  of  184G. 
He  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  fast  vanishing  race  of  Indian  hunters, 
tall  and  erect,  with  the  bearing  of  a  genuine  backwoodsman.  His 
narrative,  recently  published  in  a  Woodsfield  paper,  here  follows  : 

I  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pa.,  on  the  4th  day  of  February,  1777.  When  I 
was  about  eight  years  old,  my  father  having  a  large  family  to  provide  for,  sold  his  farm 
with  the  expectation  of  acquiring  larger  possessions  farther  west.  Thus  he  was  stimulated 
to  encounter  the  perils  of  a  pioneer  life.  He  crossed  the  Ohio  river  and  bought  some  im- 
provements on  what  was  called  Beach  Bottom  flats,  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  river, 
and  three  or  four  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Short  creek.  Soon  after  he  came  there,  the 
Indians  became  troublesome.  They  stole  horses  and  various  other  things,  and  killed  a 
number  of  persons  in  our  neighborhood. 

When  I  was  between  eleven  and  twelve  years  old,  I  think  it  was  the  fall  of  1788, 1 
was  taken  prisoner  with  my  brother  John,  who  was  about  eighteen  months  older  than  I. 
The  circumstances  are  as  follows :  On  Saturday  evening  we  were  out  with  an  older 
brother,  and  came  home  late  in  the  evening ;  one  of  us  had  lost  a  hat,  and  John  and  I 
went  back  the  next  day  to  look  for  it.  We  found  the  hat,  and  sat  down  on  a  log  and  were 
cracking  nuts.  After  a  short  time,  we  saw  two  men  coming  down  from  the  direction  of 
the  house  ;  from  their  dress  we  took  them  to  be  two  of  our  neighbors,  James  Perdue  and  J. 
Russell.  We  paid  but  little  attention  to  them  till  they  came  quite  near  us.  To  escape  by 
flight  was  now  impossible,  had  we  been  disposed  to  try  it.  We  sat  still  until  they  came 
up  to  us.  One  of  them  said,  "  how  do  brodder  ;"  my  brother  then  asked  them  if  they  were 
Indians,  and  they  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  said  we  must  go  with  them.  One  of 
them  had  a  blue  buckskin,  which  he  gave  my  brother  to  carry,  and  without  further  cere- 
mony, we  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  the  wilderness ;  not  knowing  whether  we  should 
ever  return  to  the  cheerful  home  we  had  left ;  and  not  having  much  love  for  our  command- 
ing officers,  of  course  we  obeyed  martial  orders  rather  tardily.  One  of  the  Indians  walked 
about  ten  steps  before,  and  the  other  about  the  same  distance  behind  us.  After  travelling 
some  distance  we  halted  in  a  deep  hollow  and  sat  down.  They  took  out  their  knives  and 
whet  them,  and  talked  some  time  in  the  Indian  tongue,  which  we  could  not  understand.  I 
told  my  brother  that  I  thought  they  were  going  to  kill  us,  and  I  believe  he  thought  so  too  ; 
for  he  began  to  talk  to  them,  and  told  them  that  his  father  was  cross  to  him  and  made  him 
work  hard,  and  that  he  did  not  like  hard  work,  that  he  would  rather  be  a  hunter  and  live  in 
the  woods.  This  seemed  to  please  them,  for  they  put  up  their  knives  and  talked  more  lively 
and  pleasantly  to  us.  We  returned  the  same  familiarity,  and  many  questions  passed  be- 
tween us ;  all  parties  were  very  inquisitive.  They  asked  my  brother  which  way  home  was, 
and  he  told  them  the  contrary  way  every  time  they  would  ask  him,  although  he  knew  the 
way  very  well :  this  would  make  them  laugh  ;  they  thought  we  were  lost  and  that  we  knew 
no  better. 

They  conducted  us  over  Short  creek  hills  in  search  of  horses,  b'lt  found  none  ;  so  we 


270  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

continued  on  foot.  Night  carce  on,  and  we  halted  in  a  low  hollow,  about  3  miles  from 
Carpenter's  fort,  and  about  4  from  the  place  where  they  first  took  us.  Our  route  being 
somewhat  circuitous  and  full  of  zigzags,  we  made  headway  but  slowly.  As  night  began  to 
close  in  around  us,  I  became  fretful ;  my  brother  encouraged  me,  by  whispering  to  me  that 
we  would  kill  the  Indians  that  night.  After  they  had  selected  the  place  of  encampment, 
one  of  them  scouted  round  the  camp,  while  the  other  struck  fire,  which  was  done  by  stop- 
ping the  touch-hole  of  the  gun  and  flashing  powder  in  the  pan.  After  the  Indian  got  the 
fire  kindled,  he  re-primed  the  gun  and  went  to  an  old  stump  to  get  some  dry  tinder  wood 
for  fire  ;  and  while  he  was  thus  employed,  my  brother  John  took  the  gun,  cocked  it,  and 
was  about  to  shoot  the  Indian  ;  but  I  was  alarmed  fearing  the  other  might  be  close  by,  and 
be  able  to  overpower  us ;  so  I  remonstrated  against  his  shooting  and  took  hold  of  the  gun 
and  prevented  the  shot.  I,  at  the  same  time,  begged  him  to  wait  till  night  and  I  would 
help  him  to  kill  them  both.  The  Indian  that  had  taken  the  scout  came  back  about  dark. 
We  took  our  suppers,  talked  some  time  and  went  to  bed  on  the  naked  ground  to  try 
to  rest,  and  study  out  the  best  mode  of  attack.  They  put  us  between  them,  that  they 
might  be  the  better  able  to  guajd  us.  After  a  while  one  of  the  Indians,  supposing  we  were 
asleep,  got  up  and  stretched  himself  down  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire,  and  soon  began  to 
snore.  John,  who  had  been  watching  every  motion,  found  they  were  sound  asleep,  and 
whispered  to  me  to  get  up.  We  got  up  as  carefully  as  possible.  John  took  the  gun  which 
the  Indian  struck  fire  with,  cocked  it  and  placed  it  in  the  direction  of  the  head  of  one  the 
Indians ;  he  then  took  a  tomahawk  and  drew  it  over  the  head  of  the  other ;  I  pulled  the 
trigger  and  he  struck  at  the  same  instant ;  the  blow,  falling  too  far  back  on  the  neck,  only 
stunned  the  Indian  ;  he  attempted  to  spring  to  his  feet,  uttering  most  hideous  yells.  Al- 
though my  brother  repeated  the  blows  with  some  effect,  the  conflict  became  terrible  and 
somewhat  doubtful.  The  Indian,  however,  was  forced  to  yield  to  the  blows  he  received 
upon  his  head,  and,  in  a  short  time,  he  lay  quiet  and  still  at  our  feet.  After  we  were  satis- 
fied that  they  were  both  dead,  and  fearing  there  were  others  close  by,  we  hurried  off,  and 
took  nothing  with  us  but  the  gun  I  shot  with.  We  took  our  course  towards  the  river,  and 
in  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  we  found  a  path  which  led  to  Carpenter's  fort.  My 
brother  here  hung  up  his  hat,  that  we  might  know  on  our  return  where  to  turn  off  to  find  our 
camp.  We  got  to  the  fort  a  little  before  daybreak.  We  related  our  adventure,  and  a 
small  party  went  back  with  my  brother  and  found  the  Indian  that  was  tomahawked  ;  the 
other  had  crawled  away  a  short  distance  with  the  gun.  A  skeleton  and  a  gun  were  found, 
some  time  after,  near  the  place  where  we  had  encamped. 

The  last  blood  shed  in  battle  between  the  whites  and  Indians  in 
this  part  of  the  Ohio  country,  was  in  Jefferson  county,  in  August, 
1793.  This  action,  known  as  "Buskirk's  battle,"  took  place  on  the 
farm  of  Mr.  John  Adams,  on  what  was  then  known  as  Indian  Cross 
creek  now  as  Battle-Ground  run.  The  incidents  given  below  were 
published  in  a  Steubenville  paper,  a  few  years  since. 

A  party  of  twenty  eight  Indians  having  committed  depredations  on  this  side  of  the  river, 
a  force  of  thirty  eight  Virginians,  all  of  them  veteran  Indian  fighters,  under  Capt.  Bus- 
kirk,  crossed  the  river  to  give,  them  battle.  And  although  they  knew  they  were  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  enemy,  they  marched  into  an  ambuscade,  and  but  for  a  most  singular  circum- 
stance, would  have  been  mowed  down  like  pigeons.  The  whites  marched  in  Indian  file  with 
their  captain,  Buskirk,  at  their  head.  The  ambush  quartered  on  their  flank,  and  they 
were  totally  unsuspicious  of  it.  The  plan  of  the  Indians  was  to  permit  the  whites  to  ad- 
vance in  numbers  along  the  line  before  firing  upon  them.  This  was  done,  but  instead  of 
each  selecting  his  man,  every  gun  was  directed  at  the  captain,  who  fell  with  thirteen  bullet 
holes  in  his  body.  The  whites  and  Indians  instantly  treed,  and  the  contest  lasted  more 
than  an  hour.  The  Indians,  however,  were  defeated,  and  retreated  towards  the  Musk- 
ingum with  the  loss  of  several  killed,  while  the  Virginians,  with  the  exception  of  their 
captain,  had  none  killed  and  but  three  wounded. 

Steubenville  is  on  the  Ohio  river,  22  miles  above  Wheeling,  35 
below  Pittsburg  and  147  e.  by  n.  from  Columbus.  It  derives  its 
name  from  a  fort,  called  Fort  Steuben,  erected  on  its  site  as  early 
as  1789.  It  stood  on  High  street,  near  the  site  of  the  female  semi- 
nary.    It  was  built  of  block-houses  connected  by  palisade  fences, 


JEFFERSON  COUNTY.  271 

and  was  dismantled  at  the  time  of  Wayne's  victory,  previous  to 
which  it  had  been  garrisoned  by  U.  S.  infantry,  under  the  command 
of  Col.  Beatty,  father  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beatty,  of  Steubenville.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river  then  stood  a  block-house. 


Steubenville  Female  Seminary. 

The  town  was  laid  out  in  1798,  by  Bezaleel  Wells  and  the  Hon. 
James  Ross  of  Pennsylvania,  from  whom  Ross  county,  in  this  state, 
derived  its  name.  Mr.  Ross,  who  has  attained  high  honor,  is  yet 
living  ;  but  Mr.  Wells  died  poor,  after  having  been  at  one  time  con- 
sidered the  most  wealthy  person  in  eastern  Ohio.  On  the  14th  of 
February,  1805,  the  town  was  incorporated  and  the  following  officers 
appointed :  David  Hull,  president ;  John  Ward,  recorder  ;  David 
Hog,  Zacheus  A.  Beatty,  Benj.  Hough,  Thos.  Vincents,  John  Eng- 
land, Martin  Andrews  and  Abm.  Cazier,  trustees  ;  Samuel  Hunter, 
treasurer ;  Matthew  Adams,  assessor  ;  Charles  Maxwell,  collector, 
and  Anthony  Beck,  town  marshall. 

Steubenville  is  situated  upon  a  handsome  and  elevated  plain,  in 
the  midst  of  beautiful  scenery.  The  country  adjacent  is  rich  and 
highly  cultivated,  affording  the  finest  soil  for  wheat  and  sheep. 
Messrs.  Bezaleel  Wells  and  Dickerson  introduced  the  merino  sheep 
at  an  early  day,  and  established  in  the  town,  in  1814,  a  woolen 
manufactory,  which  laid  the  foundation  for  the  extensive  manufac- 


272  KNOX    COUNTY. 

tures  of  the  place.     Steubenville  contains  about  30  mercantile  stores, 

2  printing  offices,  (1  daily  newspaper,)  1  Episcopal,  2  Presbyterian, 

3  Methodist,  1  Catholic,  1  Baptist,  1  Associate  Reformed,  1  New 
Jerusalem  and  1  church  for  persons  of  color,  1  bank,  5  woolen, 
1  paper,  1  cotton  and  2  glass  manufactories,  1  iron  foundery  and  nu- 
merous other  manufacturing  and  mechanical  establishments.  In  the 
vicinity  are  7  copperas  manufactories.  From  800  to  1000  hands  are 
employed  in  these  various  establishments,  and  over  a  million  bush- 
els of  coal  annually  consumed,  which  is  obtained  from  inexhaustible 
coal  beds  in  the  vicinity,  at  3  cents  per  bushel.  The  town  is  very 
thriving  and  rapidly  increasing.  Its  population  in  1810,  was  800  ; 
in  1820,  2,479  ;  in  1830,  2,964  ;  in  1840,  4,247,  and  in  1847,  about 
7,000. 

Much  attention  is  given  to  the  cause  of  education  in  Steubenville. 
There  are  5  public  and  4  select  schools,  a  male  academy  and  a  fe- 
male seminary.  The  male  institution,  called  "  Grove  academy,"  is 
flourishing.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  John  W.  Scott,  has 
3  teachers  and  80  scholars.  The  female  seminary  is  pleasantly  sit- 
uated on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  commanding  an  extensive  view  of 
the  river  and  the  surrounding  hills.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Beatty,  D.  D.,  superintendent,  and  Mrs.  Hetty  E. 
Beatty,  principal.  It  was  first  established  in  the  spring  of  1829,  and 
now  receives  only  scholars  over  twelve  years  of  age.  It  is  in  a 
very  high  degree  flourishing,  having  a  widely  extended  reputation. 
The  establishment  cost  nearly  $40,000,  employs  from  10  to  12  teach- 
ers and  usually  has  150  pupils,  the  full  number  which  it  can  accom- 
modate. 

Mount  Pleasant,  21  miles  sw.  of  Steubenville,  is  a  large  and  flour- 
ishing village,  containing  4  churches,  beside  2  Friends  meeting 
houses,  8  or  10  stores,  a  female  seminary,  and  by  the  census  of  1840. 
had  666  inhabitants;  and  now  has  about  1000.  Richmond,  11  nvv. 
of  S.,  has  5  stores,  a  classical  academy  for  males,  2  churches,  1 
Friends  meeting  house  and  about  500  inhabitants.  Smithfield,  14 
bw.  of  S.,  has  about  the  same  number  of  stores,  churches  and  inhabi- 
tants, as  Richmond.  The  following  are  names  of  villages  in  Jeffer- 
son, with  their  population  in  1840:  Warren  209,  Knoxville  166, 
Springfield  138,  Tiltonville  137,  Portland  113,  Wintersville  107, 
New  Trenton  103,  New  Somerset  98,  New  Amsterdam  85,  New- 
burgh  75,  York  54  and  Monroesville  49. 


KNOX. 


Knox  was  named  from  General  Henry  Knox,  a  native  of  Boston, 
general  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  secretary  of  war  in  Wash- 
ington's administration.  It  was  formed  from  Fairfield,  March  1st, 
1808.  The  north  and  east  part  is  hilly — the  central  west  and  south 
part,  undulating  or  level.     The  bottom  lands  of  the  streams  are  very 


Berlin, 

1100 

Bloomfield, 

1252 

Brown, 

1204 

Butler, 

647 

Chester, 

1297 

Clay, 

1304 

Clinton, 

920 

Franklin, 

1343 

833 

Miller, 

977 

1012 

Monroe, 

1258 

999 

Morgan, 

912 

994 

Morris, 

1077 

994 

Pike, 

121G 

1205 

Pleasant, 

888 

1002 

Union, 

1098 

1157 

KNOX    COUNTY.  273 

rich,  particularly  those  of  Vernon  river,  which  stream  affords  abun- 
dance of  water  power.  The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  Indian 
corn,  oats,  tobacco,  maple  sugar,  potatoes  and  wool.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Harrison, 

Hillier, 

Howard, 

Jackson, 

Jefferson, 

Liberty, 

Middlebury, 

Milford, 
The  population  of  Knox,  in  1820,  was  8,326,  in  1830,  17,125,  and 
in  1840,  29,584  ;  or  48  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  early  settlers  of  the  county  were  mainly  from  the  middle 
states,  with  some  of  New  England  origin.  In  1805,  Mount  Vernon 
was  laid  out,  and  named  by  the  proprietors  of  the  soil,  who  were 
Joseph  Walker,  Thos.  B.  Paterson  and  Benj.  Butler,  from  the  seat  of 
Washington.  At  this  time,  the  county  was  thinly  settled.  Two 
years  after,  the  principal  settlers  were,  as  far  as  their  names  are 
recollected,  the  Rileys,  Darlings,  Shriplins,  Butlers,  Kritchfields, 
Welkers,  Dials,  Logues,  and  De  Witts,  on  Vernon  river.  In  other 
parts  of  the  county,  the  Hurds,  Beams,  Hunts  and  Dimick,  Kerr, 
Ayres,  Dalrymple,  Houck,  Hilliard,  the  Youngs,  Mitchells,  Bryants, 
Knights  and  Walkers.  In  the  spring  of  1807,  there  were  only  three 
families  living  on  the  plat  of  Mount  Vernon,  viz. :  Benjamin  Butler, 
tavern-keeper,  from  Penn.,  Peter  Coyle,  and  James  Craig.  The 
early  settlers  of  the  village  were,  beside  those  named,  Joseph  and 
James  Walker,  Michael  Click,  David  and  Wm.  Petigrue,  Samuel 
Kratzer,  Gilman  Bryant,  and  Rev.  James  Smith,  who  came  in  1808, 
and  was  the  first  Methodist  clergyman. 

When  the  settlers  first  came,  there  were  two  wells,  only  a  few 
rods  apart,  on  the  south  bank  of  Vernon  river,  on  the  edge  of  the 
town,  the  origin  of  which  remains  unknown.  They  were  built  of 
neatly  hammered  stone,  laid  in  regular  masonry,  and  had  the  appear- 
ance of  being  overgrown  with  moss.  Near  by,  was  a  salt  lick,  at 
which  the  Indians  had  been  accustomed  to  encamp.  Almost  imme- 
diately after  the  first  settlement,  all  traces  of  the  wells  were  oblite- 
rated, as  was  supposed,  by  the  Indians.  A  similar  well  was  later 
brought  to  light,  a  mile  and  a  half  distant,  by  the  plow  of  Philip 
Cosner,  while  plowing  in  a  newly  cleared  piece  of  forest  land.  It 
was  covered  with  poles  and  earth,  and  was  about  30  feet  deep. 

In  the  spring  of  1807,  Gilman  Bryant  opened  the  first  store  in  Mt. 
Vernon,  in  a  small  sycamore  cabin,  in  the  western  part  of  the  town. 
A  hewed  log  and  shingle-roofed  building  stood  on  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  Wood  and  Main  streets :  it  was  the  first  tavern,  and  was  kept 
by  Benj.  Butler.  The  first  frame  building  was  put  up  in  1809,  and  is 
now  standing  on  lot  138  Main  street.  The  old  court-house,  erected 
about  1810,  opposite  the  present  court-house,  on  the  public  square, 

35 


274  KNOX    COUNTY. 

was  the  first  brick  building :  it  was  two  stories  high,  and  thirty-six 
feet  square.  The  first  brick  building  was  erected  in  the  spring  of 
1815,  by  Gilman  Bryant,  now  standing  next  to  and  south  of  his  pre- 
sent residence.  The  first  church,  the  old  school  Presbyterian,  (now 
down,)  was  built  about  1817.  It  was  of  brick,  40  feet  square,  and 
one  story  high :  the  first  pastor  was  the  Rev.  James  Scott.  The  first 
licensed  preacher  in  the  county  was  the  Rev.  Wm.  Thrift,  a  Baptist, 
from  Loudon  county,  Va.,  who  came  in  1807,  and  travelled  about 
from  house  to  house.  The  first  crops  raised  in  the  county  were  corn 
and  potatoes.  They  were  grown  on  the  bottom  lands,  which  were 
the  first  cleared  :  those  lands  were  too  rich  for  wheat,  making  "  sick 
wheat"  so  termed,  because  when  made  into  bread,  it  had  the  effect 
of  an  emetic,  and  produced  feelings  similar  to  sea-sickness. 

At  an  early  day,  the  Indians,  in  great  numbers,  came  to  Mount 
Vernon  to  trade.  They  encamped  on  the  river  bank,  and  brought 
large  quantities  of  furs  and  cranberries  to  dispose  of  for  goods.  The 
whites  of  the  present  day  might  take  some  beneficial  hints  from  their 
method  of  trading  at  the  store  in  this  place.  They  walked  in  de- 
liberately and  seated  themselves,  upon  which  the  merchant  presented 
each  with  a  small  piece  of  tobacco.  Having  lighted  their  pipes, 
they  returned  the  residue  to  their  pouches.  These  were  made  of  a 
whole  mink  skin,  dressed  with  the  hair  on,  with  a  slit  cut  in  the 
throat,  as  an  opening.  In  it,  they  kept,  also,  some  kinnickinnick 
bark,  or  sumach,  which  they  always  smoked  with  their  tobacco, 
in  the  proportion  of  about  three  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  lat- 
ter. After  smoking  and  talking  awhile  together,  one  only  at  a  time 
arose,  went  to  the  counter,  and,  taking  up  a  yard  stick,  pointed  to 
the  first  article  he  desired,  and  inquired  the  price.  The  questions 
were  in  this  manner :  "  how  many  buckskins  for  a  shirt  pattern  ?"  or 
"  cloth  for  leggings  ?"  &c.     According  to  their  skin  currency, 

A  muskrat  skin  was  equal  to  a  quarter  of  a  dollar ;  a  raccoon  skin,  a  third  of  a  dollar  ;  a 
doe  skin,  half  a  dollar,  and  a  buck  skin,  "  the  almighty  dollar."  The  Indian,  learning  the 
price  of  an  article,  payed  for  it  by  picking  out  and  handing  over  the  skins,  before  proceed- 
ing to  purchase  the  second,  when  he  repeated  the  process,  and  so  on  through  the  whole, 
paying  for  every  thing  as  he  went  on,  and  never  waiting  for  that  purpose  until  he  had 
finished.  While  the  first  Indian  was  trading,  the  others  looked  uninterruptedly  on,  and 
when  he  was  through,  another  took  his  place,  and  so  on,  in  rotation,  until  all  had  traded. 
No  one  desired  to  trade  before  his  turn,  and  all  observed  a  proper  decorum,  and  never  at- 
tempted to  "  beat  down,"  but,  if  dissatisfied  with  the  price,  passed  on  to  the  next  article. 
They  were  cautious  not  to  trade  while  intoxicated  ;  but  usually  preserved  some  of  their 
skins  to  buy  liquor,  and  end  their  visit  with  a  frolic. 

The  early  settlers  in  the  town  all  felt  as  one  family.  If  one  got  a  piece  of  fresh  meat,  lib 
shared  it  with  his  neighbors,  and  when  a  person  was  sick,  all  sympathized.  At  night,  they 
met  in  each  other's  cabins,  to  talk,  dance,  and  take  a  social  glass.  There  was  no  distinc- 
tion of  party,  for  it  was  a  social  democracy.  At  their  weddings,  a  puncheon  table,  formed 
like  a  bench,  without  a  cloth,  was  covered  with  refreshments.  These  were  plain  and 
simple  :  wild  turkeys,  that  had  been  gobbling  about  in  the  woods,  were  stewed  and  eaten 
with  a  relish  ;  corn,  that  had  grown  on  the  river  fiats,  made  into  "pone"  served  as  wed- 
ding cake  ;  while  metheglin  and  whiskey,  the  only  articles  probably  :»ot  indigenous,  were 
the  beverages  that  washed  them  down.  Their  plates  were  either  of  wood  or  pewter,  per- 
haps both,  and  no  two  alike  ;  their  knives,  frequently  butcher  knives,  and  their  forks  often 
of  wood.  A  dance  was  the  finale  of  their  festivities.  They  made  merry  on  the  puncheon 
floor  to  the  music  of  the  fiddle.  Cotillions  were  unknown,  while  jigs,  four-handed  reels, 
the  double  shuffle  and  break  down  "  were  all  the  rage." 


KNOX    COUNTY  275 

After  Mount  Vernon  was  laid  out,  the  settlers  from  tho  region  round  about  w^re  accus- 
omed  to  come  into  town  on  Saturdays,  to  clear  the  stumps  out  of  the  streets.  Early  in 
.he  afternoon  they  quitted  work,  and  grew  jolly  over  a  large  kettle  of  "  stew."  This  was 
made  as  follows:  First,  a  huge  kettle,  of  gallons'  capacity,  was  placed  upon  the  ground, 
resting  upon  three  stones,  and  a  fire  kindled  under  it.  In  it  was  put  two  or  three  buckets 
of  water,  a  few  pounds  of  maple  sugar,  a  few  ounces  of  allspice,  which  had  been  pounded  in 
a  rag,  a  pound  of  butter,  and,  finally,  two  or  three  gallons  of  whiskey.  When  boiled,  the 
stew  was  taken  off,  a  circle  was  formed  around,  and  the  men  helped  themselves  liberally, 
with  tin  cups,  to  the  liquor,  told  hunting  stories,  wrestled,  ran,  hopped  and  jumped,  engaged 
in  foot  races,  shot  at  mark  for  goods  or  tobacco  purchased  at  the  store,  and  occasionally 
enlivened  the  scene  by  a  fight. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  county,  there  was  a  spirit  of  rivalry  as  to  which  should  be 
the  county  seat,  Mount  Vernon  or  Clinton,  a  town  laid  out  a  mile  and  a  half  north,  by 
Samuel  Smith — then  a  place  of  the  most  population,  now  among  the  "  things  that  were." 
The  commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice,  first  entered  Mount  Vernon,  and 
were  received  with  the  best  cheer,  at  the  log  tavern  of  Mr.  Butler.  To  impress  them  with 
an  idea  of  the  public  spirit  of  the  place,  the  people  were  very  busy  at  the  moment  of  their 
entrance  and  during  their  stay,  at  work,  all  with  their  coats  off,  grubbing  the  streets.  As 
they  left  for  Clinton,  all  quitted  their  labor,  not  "  of  love  ;"  and  some  rowdies,  who  dwelt  in 
cabins  scattered  round  about  in  the  woods,  away  from  the  town,  left  "the  crowd,"  and 
stealing  ahead  of  the  commissioners,  arrived  at  Clinton  first.  On  the  arrival  of  the  others 
at  that  place,  these  fellows  pretended  to  be  in  a  state  not  comformable  to  temperance  prin- 
ciples, ran  against  the  commissioners,  and  by  their  rude  and  boisterous  conduct,  so  disgusted 
the  worthy  officials  as  to  the  apparent  morals  of  the  inhabitants  of  Clinton,  that  they  re- 
turned and  made  known  their  determination  that  Mount  Vernon  should  be  the  favored  spot. 
That  night,  there  were  great  rejoicings  in  town.  Bonfires  were  kindled,  stew  made  and 
drank,  and  live  trees  split  with  gunpowder. 

The  first  settler  north  of  Mount  Vernon,  was  Nathaniel  M.  Young,  from  Pa.,  who,  in 
1803,  built  a  cabin  on  the  south  fork  of  Vernon  river,  three  miles  west  of  Fredericktown. 
Mr.  Young  and  his  neighbors  being  much  troubled  with  wolves,  got  together  and  made  a 
written  agreement  to  give  nine  bushels  of  corn  for  every  wolf's  scalp.  In  the  winter  of 
1805-6,  Mr.  Young,  John  Lewis  and  James  Bryant  caught  forty-one  wolves,  in  steel  traps 
and  pens.  Wolf  pens  were  about  6  feet  long,  4  wide  and  3  high,  formed  like  a  huge  square 
box,  of  small  logs,  and  floored  with  puncheons.  The  lid,  also  of  puncheons,  was  very  heavy, 
and  moved  by  an  axle  at  one  end,  made  of  a  small,  round  stick.  The  trap  was  set  by  a 
figure  four,  with  any  kind  of  meat  except  that  of  wolf's,  the  animals  being  fonder  of  any 
other  than  their  own.  On  gnawing  the  meat,  the  lid  fell  and  enclosed  the  unamiable  na- 
tive. Often,  to  have  sport  for  the  dogs,  they  pulled  out  the  legs  of  a  wolf  through  the- 
crevices  of  the  logs,  hamstrung,  and  then  let  him  loose,  upon  which  the  dogs  sprang  upon 
him,  while  he,  crippled  by  the  operation,  made  but  an  ineffectual  resistance.  In  the  ad- 
joining county  of  Delaware,  a  man,  somewhat  advanced  in  years,  went  into  a  wolf-trap  to 
render  the  adjustment  of  the  spring  more  delicate,  when  the  trap  sprung  upon  him,  and, 
knocking  him  flat  on  his  face,  securely  caught  him  as  was  ever  any  of  the  wolf  species.  He 
was  unable  to  lift  up  the  lid,  and  several  miles  from  any  house.  There  he  lay  all  one  day 
and  night,  and  would  have  perished  had  not  a  passing  hunter  heard  his  groans  and  relie-vetl 
him  from  his  peril. 

Mount  Vernon,  the  county  seat,  is  45  miles  ne.  of  Columbus.  It 
is  beautifully  situated  on  ground  slightly  ascending  from  Vernon 
river.  The  town  is  compactly  and  substantially  built,  and  some  of 
the  dwellings  elegant.  Main,  the  principal  business  street,  is  about 
a  mile  in  length,  on  which  are  many  brick  blocks,  three  stories  in 
neight.  The  view  was  taken  in  this  street,  at  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  public  square,  looking  north :  on  the  left  is  shown  the  market 
and  court-house,  on  the  right,  the  Episcopal  church,  an  elegant  stone 
edifice,  and  in  the  centre,  the  tower  of  the  old  school  Presbyterian 
church  and  the  jail.  This  flourishing  town  contains  2  Presbyterian, 
2  Methodist,  1  Baptist,  1  Lutheran,  1  Catholic  and  1  Episcopal  church, 
20  dry  goods,  6  grocery,  2  hardware,  3  apothecary  and  2  book 
stores  ;  1  fulling,  4  grist  and  5  saw  mills,  3  newspaper  printing  offices, 


276 


KNOX    COUNTY. 


unci  had,  in  1840,  2,363  inhabitants,  and  has  now  over  3,000.  The 
railroad,  constructing  from  Sandusky  City  to  Columbus,  will  connect 
this  place  with  those. 


Public  Square,  Mount  Vernon. 

Five  miles  east  of  Mount  Vernon,  on  a  beautiful,  healthy  and  ele- 
vated ridge,  encompassed  on  three  sides  by  the  Vernon  river,  is  the 
village  of  Gambier,  so  named  from  lord  Gambier,  and  widely  known 
as  the  seat  of  Kenyon  college.  This  town,  exclusive  of  the  college, 
contains  about  200  inhabitants.  It  was  laid  out  under  the  auspices 
of  the  venerable  Bishop  Chase,  in  July,  1826,  in  the  center  of  a  4,000 
acre  tract,  belonging  to  Kenyon  college.  This  institution  was  then 
founded,  with  funds  obtained  by  Bishop  Chase  in  England,  and  named 
after  lord  Kenyon,  one  of  its  principal  benefactors.  It  was  first 
chartered  as  a  theological  seminary.  It  is  richly  endowed,  having 
S.000  acres  of  land,  and  its  property  is  valued  at  $100,000.  The 
college  proper  has  about  50  students;  the  theological  seminary  about 
20 ;  the  senior  grammar  school  about  20,  and  Milnor  Hall,  an  insti- 
tute for  boys,  about  25.  In  the  various  libraries  are  near  10.000 
volumes. 

The  main  college  building  is  romantically  situated.  You  enter  a 
gate  into  a  large  area:  in  the  foreground  is  a  large  grassy,  cleared 
plat  of  several  acres,  on  the  right  of  which  stands  Rosse  chapel,  an 
elegant  Grecian  structure ;  on  the  left  and  below,  is  the  beautiful 
Vernon  valley,  bounded  by  forest-clad  hills,  over  which  the  eye 
passes  in  the  perspective  for  miles  and  miles,  until  the  blue  of  dis- 
tant hills  and  sky  meet  and  blend  in  one.  Through  the  centre  of 
the  grassy  plat  passes  a  footpath,  which,  at  the  distance  of  200  yards, 
continues  its  straight  line  in  a  narrow  opening  through  a  forest, 
and  terminates  at  the  college,  about  one  third  of  a  mile  distant,  the 
spire  of  which  rises  darkly  above  the  green  foliage,  like  that  of  an 
ancient  abbey,  while  the  main  building  is  mostly  concealed.     The 


KNOX    COUNTY. 


277 


whole  scene,  the  graceful,  cheerful  architecture  of  the  chapel,  on  the 
right,  the  valley  on  the  left,  the  pleasant,  grassy  green  in  front,  the 
forest  beyond,  with  the  sombre,  half-concealed  building  in  the  dis- 
tance, give  an  ever-enduring  impression.     Standing  at  the  gate,  with 


Kenyan  College. 

the  back  to  the  college,  the  scene  changes :  a  broad  avenue  termi- 
nates at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  at  the  head  of  which,  in  a  com- 
manding position,  faces  Bexley  Hall,  a  building  appropriated  to  the 
theological  seminary.  It  is  a  large,  elegant,  and  highly  ornamented 
Gothic  structure,  of  a  light  color,  with  battlements  and  turrets,  stand- 
ing boldly  relieved  against  the  blue  sky,  except  its  lower  portion, 
where  it  is  concealed  by  the  shrubbery  of  a  spacious  yard  in  front. 
To  the  left,  and  near  the  Hall,  an  imposing  residence,  late  occupied 
by  Bishop  M'llvaine,  faces  the  avenue.  Away  off  to  the  right, 
among  the  trees,  is  Milnor  Hall,  and  scattered  about  in  various 
directions,  near  and  far,  private  dwellings,  offices  and  various  struc- 
tures, some  plain  and  others  adorned,  some  in  full  view  and  others 
partly  hid  by  the  undulations  of  the  ground,  trees  and  shrubbery. 

Fredericktown  is  a  flourishing  and  well-built  village,  7  miles  nw. 
of  Mount  Vernon,  which  was  laid  out  in  1807,  by  John  Kerr.  Ver- 
non river,  on  which  it  is  situated,  furnishes  considerable  water 
power :  on  the  middle  branch  of  that  stream,  near  the  village,  are 
some  ancient  fortifications  and  mounds.  The  town  contains  2  Pres- 
byterian, 2  Methodist  and  1  Universalist  church ;  8  dry  goods  and 
1  grocery  store,  2  grist,  2  saw,  2  carding  and  2  fulling  mills,  and 
had,  in  1840,  444  inhabitants — since  which,  it  has  increased.  Ches- 
terville,  12  miles  nw.  from  Mount  Vernon,  on  Vernon  river,  has  2 
churches,  5  stores,  2  flouring  mills,  and  ah  out  400  inhabitants. 
Martinsburgh,  12  se.  of  the  county  seat,  on  the  Zanesville  road,  has 
4  stores,  2  churches,  an  excellent  academy,  and  about  400  inhabi- 
tants. Millwood,  Bladensburgh,  Amity,  Danville,  Centerburg,  Mt. 
Liberty,  Sparta,  Palmyra  and  Mount  Holly,  are  villages,  the  largest 
of  which  may  contain  300  inhabitants. 


278  LAKE    COUNTY. 


LAKE. 

Lake  was  formed  March  6th,  1840,  from  Geauga  and  Cuyahoga, 
and  so  named  from  its  bordering  on  Lake  Erie.  The  surface  is  more 
rolling  than  level ;  the  soil  is  good,  and  generally  clayey  loam,  inter- 
spersed with  ridges  of  sand  and  gravel.  The  principal  crops  are 
wheat,  corn,  oats,  barley,  buckwheat,  hay  and  potatoes.  Dairy 
products,  beef  cattle  and  wool  are  also  among  the  staples.  This 
county  is  peculiar  for  the  quality  and  quantity  of  its  fruit,  as  apples, 
pears,  peaches,  plums,  grapes,  &c.  Many  thousand  dollars'  worth 
are  annually  exported,  and  many  of  its  inhabitants  leave  every 
spring,  to  engage  in  the  business  of  grafting  at  the  south  and  west. 
The  situation  of  this  county  is  very  favorable  to  the  preservation  of 
the  fruit  from  the  early  frosts,  the  warm  lake  winds  often  preventing 
its  destruction,  while  that  some  twenty  miles  inland,  is  cut  off.  Bog 
iron  ore  is  found  in  large  quantities  in  Perry  and  Madison,  and  there 
are  several  furnaces  in  the  county.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population: 

Concord,       1136         Madison,         2801         Perry,  1337 

Kirtland,       1777         Mentor,  1245         Willoughby,    1943 

Leroy,  898         Painesville,     2580 

Population  of  Lake,  in  1840,  13,717,  or  65  inhabitants  to  the 
square  mile. 

Mentor  was  the  first  place  settled  in  this  county.  In  the  summer  of  1799,  two  families 
were  there.*  Among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Lake,  was  the  Hon.  John  Walworth,  who 
was  born  at  New  London,  Ct.,  in  1765. 

When  a  young  man,  he  spent  five  years  at  sea  and  in  Demarara,  South  America.  About 
the  year  1792,  he  removed,  with  his  family,  to  the  then  new  country  east  of  Cayuga  lake, 
New  York.  In  1799,  he  visited  Cleveland,  and  after  his  return,  in  the  fall  of  that  year, 
journeyed  to  Connecticut,  purchased  over  two  thousand  acres  of  land  in  the  present  town- 
ship of  Painesville,  with  the  design  of  making  a  settlement.  On  the  20th  of  February, 
1800,  he  commenced  the  removal  of  his  family  and  effects.  They  were  brought  on  as  far 
as  Buffalo,  in  sleighs.  At  that  place,  after  some  little  detention,  the  party  being  enlarged 
by  the  addition  of  some  others,  drove  in  two  sleighs  on  to  the  ice  of  the  lake,  and  pro- 
ceeded until  abreast  of  Cattaraugus  creek,  at  which  point  they  were  about  ten  miles  from 
land.  At  dusk,  leaving  their  sleighs  and  horses  some  50  or  60  rods  from  shore,  they  made 
their  camp  under  some  hemlock  trees,  where  all,  men,  women  and  children  passed  an 
agreeable  night,  its  earlier  hours  being  enlivened  by  good  cheer  and  social  converse.  The 
next  afternoon,  they  arrived  at  Presque  isle,  (now  Erie,  Pa.,)  where,  leaving  his  family, 
Mr.  Walworth  went  back  to  Buffalo,  for  his  goods.  On  his  return  to  Erie,  he,  with  his 
hired  man  and  two  horses  and  a  yoke  of  oxen,  followed  the  lake  shore,  and  arrived  in 
snfety  at  his  new  purchase.  His  nearest  neighbors  east,  were  at  Harpersfield,  15  miles 
distant.  On  the  west,  a  {ew  miles  distant,  within  or  near  the  present  limits  of  Mentor, 
was  what  was  then  called  the  Marsh  settlement,  where  was  then  living  Judge  Jes^e  Phelps, 
.lared  Wood,  Ebenezer  Merry,  Charles  Parker  and  Moses  Parks.  Mr.  Walworth  soon  re- 
turned to  Erie,  on  foot,  and  brought  out  his  family  and  effects  in  a  flat  boat,  all  arriving  safe 
at  the  new  home  on  the  7th  of  April.  The  first  fortnight  they  lived  in  a  tent,  during  which 
period  the  sun  was  not  seen.  About  the  expiration  of  this  time,  Gen.  Edward  Paine — the 
first  delegate  to  the  legislature  from  the  Lake  county,  in  the  winter  of  1801-2 — arrived 
with  seven  or  eight  hired  men,  and  settled  about  a  mile  distant.  Mutually  assisting  each 
other,  cabins  were  soon  erected  for  shelter,  and  gradually  the  conveniences  of  civilization 
clustered  around  them. 

*  Mrs.  Tappan,  in  the  mss.  of  the  Ashtabula  Historical  Society. 


LAKE    COUNTY. 


279 


Shortly  after  the  formation  of  the  state  government,  Mr.  Walworth,  Solomon  Griswold, 
of  Windsor,  and  Calvin  Austin,  of  Warren,  were  appointed  associate  judges  of  Trumbull 
county.  In  1805,  Judge  Walworth  was  appointed  collector  of  customs  for  the  district  of 
Erie.  In  August,  he  opened  the  collector's  office  at  Cleveland,  and  in  the  March  ensuing, 
removed  his  family  thither.  He  held  various  offices  until  his  decease,  Sept.  10th,  1812,  and 
was  an  extensive  land  agent.  Judge  Walworth  was  small  in  stature,  and  of  weakly  con- 
stitution. Prior  to  his  removal  to  the  west,  it  was  supposed  he  had  the  consumption  ;  but 
to  the  hardships  and  fatigue  he  endured,  and  change  of  climate,  his  physicians  attributed 
the  prolongation  of  his  life  many  years.  He  was  a  fearless  man,  and  possessed  of  that 
indomitable  perseverance  and  strength  of  will,  especially  important  in  overcoming  the  ob- 
stacles in  the  path  of  the  pioneer.* 


View  in  Painesville. 

Painesville,  the  county  seat,  and  the  largest  village  between  Cleve- 
land and  Erie,  Pa.,  is  31  miles  e.  of  Cleveland,  and  170  ne.  of  Co- 
lumbus. The  Grand  river  skirts  the  village  on  the  east,  in  a  deep 
and  picturesque  valley.  Painesville  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
villages  in  the  west :  it  is  somewhat  scattered,  leaving  ample  room 
for  the  cultivation  of  gardens,  ornamental  trees  and  shrubbery.  A 
handsome  public  square  of  several  acres,  adorned  with  young  trees, 
is  laid  out  near  the  center  of  the  town,  on  which  face  some  public 
buildings  and  private  mansions.  The  view  represents  the  principal 
public  buildings  in  the  place.  The  first  on  the  left,  is  the  Methodist 
church ;  the  building  next,  without  a  spire,  tower  or  cupola,  is  the 
Disciple  church;  the  one  beyond,  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  that 
most  distant,  the  court  house :  these  two  last  front  the  west  side  of 
the  public  square.  Painesville  is  a  flourishing  town,  containing  1 
Episcopal,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Disciples  and  1  Methodist  church,  14 
mercantile  stores,  1  flouring  mill,  1  bank,  1  newspaper  printing 
office,  and  has  increased  since  1840,  when  it  had  1014  inhabitants. 
The  Painesville  academy  is  a  classical  institution  for  both  sexes,  and 
in  fine  repute :  a  large  brick  building  is  appropriated  for  its  uses. 
Near  the  town  is  the  Geauga  furnace,  which  employs  a  heavy 
capital. 


*  From  the  Barr  mss. 


280  LAKE    COUNTY. 

Painesville  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1805,  by  Henry  Cham- 
pion, and  originally  named  Champion :  it  was  afterwards  changed 
to  that  of  the  township  which  derived  its  name  from  Gen.  Ed.  Paine, 
a  native  of  Connecticut,  an  officer  of  the  revolution,  and  an  early 
settler:  he  died  only  a  few  years  since,  at  an  advanced  age,  leaving 
the  reputation  of  a  warm  hearted  and  excellent  man. 

Among  the  aborigines  familiarly  known  to  the  early  settlers  at 
Painesville,  was  a  fine  specimen  of  manhood,  called  by  the  whites, 
Seneca ;  by  the  Indians,  Stigwanish,  which,  being  rendered  in 
English,  signifies  the  Standing  Stone.  Says  an  old  pioneer,  in  the 
Barr  mss  : 

Whoever  once  saw  him,  and  could  not  at  once  perceive  the  dignity  of  a  Roman  senator, 
the  honesty  of  Aristides  and  the  philanthropy  of  William  Penn,  must  be  unacquainted  with 
physiognomy.  He  was  never  known  to  ask  a  donation,  but  would  accept  one  exactly  as 
he  ought,  when  offered.  But  it  was  not  suffered  to  rest  there  ;  an  appropriate  return  was 
sure  to  be  made,  and  he  would  frequently  be  in  advance.  He  drank  cider  or  Malaga 
wine  moderately,  but  was  so  much  of  a  teetotaller,  as  to  have  abjured  ardent  spirits  since 
the  time  when,  in  a  drunken  frenzy,  he  aimed  a  blow  with  his  tomahawk  at  his  wife,  which 
split  the  head  of  the  papoose  on  her  back.  He  seldom  wanted  credit  in  his  trading  trans- 
actions, and  when  he  did,  there  was  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  it,  as  he  was  sure  to  make 
punctual  payment  in  specie.  Once,  when  himself  and  wife  dined  with  us  at  Painesville, 
lie  took  much  trouble  to  instruct  her  in  the  use  of  the  knife  and  fork.  Vain  attempt !  his 
usual  politeness  forsook  him,  and  bursts  of  immoderate  laughter  succeeded,  in  which  we 
were  all  compelled  to  join.  The  last  time  I  saw  Seneca — the  fine  old  fellow — was  at 
Judge  Walworth's,  in  Cleveland,  a  short  time  before  hostilities  commenced  with  Great 
Britain.  He  expressed  to  me  a  fear  that  war  was  inevitable,  and  that  the  Indians,  insti- 
gated by  the  British,  would  overwhelm  our  weak  settlements ;  but  gave  the  strongest  assu- 
rances that  if  it  should  be  possible,  he  would  give  us  seasonable  notice.  If  he  was  not 
prevented  by  age  or  infirmities  from  redeeming  his  pledge,  he  was  probably  killed  by  his 
own  people,  while  endeavoring  to  leave  their  lines,  or  by  some  of  ours,  through  a  mistake 
of  his  character. 

The  Hon.  Samuel  Huntington,  who  was  governor  of  the  state 
from  1808  to  1810,  resided  at  Painesville,  in  the  latter  part  of  his 
life,  and  died  there  in  1817.  Prior  to  his  removal  to  Painesville,  he 
resided  at  Cleveland.  One  evening,  while  travelling  towards  Cleve- 
land from  the  east,  he  was  attacked,  about  two  miles  from  the  town, 
by  a  pack  of  wolves,  and  such  was  their  ferocity,  that  he  broke  his 
umbrella  to  pieces  in  keeping  them  off,  to  which,  and  the  fleetness 
of  his  horse,  he  owed  the  preservation  of  his  life. 

Three  miles  below  Painesville,  at  the  mouth  of  Grand  river,  is 
Fairport,  laid  out  in  1812,  by  Samuel  Huntington,  Abraham  Skinner, 
Seymour  and  Calvin  Austin,  and  Simon  Perkins.  The  first  ware- 
house in  this  region,  and  perhaps  on  the  lake,  was  built  about  1803, 
on  the  river,  two  miles  above,  by  Abraham  Skinner,  near  which,  in 
the  dwelling  of  Mr.  Skinner,  the  first  court  in  the  old  county  of 
Geauga,  was  held.  Fairport  has  one  of  the  best  harbors  on  the 
lake,  and  so  well  defended  from  winds,  and  easy  of  access,  that 
vessels  run  in  when  they  cannot  easily  make  other  ports.  The 
water  is  deep  enough  for  any  lake  craft,  and  about  $60,000  has  been 
expended  in  improving  the  harbor,  by  the  general  government. 
Lake  steamers  stop  here,  and  considerable  commerce  is  carried  on. 
Fairport  contains  8  forwarding  houses,  several  groceries,  from  20 


LAKE    COUNTY. 


281 


to  40  dwellings,  and  a  light  house,  and  a  beacon  to  guide  the  mar- 
iner on  the  fresh  water  sea. 

Richmond,  one  mile  above  Fairport,  on  the  opposite  and  west 
side  of  the  river,  was  laid  out  about  ten  years  ago,  in  the  era  of 
speculation.  A  large  village  was  built,  a  steamboat  was  owned 
there,  and  great  things  promised.  Not  having  the  natural  elements 
of  prosperity,  it  soon  waned,  some  of  its  dwellings  were  removed  to 
Painesville,  while  many  others,  deserted  and  decaying,  are  left  to 
mark  the  spot. 


Medical  University,  etc.,  Willoughby. 

The  neat  and  pleasant  village  of  Willoughby,  is  on  Chagrin  river, 
2^  miles  from  its  mouth,  19  miles  from  Cleveland,  and  11  s.  w.  of 
Painesville.  The  village  and  township  were  originally  called  Cha- 
grin, and  changed,  in  1834,  to  the  present  name,  in  honor  of  Prof. 
Willoughby,  of  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y.  It  was  settled  about 
the  year  1799,  by  David  Abbot,  (see  page  156,)  Peter  French, 
Jacob  West,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Elisha  Graham  and  others.  Abbot 
built  the  first  grist  mill  on  the  site  of  the  Willoughby  mills :  Smith 
was  the  first  man  who  received  a  regular  deed  of  his  land  from  the 
Connecticut  land  company.  Jn  1796,  Charles  Parker,  one  of  the 
surveyors,  built  a  house  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  a  number  of 
huts  for  the  use  of  the  land  company  :  the  house  was  the  first  erected 
in  the  township,  and  probably  the  first  in  the  county.  Parker  be- 
came a  settler  in  1802;  in  1803  and  1804,  John  Miller,  Christopher 
Colson,  James  Lewis  and  Jacob  West  settled  in  Willoughby.  Dr. 
Henderson,  the  first  regular  physician,  came  in  1813,  and  the  first 
organized  town  meeting  was  held  April  3d,  1815.  A  bloody  battle, 
says  tradition,  was  fought  at  an  early  day  between  the  Indians,  on 
the  spot  where  the  medical  college  stands :  human  bones  have  been 
discovered,  supposed  to  be  of  those  who  fell  in  that  action. 

The  village  of  Willoughby  contains  4  stores,  2  churches,  18  me- 
chanic shops,  1  fulling  mill,  and  in  1840,  had  390  inhabitants.  The 
engraving  shows,  on  the  right,  the  Presbyterian  church,  on  the  left, 
the  Methodist  church,  and  in  the  centre,  on  a  pleasant  green,  the  Med- 
ical University,  a  spacious  brick  edifice.  This  flourishing  and  well 
conducted  institution,  was  founded  in  1834  :  its  number  of  pupils  has 

36 


282  LAKE   COUNTY. 

been  gradually  increasing,  and  in  1846,  its  annual  circular  showed 
174  students  in  attendance.  The  moderate  expenses  of  the  institute, 
the  low  price  of  board — from  $1.25  to  $1.50  per  week — give  it  ad- 
vantages to  those  of  moderate  means.  Its  president  is  Amasa  Trow- 
bridge, who,  with  seven  other  professors,  and  an  anatomical  demon- 
strator, form  an  ample  corps  of  instructors.* 

Kirtland  is  9  miles  southwest  from  Painesville,  in  a  fine  country, 
on  an  elevation  on  the  southern  side  of  a  branch  of  Chagrin  river, 
which  here  runs  in  a  deep  and  romantic  valley,  interspersed  with 
dwellings,  cultivated  farms  and  woodland.  The  village,  at  this  time, 
contains  about  250  inhabitants.  The  Western  Reserve  Teacher's 
Seminary,  situated  here,  has  216  pupils  of  both  sexes,  is  under  the 
charge  of  Asa  D.  Lord,  with  several  assistants,  and  is  exerting  a 
beneficial  influence  upon  the  cause  of  education  in  this  region. 

This  village  is  widely  known,  from  having  formerly  been  the 
head  quarters  of  the  Mormons.  While  here,  in  the  height  of  their 
prosperity,  they  numbered  nearly  3000  persons.  On  their  abandon- 
ing it,  most  of  the  dwellings  went  to  decay,  and  it  now  has  some- 
what the  appearance  of  a  depopulated  and  broken  down  place. 
The  view  taken,  shows  the  most  prominent  buildings  in  the  village. 
In  the  center,  is  seen  the  Mormon  Temple  ;  on  the  right,  the  Teach- 
er's Seminary,  and  on  the  left,  on  a  line  with  the  front  of  the  temple, 
the  old  banking  house  of  the  Mormons.  The  temple,  the  main  point 
of  attraction,  is  60  by  80  feet,  and  measures  from  its  base  to  the  top 
of  the  spire,  142  feet.  It  is  of  rough  stone,  plastered  over,  colored 
blue,  and  marked  to  imitate  regular  courses  of  masonry.  It  cost 
about  $40,000.  In  front,  over  the  large  window,  is  a  tablet,  bearing 
the  inscription  :  "  House  of  the  Lord,  built  by  the  church  of  the 
Latter  Day  Saints,  A.  D.  1834."  The  first  and  second  stories  are 
divided  into  two  "  grand  rooms"  for  public  worship.  The  attic  is 
partitioned  off  into  about  a  dozen  small  apartments.  The  lower 
grand  room  is  fitted  up  with  seats  as  an  ordinary  church,  with  can- 
vas curtains  hanging  from  the  ceiling,  which,  on  the  occasion  of 
prayer  meetings,  are  let  down  to  the  tops  of  the  slips,  dividing  the 
room  into  several  different  apartments,  for  the  use  of  the  separate 
collections  of  worshipers.  At  each  end  of  the  room  is  a  set  of 
pulpits,  four  in  number,  rising  behind  each  other.  Each  pulpit  is 
calculated  for  three  persons,  so  that  when  they  are  full,  twelve  per- 
sons occupy  each  set,  or  twenty-four  persons  the  two  sets.  These 
pulpits  were  for  the  officers  of  the  priesthood.  The  set  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  room,  are  for  the  Melchisedek  priesthood,  or  those  who 
minister  in  spiritual  concerns.  The  set  opposite,  near  the  entrance 
to  the  room,  are  for  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
simply  attend  to  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  society.  These  pulpits 
all  bear  initials,  signifying  the  rank  of  their  occupants. 

On  the  Melchisedek  side,  are  the  initials  P.  E.,  i.  e.  President  of 
the  Elders ;  M.  P.  H.,  President  of  the  High  Priests  ;  P.  M.  H., 
Pres.  of  the  High  Council,  and  M.  P.  C,  Pres.  of  the  Full  Church. 
On  the  Aaronic  pulpits,  are  the  initials  P.  D.,  i.  e.  President  of  Dea- 

*  Removed  to  Columbus. 


LAKE    COUNT V, 


283 


cons ;  P.  T.  A.,  President  of  the  Teachers  ;  P.  A.  P.,  Pres.  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood,  and  B.  P.  A.,  Bishop  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood. 
The  Aaronic  priesthood  were  rarely  allowed  to  preach,  that  being 
the  especial  duty  of  the  higher  order,  the  Melchisedek. 


Mormon  Temple,  at  Kirtland. 

We  have  received  a  communication  from  a  resident  of  Kirtland, 
dated  in  the  autumn  of  1846.  It  contains  some  facts  of  value,  and 
is  of  interest  as  coming  from  an  honest  man,  who  has  been  a  sub- 
ject of  the  Mormon  delusion,  but  whose  faith,  we  are  of  opinion,  is 
of  late  somewhat  shaken. 

The  Mormons  derive  their  name  from  their  belief  in  the  book  of  Mormon,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  translated  from  gold  plates  found  in  a  hill,  in  Palmyra,  N.  Y.  They 
rame  to  this  place  in  1832,  and  commenced  building  their  temple,  which  they  finished  in 
1835.  When  they  commenced  building  the  temple,  they  were  few  in  number,  but  before 
they  had  finished  it,  they  had  increased  to  two  thousand. 

There  are  in  the  church  two  Priesthoods — the  Melchisedek  and  the  Aaronic,  including 
the  Levitical,  from  which  they  derive  their  officers.  This  place,  which  they  hold  to  be  a  stake 
of  Zion,  was  laid  off  in  half  acres  for  a  space  of  one  square  mile.  When  it  was  mostly 
sold,  they  bought  a  number  of  farms  in  this  vicinity,  at  a  very  high  price,  and  were  deeply 
in  debt  for  goods  in  New  York,  which  were  the  causes  of  their  eventually  leaving  for  Mis- 
souri. They  established  a  bank  at  Kirtland,  from  which  they  issued  a  number  of  thousand 
more  dollars  than  they  had  specie,  which  gave  their  enemies  power  over  them,  and  those 
bilLs  became  useless. 


284  LAKE    COUNTY. 

They  adhered  to  their  prophet,  Smith,  in  all  things,  and  left  here  in  1837,  seven  hun- 
dred in  one  day.  They  still  hold  this  place  to  be  a  stake  of  Zion,  to  be  eventually  a  place 
of  gathering.  There  is  a  president  with  his  two  counsellors,  to  preside  over  this  stake 
The  president  is  the  highest  officer;  next  is  the  high  priest,  below  whom  are  the  elders, — 
all  of  the  Melchisedek  priesthood.  The  lesser  priesthood  are  composed  of  priests, 
teachers  and  deacons.  They  have  twelve  apostles,  whose  duty  it  is  to  travel  and  preach 
the  gospel.  There  are  seventy  elders  or  seventies,  a  number  of  whom  are  travelling 
preachers :  seven  of  the  seventies  preside  over  them.  There  were  two  seventies  organi- 
zed in  Kirtland.  They  ordain  most  of  the  male  members  to  some  office.  They  have  a 
bishop  with  two  counsellors,  to  conduct  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  temporal  things,  and  set  in 
judgment  upon  difficulties  which  may  arise  between  members  ;  but  there  is  a  higher  court 
to  which  they  can  appeal,  called  the  high  council,  which  consists  of  twelve  high  priests. 
The  president  and  his  council  set  as  judges  over  either  of  these  courts.  There  are,  how- 
ever, three  presidents  who  preside  over  the  whole  in  all  the  world — so  termed. 

The  method  of  conducting  worship  among  the  Mormons  is  similar  to  other  denomina- 
tions. The  first  ordinance  is  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins ;  they  lay  on  hands  for  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  heal  the  sick  ;  anoint  with  oil ;  administer  the  sacrament ; 
take  little  children  and  bless  them  ;  they  hold  to  all  the  gifts  of  the  Apostolic  church,  be- 
lieving there  is  no  true  church  without  them,  and  have  the  gift  of  speaking  in  different 
tongues  ;  they  sometimes  interpret  for  themselves,  but  commonly  there  is  some  one  to  inter- 
pret for  them. 

A  prophet  has  lately  risen  among  the  Mormons,  viz.  :  James  J.  Strang,  of  Wisconsin, 
who  claims  to  be  the  successor  of  Joseph  Smith.  He  has  been  with  them  only  about  two 
years,  and  was  a  young  lawyer  of  western  New  York.  He  claims  to  have  received  com- 
munications from  Heaven,  at  the  very  hour  of  Smith's  death,  commissioning  him  to  lead 
the  people.  He  has  established  a  stake  in  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin,  called  the  city  of 
Voree,  by  interpretation,  signifying  "  Garden  of  Peace,"  to  which  they  are  gathering,  from 
Nauvoo  and  other  places.  He  has  lately  visited  Kirtland  and  re-established  it  as  a  stake 
of  Zion,  and  organized  the  church  with  all  its  officers.  There  are  now  here  about  100 
members,  who  are  daily  increasing,  and  it  is  thought  the  place  will  be  built  up. 

Strang  is  said  to  have  found  plates  of  brass  or  some  other  metal.  He  was  directed  by 
an  angel,  who  gave  him  a  stone  to  look  through,  by  which  he  made  the  discovery.  They 
were  found  three  feet  under  ground,  beneath  an  oak  of  a  foot  in  diameter.  These  he  has 
translated :  they  give  an  account  of  a  race  who  once  inhabited  that  land,  and  became  a 
fallen  people.  Strang  preaches  pure  bible  doctrine,  and  receives  only  those  who  walk 
humbly  before  their  God. 

The  Mormons  still  use  the  temple  at  Kirtland.  This  sect  is  now 
divided  into  three  factions,  viz. :  the  Rigdonites,  the  Tvvelveites,  and 
the  Strangites.  The  Rigdonites  are  the  followers  of  Sidney  Rig- 
don,  and  are  but  a  few  in  number.  The  Twelveites — so  named 
after  their  twelve  apostles — are  very  fanatical,  and  hold  to  the  spirit- 
ual wife  system  and  the  plurality  of  Gods.  The  Strangites  main- 
tain the  original  doctrines  of  Mormonism,  and  are  located  at  this 
place  and  Voree. 

We  derive,  from  a  published  source,  a  brief  historical  sketch  of 
Mormonism. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  founder  of  Mormonism,  was  born  in  Sharon,  Vermont,  Dec.  23d, 
1805,  and  removed  to  Manchester,  Ontario  county,  N.  Y.,  about  the  year  1815,  at  an  early 
age,  with  his  parents,  who  were  in  quite  humble  circumstances.  He  was  occasionally  em- 
ployed in  Palmyra  as  a  laborer,  and  bore  the  reputation  of  a  lazy  and  ignorant  young  man. 
According  to  the  testimony  of  respectable  individuals  in  that  place,  Smith  and  his  father 
were  persons  of  doubtful  moral  character,  addicted  to  disreputable  habits,  and  moreover, 
extremely  superstitious,  believing  in  the  existence  of  witchcraft.  They  at  one  time  procu- 
red a  mineral  rod,  and  dug  in  various  places  for  money.  Smith  testified  that  when  digging 
he  had  seen  the  pot  or  chest  containing  the  treasure,  bet  never  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  it 
into  his  hands.  He  placed  a  singular  looking  stone  in  his  hat,  and  pretended  by  the  light 
of  it  to  make  many  wonderful  discoveries  of  gold,  silver  and  other  treasures,  deposited  in 
the  earth.  He  commenced  his  career  as  the  founder  of  the  new  sect,  when  about  the  age 
of  18  or  19,  and  appointed  a  number  of  meetings  in  Palmyra,  for  the  purpose  of  declaring 
the  divine  revelations  which  he  said  were  made  to  him.     He  was,  however,  unable  to  pro- 


LAKE    COUNTY.  285 

duce  any  excitement  in  the  village  ;  but  very  few  had  curiosity  sufficient  to  listen  to  him. 
Not  having  means  to  print  his  revelations  he  applied  to  Mr.  Crane,  of  the  society  of  Friends, 
declaring  that  he  was  moved  by  the  Spirit  to  call  upon  him  for  assistance.  This  gentle- 
man bid  him  go  to  work,  or  the  state-prison  would  end  his  career.  Smith  had  better  suc- 
cess with  Martin  Harris,  an  industrious  and  thrifty  farmer  of  Palmyra,  who  was  worth 
about  $10,000,  and  who  became  one  of  his  leading  disciples.  By  his  assistance,  5,000 
copies  of  the  Mormon  bible  (so  called)  were  published,  at  an  expense  of  about  $3,000. 
It  is  possible  that  Harris  might  have  made  the  advances  with  the  expectation  of  a  profita- 
ble speculation,  as  a  great  sale  was  anticipated.  This  work  is  a  duodecimo  volume  con- 
taining 590  pages,  and  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  weakest  productions  ever  attempted  to  be 
palmed  off  as  a  divine  revelation.  It  is  mostly  a  blind  mass  of  words,  interwoven  with 
scriptural  language  and  quotations,  without  much  of  a  leading  plan  or  design. 

Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  Mormon  bible,  one  Parley  B.  Pratt,  a  resident  of  Lor- 
rain  county,  Ohio,  happening  to  pass  through  Palmyra,  on  the  canal,  and  hearing  of  the 
new  religion,  called  on  the  prophet,  and  was  soon  converted.  Pratt  was  intimate  with 
Sidney  Rigdon,  a  very  popular  preacher  of  the  denomination  called  "  Reformers,"  or  "  Dis- 
ciples." About  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  Pratt  at  Manchester,  the  Smiths  were  fitting  out 
an  expedition  for  the  western  country,  under  the  command  of  Cowdery,  in  order  to  convert 
the  Indians,  or  Lamanites,  as  they  termed  them.  In  October,  1830,  this  mission,  consist- 
ing of  Cowdery,  Pratt,  Peterson  and  Whitmer,  arrived  at  Mentor,  Ohio,  the  residence  of 
Rigdon,  well  supplied  with  the  new  bibles.  Near  this  place,  in  Kirtland,  there  were  a  few 
families  belonging  to  Rigdon's  congregation,  who,  having  become  extremely  fanatical,  were 
daily  looking  for  some  wonderful  event  to  take  place  in  the  world:  17  of  these  persons 
readily  believed  in  Mormonism,  and  were  all  re-immersed  in  one  night  by  Cowdery.  By 
the  conversion  of  Rigdon  soon  after,  Mormonism  received  a  powerful  impetus,  and  more 
than  100  converts  were  speedily  added.  Rigdon  visited  Smith  at  Palmyra,  where  he  tar- 
ried about  two  months,  receiving  revelations,  preaching,  &c.  He  then  returned  to  Kirt- 
land, Ohio,  and  was  followed  a  few  days  after  by  the  prophet,  Smith,  and  his  connexions. 
Thus,  from  a  state  of  almost  beggary,  the  family  of  Smith  were  furnished  with  the  "  fat 
of  the  land"  by  their  disciples,  many  of  whom  were  wealthy. 

A  Mormon  temple  was  erected  at  Kirtland,  at  an  expense  of  about  $40,000.  In  th's 
building  there  was  a  sacred  apartment,  a  kind  of  holy  of  holies,  in  which  none  but  ihe 
priests  were  allowed  to  enter.  An  unsuccessful  application  was  made  to  the  legislature  for 
the  charter  of  a  bank.  Upon  the  refusal,  they  established  an  unchartered  institution,  com- 
menced their  banking  operations,  issued  their  notes,  and  made  extensive  loans.  The  society 
now  rapidly  increased  in  wealth  and  numbers,  of  whom  many  were  doubtless  drawn 
thither  by  mercenary  motives.  But  the  bubble  at  last  burst.  The  bank  being  an  unchar- 
tered institution,  the  debts  due  were  not  legally  collectable.  With  the  failure  of  this  in- 
stitution, the  society  rapidly  declined,  and  Smith  was  obliged  to  leave  the  state  to  avoid  the 
sheriff.  Most  of  the  sect,  with  their  leader,  removed  to  Missouri,  where  many  outrages 
were  perpetrated  against  them.  The  Mormons  raised  an  armed  force  to  "  drive  off'  the 
infidels,"  but  were  finally  obliged  to  leave  the  state. 

The  last  stand  taken  by  the  Mormons  was  at  Nauvoo,  111.,  a  beautiful  location  on  the 
Mississippi  river.  Here  they  erected  a  splendid  temple,  120  feet  in  length  by  80  in  width, 
around  which  they  built  their  city,  which  at  one  time  contained  about  10,000  inhabitanis. 
Being  determined  to  have  their  own  laws  and  regulations,  the  difficulties  which  attended 
their  sojourn  in  other  places  followed  them  here,  and  there  was  constant  collision  between 
them  and  the  surrounding  inhabitants.  By  some  process  of  law,  Joseph  Smith  (the  pro- 
phet) and  his  brother  Hyram  were  confined  in  the  debtor's  apartment  in  the  jail  at  Car- 
thage, in  the  vicinity  of  Nauvoo,  and  a  guard  of  8  or  10  men  were  stationed  at  the  jail  for 
their  protection.  While  here,  it  appears  a  mob  of  about  60  men,  in  disguise,  broke  through 
the  guard,  and  firing  into  the  prison,  killed  both  Joseph  Smith  and  brother,  Hyram,  June 
27th,  1844.     Their  difficulties  still  continued,  and  they  determined  to  remove  once  more. 

In  1840,  a  work  was  published  at  Painesville,  by  E.  D.  Howe, 
called  a  "  History  of  Mormonism,"  which  gives  almost  conclusive 
evidence  that  the  historical  part  of  the  book  of  Mormons  was  writ- 
ten by  one  Solomon  Spalding.  From  this  work  we  derive  the  fol- 
lowing facts. 

Mr.  Spalding  was  born  in  Connecticut,  in  1761,  graduated  at 
Dartmouth,  and  having  failed  in  mercantile  business,  removed  in  1809 
to  Conneaut,  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Ashtabula.     About  the  year 


286  LAKE    COUNTY. 

1312,  his  brother,  John,  visited  him  at  that  place.     He  gives  the 
following  testimony : 

He  then  told  me  he  had  been  writing  a  book,  which  he  intended  to  have  printed,  the 
avails  of  which  he  thought  would  enable  him  to  pay  all  his  debts.  The  book  was  entitled 
the  "Manuscript  Found,"  of  which  he  read  to  me  many  passages.  It  was  an  historical 
romance  of  the  first  settlers  of  America,  endeavoring  to  show  that  the  American  Indians 
are  the  descendants  of  the  Jews,  or  the  lost  tribes.  It  gave  a  detailed  account  of  their 
journey  from  Jerusalem,  by  land  and  sea,  till  they  arrived  in  America, under  the  command 
of  NEPHI  and  LEHI.  They  afterwards  had  quarrels  and  contentions,  and  separated  into 
two  distinct  nations,  one  of  which  lie  denominated  Nephites,  and  the  other  Lamanites. 
Cruel  and  bloody  wars  ensued,  in  which  great  multitudes  were  slain.  They  buried  their 
dead  in  large  heaps,  which  caused  the  mounds  so  common  in  this  country.  Their  arts, 
sciences  and  civilization  were  brought  into  view,  in  order  to  account  for  all  the  curious 
antiquities  found  in  various  parts  of  North  and  South  America.  I  have  recently  read  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  and  to  my  great  surprise,  I  find  nearly  the  same  historical  matter,  names, 
&c,  as  they  were  in  my  brother's  writings.  I  well  remember  that  he  wrote  in  the  old 
style,  and  commenced  about  every  sentence  with  "  and  it  came  to  pass,"  or  "  now  it  came 
to  pass,"  the  same  as  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  according  to  the  best  of  my  recollection 
and  belief,  it  is  the  same  as  my  brother  Solomon  wrote,  with  the  exception  of  the  religious 
matter.  By  what  means  it  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Joseph  Smith,  jr.,  I  am  unable  to 
determine.  JOHN  SPALDING. 

Mr.  Henry  Lake,  of  Conneaut,  also  states : 

I  left  the  state  of  New  York,  late  in  the  year,  1810,  and  arrived  at  this  place  the  1st  of 
January  following.  Soon  after  my  arrival,  I  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Solomon  Spald- 
ing, for  the  purpose  of  rebuilding  a  forge  which  he  had  commenced  a  year  or  two  before. 
He  very  frequently  read  to  me  from  a  manuscript  which  he  was  writing,  which  he  entitled 
the  "  Manuscript  Found,"  and  which  he  represented  as  being  found  in  this  town.  I  spent 
many  hours  in  hearing  him  read  said  writings,  and  became  well  acquainted  with  its  con- 
tents. He  wished  me  to  assist  him  in  getting  his  production  printed,  alledging  that  a  book 
of  that  kind  would  meet  with  a  rapid  sale.  I  designed  doing  so,  but  the  forge  not  meeting  our 
anticipations,  we  failed  in  business,  when  I  declined  having  any  thing  to  do  with  the  publi- 
cation of  the  book.  This  book  represented  the  American  Indians  as  the  descendants  of 
the  lost  tribes,  gave  an  account  of  their  leaving  Jerusalem,  their  contentions  and  wars, 
which  were  many  and  great.  One  time,  when  he  was  reading  to  me  the  tragic  account  of 
Laban,  I  pointed  out  to  him  what  I  considered  an  inconsistency,  which  he  promised  to  cor- 
rect ;  but  by  referring  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  I  find  to  my  surprise  that  it  stands  there 
just  as  he  read  it  to  me  then.  Some  months  ago  I  borrowed  the  Golden  Bible,  put  it  into 
my  pocket,  carried  it  home,  and  thought  no  more  of  it.  About  a  week  after,  my  wife 
found  the  book  in  my  coat  pocket,  as  it  hung  up,  and  commenced  reading  it  aloud  as  I  lay 
upon  the  bed.  She  had  not  read  twenty  minutes  till  I  was  astonished  to  find  the  same 
passages  in  it  that  Spalding  had  read  to  me  more  than  twenty  years  before,  from  his  "  Man- 
uscript Found."  Since  that,  I  have  more  fully  examined  the  said  Golden  Bible,  and  have 
no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  historical  part  of  it  is  principally,  if  not  wholly  taken  from 
the  "  Manuscript  Found."  I  well  recollect  telling  Mr.  Spalding,  that  the  so  frequent  use 
of  the  words  "  And  it  came  to  pass,"  "  Now  it  came  to  pass,"  rendered  it  ridiculous. 
Spalding  left  here  in  1812,  and  I  furnished  him  means  to  carry  him  to  Pittsburgh,  where  he 
said  he  would  get  the  book  printed,  and  pay  me.  But  I  never  heard  any  more  from  him 
or  his  writings,  till  I  saw  them  in  the  Book  of  Mormon.  HENRY  LAKE. 

The  testimony  of  six  other  witnesses  is  produced  in  the  work  of 
Mr.  Howe,  all  confirming  the  main  facts  as  above  given.  As  Mr. 
Spalding  was  vain  of  his  writings,  and  was  constantly  showing  them 
to  his  neighbors,  reliable  testimony  to  the  same  general  facts  might 
have  been  greatly  multiplied. 

The  disposition  Spalding  made  of  his  manuscripts  is  not  known. 
From  Conneaut,  Spalding  removed  to  Pittsburgh,  about  the  year 
1813,  remained  there  a  year  or  two,  and  from  thence  went  to  Amity, 
in  the  same  state,  where  he  died  in  1816.  His  widow  stated  that 
while  they  resided  at  Pittsburgh,  she  thinks  that  the  "Manuscript 


LAKE    COUNTY.  287 

Found"  was  once  taken  to  the  printing  office  of  Patterson  &  Lamb- 
din,  but  did  not  know  whether  it  was  ever  returned.  We  again 
quote  verbatim  from  the  work  of  Mr.  Howe. 

Having  established  the  fact,  therefore,  that  most  of  the  names  and  leading  incidents  con- 
tained in  the  Mormon  bible,  originated  with  Solomon  Spalding,  it  is  not  very  material,  as 
we  conceive,  to  show  the  way  and  manner  by  which  they  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Smith 
family.     To  do  this,  however,  we  have  made  some  inquiries. 

It  was  inferred  at  once  that  some  light  might  be  shed  upon  the  subject,  and  the  mystery 
revealed,  by  applying  to  Patterson  &.  Lambdin,  in  Pittsburgh.  But  here  again  death  had 
interposed  a  barrier.  That  establishment  was  dissolved  and  broken  up  many  years  since, 
and  Lambdin  died  about  eight  years  ago.  Mr.  Patterson  says  he  has  no  recollection  of  any 
such  manuscript  being  brought  there  for  publication,  neither  would  lie  have  been  likely  to 
have  seen  it,  as  the  business  of  printing  was  conducted  wholly  by  Lambdin  at  that  time. 
He  says,  however,  that  many  MS.  books  and  pamphlets  were  brought  to  the  ofiice  about 
that  time,  which  remained  upon  their  shelves  for  years,  without  being  printed  or  even  exam- 
ined. Now,  as  Spalding's  book  can  no  where  be  found,  or  any  thing  heard  of  it  after  being 
carried  to  this  establishment,  there  is  the  strongest  presumption  that  it  remained  there  in  se- 
clusion, till  about  the  year  1823  or  "24,  at  which  time  Sidney  Rigdon  located  himself  in 
that  city.  We  have  been  credibly  informed  that  he  was  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  Lamb- 
din, being  seen  frequently  in  his  thop.  Rigdon  resided  in  Pittsburgh  about  three  years,  and 
during  the  whole  of  that  time,  as  he  has  since  frequently  asserted,  abandoned  preaching  and 
all  other  employment,  for  the  purpose  of  studying  the  bible.  He  left  there,  and  came  into 
the  county  where  he  now  resides,  about  the  time  Lambdin  died,  and  commenced  preaching 
some  new  points  of  doctrine,  which  were  afterwards  found  to  be  inculcated  in  the  Mormon 
bible.  He  resided  in  this  vicinity  about  four  years  previous  to  the  appearance  of  the  book, 
during  which  time  he  made  several  long  visits  to  Pittsburgh,  and  perhaps  to  the  Susquehan- 
nah,  where  Smith  was  then  digging  for  money,  or  pretending  to  be  translating  plates.  It 
may  be  observed,  also,  that  about  the  time  Rigdon  left  Pittsburgh,  the  Smith  family  began 
to  tell  about  finding  a  book  that  would  contain  a  history  of  the  first  inhabitants  of  America, 
and  that  two  years  elapsed  before  they  finally  got  possession  of  it. 

We  are,  then,  irresistibly  led  to  this  conclusion  : — that  Lambdin,  after  having  failed  in  bu- 
siness, had  recourse  to  the  old  manuscripts  then  in  his  possession,  in  order  to  raise  the  wind, 
by  a  book  speculation,  and  placed  the  "  Manuscript  Found,"  of  Solomon  Spalding,  in  the 
hands  of  Rigdon,  to  be  embellished,  altered,  and  added  to,  as  he  might  think  expedient ; 
and  three  years'  study  of  the  bible  we  should  deem  little  time  enough  to  garble  it,  as  it  is 
transferred  to  the  Mormon  book.  The  former  dying,  left  the  latter  the  sole  proprietor, 
who  was  obliged  to  resort  to  his  wits,  and  in  a  miraculous  way  to  bring  it  before  the  world  ; 
for  in  no  other  manner  could  such  a  book  be  published  without  great  sacrifice.  And  where 
could  a  more  suitable  character  be  found  than  Jo  Smith,  whose  necromantic  fame  of  arts 
and  of  deception,  had  already  extended  to  a  considerable  distance?  That  Lambdin  was  a 
person  every  way  qualified  and  fitted  for  such  an  enterprise,  we  have  the  testimony  of  his 
partner  in  business,  and  others  of  his  acquaintance.  Add  to  all  these  circumstances,  the 
facts,  that  Rigdon  had  prepared  the  minds  in  a  great  measure,  of  nearly  a  hundred  of  those 
who  had  attended  his  ministration,  to  be  in  readiness  to  embrace  the  first  mysterious  ism 
that  should  be  presented — the  appearance  of  Cowdery  at  his  residence  as  soon  as  the  book 
was  printed — his  sudden  conversion,  after  many  pretensions  to  disbelieve  it — his  immedi- 
ately repairing  to  the  residence  of  Smith,  300  miles  distant,  where  he  was  forthwith  appoint- 
ed an  elder,  high  priest,  and  a  scribe  to  the  prophet — the  pretended  vision  that  his  residence 
in  Ohio  was  the  "  promised  land," — the  immediate  removal  of  the  whole  Smith  family 
thither,  where  they  were  soon  raised  from  a  state  of  poverty  to  comparative  affluence.  We, 
therefore,  must  hold  out  Sidney  Rigdon  to  the  world,  as  being  the  original  "  author  and 
proprietor"  of  the  whole  Mormon  conspiracy,  until  further  light  is  elicited  upon  the  lost 
writings  of  Solomon  Spalding. 

Seven  miles  southerly  from  Painesville,  is  a  small  and  abrupt  emi- 
nence, of  about  200  feet  in  height,  called  "Little  Mountain."  A 
hotel  is  kept  on  the  summit,  and  it  commands  a  beautiful  prospect  of 
the  adjacent  country  and  Lake  Erie,  distant  10  miles.  It  is  much 
visited,  and  is  a  favorite  resort  fiom  the  heats  of  summer.  A  cool 
breeze  generally  blows  from  the  lake,  to  brace  the  nerves  of  the  vis- 
itor, while  around  and  below,  the  earth  is  clothed  in  beauty.     Center- 


288  LAWRENCE    COUNTY. 

ville,  12  miles  east  of  the  county  seat,  has  3  stores,  2  churches,  and 
about  80  dwellings,  scattered  along  the  road  for  about  a  mile.  Two 
and  a  half  miles  e.  of  the  above,  on  the  line  of  Ashtabula,  is  Union- 
ville,  which  contains  4  stores,  2  churches_,  and  about  100  dwellings, 
scattered  alone:  the  road. 


LAWRENCE. 

Lawrence  was  organized  March  1st,  1816,  and  named  from  Capt. 
James  Lawrence,  a  native  of  Burlington,  N.  J.,  and  a  gallant  naval 
officer  of  the  war  of  1812.  Most  of  the  county  consists  of  high,  ab- 
rupt hills,  in  which  large  quantities  of  sand  or  free  stone  exist :  soil 
mostly  clay.  It  is  thinly  settled,  only  about  half  the  county  having 
been,  as  yet,  purchased  of  the  general  government.  There  is  some 
rich  land  on  the  creek  bottoms,  and  on  that  of  the  Ohio  river,  on 
which,  and  at  the  iron  furnaces,  are  the  principal  settlements.  This 
county  is  rich  in  minerals,  and  is  the  greatest  iron  manufacturing 
county  in  Ohio.  Coal  abounds  in  the  western  part,  while  clay,  suit- 
able for  stone  ware,  is  found  under  the  ore,  in  the  whole  of  the  iron 
region.  The  agricultural  products,  which  are  small  in  quantity,  are 
wheat,  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  hay  and  apples.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population  : 

Aid,  610       Lawrence,  425     Symmes,  472 

Decatur,  594       Mason,  695     Union,  1036 

Elizabeth,      1534       Perry,  663     Upper,  1181 

Fayette,  841       Rome,  879     Windsor,  815 

The  population  of  Lawrence,  in  1820,  was  3,499  ;  in  1830,  6,366  ; 
and  in  1840,  9,745,  or  23  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

In  the  Indian  war,  prior  to  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  many  boats,  de- 
scending the  Ohio,  were  attacked  by  the  Indians,  and  the  whites  in 
them  cruelly  massacred.  After  the  war  had  closed,  wrecks  of  boats 
were  frequently  seen  on  the  shore,  to  remind  the  traveller  of  the  un- 
happy fate  of  those  who  had  fallen  a  prey  to  the  rifle,  tomahawk  and 
seal  ping-knife.  Among  the  unpublished  incidents  of  this  nature,  is 
one  that  belongs  to  the  history  of  this  county,  obtained  orally  from 
one  acquainted  with  the  circumstances. 

•Among  the  early  settlers  of  Mason  County,  Ky.,  was  Mr.  James  Kelly,  who  emigrated 
from  Westmoreland,  Pa.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  the  Indians  carried  on  their  murderous 
incursions  with  so  much  energy,  as  to  seriously  threaten  the  annihilation  of  the  infant  set- 
tlements. His  father,  alarmed  for  his  safety,  sent  another  son,  William,  to  Kentucky,  to 
bring  his  brother  and  family  back  to  Pennsylvania.  They  embarked  at  Maysville,  in  a 
large  canoe,  with  two  men  as  passengers,  who  were  to  assist  in  navigating  the  boat.  When 
about  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Guyandotte,  and  near  the  Virginia  shore,  they 
were  suddenly  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians,  secreted  behind  the  trees  on  that  bank  of 
the  river.  William,  who  had  risen  up  in  the  boat,  was  shot  through  the  body,  when  James 
sprang  up  to  save  him  from  falling  into  the  river,  and  receiving  a  death  wound,  fell  for- 
wards in  the  boat.  The  two  men,  as  yet  unharmed,  steered  for  the  Ohio  shore.  The  in- 
stant the  boat  touched  land,  one  of  them,  panic-stricken,  sprang  ashore,  and  running  into 
tit/e  rec«sses  of  the  forest,  was  never  heard  of  more.     The  other  passenger,  however,  was  a 


LAWRENCE    COUNTY.  289 

man  of  undaunted  courage.  He  determined  to  protect  Mrs.  Kelly  and  her  little  children, 
consisting  of  James,  a  boy  of  about  5  years  of  age,  and  an  infant  named  Jane.  They 
landed,  and  turned  their  course  for  Gallipolis,  about  30  miles  distant.  In  their  haste,  they 
had  forgotten  to  get  any  provisions  from  the  boat,  and  the  prospect  of  reaching  there,  through 
a  wilderness  swarming  with  Indians,  was  gloomy.  To  add  to  the  horrors  of  their  situation, 
they  had  gone  but  a  few  miles,  when  Mrs.  Kelly  was  bitten  in  the  foot  by  a  copper-head, 
and  was  unable  to  make  farther  progress.  As  the  only  resort,  her  companion  told  her  that 
he  must  leave  her  alone  in  the  woods,  and  travel  to  Gallipolis,  procure  a  boat  and  a  party, 
and  come  for  her.  Having  secreted  them  among  some  pawpaws,  he  started  on  his  solitary 
and  perilous  journey.  The  Indians  were  soon  on  his  track,  in  hot  pursuit ;  and  taking  in- 
land to  avoid  them,  three  or  four  days  elapsed  ere  he  arrived  at  the  point  of  destination. 
He  there  obtained  a  keel  boat,  and  a  party  of  thirty  men,  and  started  down  the  Ohio,  with 
but  a  faint  hope  of  finding  Mrs.  Kelly  and  her  little  ones  alive. 

During  his  absence,  Mrs.  Kelly  had  been  accustomed,  daily,  to  send  her  little  son  to  the 
river's  edge,  to  hail  any  boats  that  might  pass.  Fearing  a  decoy  from  the  Indians,  several 
went  by  without  paying  any  attention  to  his  cries.  An  hour  or  two  before  the  arrival  of  the 
aid  from  Gallipolis,  another  boat,  from  farther  up  the  river,  passed  down.  At  first,  but  lit- 
tle attention  was  given  to  the  hailing  of  little  James  ;  but  feelings  of  humanity  prevailed 
over  their  fears,  and  reflecting  also  upon  the  improbability  of  the  Indians  sending  such  a 
mere  child  as  a  decoy,  they  took  courage,  turned  to  the  shore,  and  took  the  sufferers  aboard. 
They  were  then  in  a  starving  and  deplorable  condition ;  but  food  was  soon  given  them  by 
the  kind-hearted  boatmen,  and  their  perils  were  over.  Soon  the  Gallipolis  boat  hove  in 
sight,  and  they  were  taken  on  board,  and  eventually  to  Pennsylvania. 

Mrs.  Kelly,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  married  again.  The  infant  Jane  grew  up  to 
womanhood,  and  was  remarkable  for  her  beauty.  The  little  boy  James  finally  emigrated  to 
the  Muskingum  country.     From  him  and  his  mother  our  informant  derived  these  facts. 

Lawrence  was  settled  about  1797,  by  people  from  Pennsylvania 
and  Virginia,  who  were  principally  of  Dutch  and  Irish  descent. 
When  the  iron  works  were  first  established,  only  about  one  eighth 
of  the  land  was  entered,  since  which,  the  workmen  have  accumulated 
means  to  purchase  more.  At  that  day,  the  inhabitants  were  princi- 
pally hunters,  and  for  months  together,  our  informant  says,  he  did  not 
see  one  wear  a  coat  or  shoes ;  hunting  shirts  and  moccasons  being 
the  substitutes. 

The  iron  region  is  about  eight  miles  wide.  It  extends  through  the 
east  part  of  Scioto,  and  the  west  part  of  this  county,  and  enters  Jack- 
son county  on  the  north,  and  Greenup  county,  Ky.,  on  the  south. 
Most  of  the  iron  in  Lawrence  is  made  into  pig  metal,  which  stands 
high  for  castings,  and  is  equal  to  Scotch  pig  for  foundery  furnaces :  it 
is  also  excellent  for  bar  iron.  The  principal  markets  are  Pittsburgh 
and  Cincinnati.  The  four  counties  of  Jackson,  Lawrence,  Scioto, 
and  Greenup,  Ky.,  make  about  37,450  tons  annually,  which,  at  $30 
per  ton,  the  current  market  price,  amounts  to  $1,123,500.  There 
are  21  furnaces  in  the  iron  region,  of  wrhich  the  following  are  in 
Lawrence,  viz.,  Union,  Pine  Grove,  Lawrence,  Center,  Mount  Vernon, 
Buckhorn,  Etna,  Vesuvius,  La  Grange,  Hecla,  and  Olive.  The  old- 
est of  these,  in  this  county,  is  Union,  a  view  of  which  is  given,  show- 
ing on  the  left,  the  furnace,  in  the  middle  ground,  the  log  huts  of  the 
workmen,  with  the  store  of  the  proprietors,  while  around  is  wild, 
hilly  scenery,  amid  which  these  furnaces  are  usually  embosomed. 
Each  of  the  21  furnaces  employs,  on  an  average,  70  yoke  of  oxen, 
"  100  hands,  sustain  500  persons,  consume  560  barrels  of  flour,  1000 
bushels  of  corn  meal,  10,000  bushels  of  corn,  50,000  pounds  of  ba- 
con, 20,000  pounds  of  beef,  1500  bushels  of  potatoes,  beside  other 
provisions,  and  tea,  sugar  and  coffee  in  proportion."     From  this  it 

37 


290 


LAWRENCE    COUNTY, 


will  be  seen,  that  their  existence  is  highly  important  to  the  agri- 
culturist. In  the  winter  season,  about  500  men  come  from  abroad, 
to  cut  wood  for  the  furnaces  in  Lawrence ;  some  of  whom  walk 
distances  of  hundreds  of  miles  from  their  cabin  homes  among  the 
mountains  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky. 


Union  Furnace. 

Burlington,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  southernmost  point  of  the 
Ohio  river  in  the  state,  133  miles  southeasterly  from  Columbus.  It 
is  a  small  village,  containing  4  stores,  an  academy,  1  or  2  churches,  a 
newspaper  printing  office,  and  from  40  to  60  dwellings. 

When  Lawrence  was  first  organized,  the  commissioners  neglected 
to  lay  a  tax,  and  the  expenses  of  the  county  were  carried  on  by  or- 
ders, which  so  depreciated  that  the  clerk  had  to  pay  $G,  in  orders,  for 
a  quire  of  paper.  The  county  was  finally  sued  on  an  order,  and 
judgment  obtained  for  the  plaintiff,  but  as  the  public  property  could 
not  be  levied  upon,  not  any  thing  was  then  recovered.  Eventually, 
the  legislature  passed  laws  compelling  the  commissioners  to  lay  a 
tax,  by  which  the  orders  were  paid  in  full,  with  interest. 

The  annexed  report  of  a  case,  that  came  before  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas  in  this  county,  is  from  the  pen  of  a  legal  gentleman  of  high 
standing.  It  shows  that  in  our  day,  the  belief  in  witchcraft  has  not 
entirely  vanished. 

}      Lawrence  Common  Pleas.     Term  1828.     Action  on  the  case,  for 

vs.  >  a  false  warranty  in  the  sale  of  a  horse.     Plea,  general  issue. 

Enoch  H.  Fleece.  )  "phg  plaintiff  having  proved  the  sale  and  warranty,  called  a  witness 
to  prove  the  defendant's  knowledge  of  the  unsoundness  of  the  horse  at  the  time  of  sale. 
This  witness  testified,  that  both  he  and  defendant  lived  at  Union  Furnace,  in  Lawrence 
county,  and  that  the  latter  was  by  trade  a  tanner  ;  that  he,  witness,  knew  the  horse  pre- 
vious to  the  sale  to  the  plaintiff,  and  before  he  was  owned  by  defendant,  and  was  then,  and  at 
the  time  defendant  purchased  him,  in  bad  health.  He  saw  him  daily  employed  in  defend- 
ant's bark  mill,  and  was  fast  declining,  and  when  unemployed,  drooping  in  his  appearance, 
and  so  continued  until  sold  to  the  plaintiff.  Having  been  present  at  the  sale,  and  hearing 
the  warranty,  the  witness  afterwards  inquired  of  the  defendant  why  he  had  done  so,  know- 
ing the  horse  to  be  unsound.  He  answered  by  insisting  that  the  horse  was  in  no  way  dis- 
eased, or  in  unsound  health,  but  that  the  drooping  appearance  arose  from  his  being  bewitch- 


LAWRENCE    COUNTY.  291 

ed,  which  he  did  not  call  unsoundness,  and  so  soon  as  they  could  be  got  out  of  the  horse,  he 
would  then  be  as  well  as  ever.  The  defendant  further  stated,  that  the  same  witches  which 
were  in  that  horse,  had  been  in  one  or  two  persons,  and  some  cows,  in  the  same  settlement, 
and  could  only  be  driven  out  by  a  witch  doctor,  living  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Little  Scioto, 
in  Pike  county,  or  by  burning  the  animal  in  which  they  were  found  ;  that  this  doctor  had 
some  time  before  been  sent  for  to  see  a  young  woman  who  was  in  a  bad  way,  and  on  ex- 
amination found  her  bewitched.  He  scon  expelled  them,  and  also  succeeded  in  ascertain- 
ing that  an  old  woman  not  far  off  was  the  witch  going  about  in  that  way,  and  she  could  be 
got  rid  of  only  by  killing  her.  At  some  subsequent  time,  when  defendant  was  from  home, 
his  wife  sent  for  witness  and  others,  to  see  and  find  out  what  was  the  matter  with  her  cow, 
in  a  lot  near  the  house.  They  found  it  frantic,  running,  and  pitching  at  every  thing  which 
came  near.  It  was  their  opinion,  after  observing  it  considerably,  that  it  had  the  canine 
madness.  The  defendant,  however,  returned  before  the  witness  and  others  left  the  lot ;  he 
inspected  the  cow  with  much  attention,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  they  were  mistaken 
as  to  the  true  cause  of  her  conduct, — she  was  not  mad,  but  bewitched  ;  the  same  which 
had  been  in  the  horse,  had  transferred  itself  to  the  cow.  By  this  time  the  animal,  from 
exhaustion  or  other  cause,  had  lain  down.  The  defendant  then  went  into  the  lot,  and  re- 
quested the  persons  present  to  assist  in  putting  a  rope  about  her  horns,  and  then  make  the 
other  end  fast  to  a  tree,  where  he  could  burn  her.  They  laughed  at  the  man's  notion,  but 
finally  assisted  him,  seeing  she  remained  quiet — still  having  no  belief  that  he  really  intended 
burning  her.  This  being  done,  the  defendant  piled  up  logs,  brush  and  other  things  around, 
and  finally  over  the  poor  cow,  and  then  set  fire  to  them.  The  defendant  continued  to  add 
fuel,  until  she  was  entirely  consumed,  and  afterwards  told  the  witness  he  had  never  seen 
any  creature  so  hard  to  die ;  that  she  continued  to  moan  after  most  of  the  flesh  had  fallen 
from  her  bones,  and  he  felt  a  pity  for  her,  but  die  she  must ;  that  nothing  but  the  witches  in 
her  kept  her  alive  so  long,  and  it  was  his  belief  they  would  be  so  burnt  before  getting  out, 
that  they  never  would  come  back.  Night  having  set  in  before  the  burning  was  finished, 
the  defendant  and  his  family  set  up  to  ascertain  if  the  witches  could  be  seen  about  the  pile 
of  embers.  Late  at  night,  some  one  of  the  family  called  the  defendant  to  the  window — the 
house  being  near  the  place — and  pointed  to  two  witches,  hopping  around,  over  and  across 
the  pile  of  embers,  and  now  and  then  seizing  a  brand  and  throwing  it  into  the  air,  and  in  a 
short  while  disappeared.  The  next  morning,  on  examination,  the  defendant  saw  their 
tracks  through  the  embers  in  all  directions.  At  a  subsequent  time,  he  told  the  same  wit- 
ness and  others,  that  from  that  time  the  witches  had  wholly  disappeared  from  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  would  never  return — and  to  burn  the  animal  alive,  in  which  they  were  found,  was 
the  only  way  to  get  clear  of  them  :  he  had  been  very  fearful  they  would  torment  his  family. 
The  writer  found,  after  the  above  trial,  from  a  conversation  with  the  defendant,  that  he 
had  a  settled  belief  in  such  things,  and  in  the  truth  of  the  above  statement. 

Hanging  Rock,  17  miles  below  the  county  seat,  on  the  Ohio  river, 
contains  1  church,  4  stores,  a  forge,  a  rolling  mill,  and  a  foundery — 
where  excellent  bar  iron  is  made — and  about  150  inhabitants.  It  is 
the  great  iron  emporium  of  the  county,  and  nearly  all  the  iron  is 
shipped  there.  It  is  contemplated  to  build  a  railroad  from  this  place, 
of  about  15  miles  in  length,  to  the  iron  region,  connecting  it  with, 
the  various  furnaces.  The  village  is  named  from  a  noted  cliff  of 
sandstone,  about  400  feet  in  height,  called  the  "  Hanging  Rock,*' 
the  upper  portion  of  which  projects  over,  like  the  cornice  of  a  house. 

Some  years  since,  a  wealthy  iron  master  was  buried  at  Hanging 
Rock,  in  compliance  with  his  request,  above  ground,  in  an  iron  coffin. 
It  was  raised  about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  supported  by  iron  pil- 
lars, resting  on  a  flat  stone.  Over  all,  was  placed  an  octagonal  build- 
ing of  wood,  about  12  feet  diameter  and  15  high,  painted  white,  with 
a  cupola-like  roof,  surmounted  by  a  ball.  It  was  in  fact  a  tomb,  but 
of  so  novel  a  description  as  to  attract  crowds  of  strangers,  to  the  no 
small  annoyance  of  the  friends  of  the  deceased,  who,  in  consequence, 
~emo,Ted  the  building,  and  sunk  the  coffin  into  a  grave  near  the  spot. 


292 


LICKING    COUNTY 


LICKING. 


Bowling  Green,  1464 


Burlington, 

1423 

Eden, 

853 

Etna, 

1076 

Fallsbury, 

910 

Franklin, 

1131 

Granville, 

2255 

Hanover, 

943 

1049 

Mary  Anne, 

866 

1355 

M'Keane, 

1424 

1150 

Newark, 

4138 

932 

Newton, 

1247 

1115 

Perry, 

994 

1215 

St.  Albans, 

1515 

739 

Union, 

2219 

1119 

Washington, 

1348 

Licking  was  erected  from  Fairfield,  March  1st,  1808,  and  named 
from  its  principal  stream,  called  by  the  whites  Licking — by  the  In- 
dians, Pataskala.  The  surface  is  slightly  hilly  on  the  east,  the  west- 
ern part  is  level,  and  the  soil  generally  yellow  clay:  the  vallies  are 
rich  alluvion,  inclining  many  of  them  to  gravel.  Coal  is  in  the 
eastern  part,  and  iron  ore  of  a  good  quality.  The  soil  is  generally 
very  fertile,  and  it  is  a  wealthy  agricultural  county.  The  principal 
crops  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  grass.  Wool  and  dairy  productions 
are  also  important  staples.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships 
in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Bennington,         1244       Harrison, 

Hartford, 

Hopewell, 

Jersey, 

Liberty, 

Licking, 

Lima, 

Madison, 

The  population  of  Licking,  in  1820,  was  11,861,  in  1830,  20,864, 
and  in  1840,  35,096 ;  or  53  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

This  county  contains  a  mixed  population:  its  inhabitants  origina- 
ted from  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  New  Jersey,  New  England,  Wales 
and  Germany.  Among  the  early  settlers  were  John  Channel,  Isaac 
Stadden,  John  Van  Buskirk,  Benjamin  Green,  Samuel  Parr,  Samuel 
Elliott,  John  and  Washington  Evans,  Geo.  Archer,  John  Jones,  and 
many  Welsh.  It  was  first  settled,  shortly  after  Wayne's  treaty  of 
1795,  by  John  Ratliff  and  Ellis  Hughes,  in  some  old  Indian  corn- 
fields, about  five  miles  below  Newark,  on  the  Licking.  These  men 
were  from  western  Virginia.  They  lived  mainly  by  hunting,  rais- 
ing, however,  a  little  corn,  the  cultivation  of  which  was  left,  in  a 
great  measure,  to  their  wives. 

Hughes  had  been  bred  in  the  hot-bed  of  Indian  warfare.  The  Indians  having,  at  an 
early  day,  murdered  a  young  woman  to  whom  he  was  attached,  and  subsequently  his  father, 
the  return  of  peace  did  not  mitigate  his  hatred  of  the  race.  One  night,  in  April,  1800,  two 
Indians  stele  the  horses  of  Hughes  and  Ratliff  from  a  little  enclosure  near  their  cabins. 
Missing  them  in  the  morning,  they  started  off,  wrell-armed,  in  pursuit,  accompanied  by  a 
man  named  Bland.  They  followed  their  trail  iu  a  northern  direction  all  day,  and  at  night 
camped  in  the  woods.  At  the  grey  of  the  morning,  they  came  upon  the  Indians,  who  were 
asleep  and  unconscious  of  danger.  Concealing  themselves  behind  the  trees,  they  waited 
until  the  Indians  had  awakened,  and  were  commencing  preparations  for  their  journey. 
They  drew  up  their  rifles  to  shoot,  and  just  at  that  moment  one  of  the  Indians  discovered 
them,  and  instinctively  clapping  his  hand  on  his  breast,  as  if  to  ward  off  the  fatal  ball,  ex- 
claimed in  tones  of  affright,  "  me  bad  Indian  ! — me  no  do  so  more  !"  The  appeal  was  in 
vain,  the  smoke  e«rled  from  the  glistening  barrels,  the  report  rang  in  the  morning  air,  and 
the  poor  Indians  fell  dead.  They  returned  to  their  cabins  with  the  horses  and  "  plunder" 
taken  from  the  Indians,  and  swore  mutual  secrecy  for  this  violation  of  law. 

One  evening,  some  time  after,  Hughes  was  quietly  sitting  in  his  cabin,  when  he  was 
startled  by  the  entrance  of  two  powerful  and  well-armed  savages.     Concealing  his  erno- 


LICKING    COUNTY.  293 

tions,  he  gave  them  a  welcome  and  offered  them  seats.  His  wife,  a  muscular,  squaw -like 
looking  female,  stepped  aside  and  privately  sent  for  Ratliff,  whose  cabin  was  near.  Pre- 
sently, Ratliff,  who  had  made  a  detour,  entered,  with  his  rifle,  from  an  opposite  direction, 
as  if  he  had  been  out  hunting.  He  found  Hughes  talking  with  the  Indians  about  the  mur- 
der. Hughes  had  his  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife,  as  was  his  custom,  in  a  belt  around  his 
person,  but  his  rifle  hung  from  the  cabin  wall,  which  he  deemed  it  imprudent  to  attempt  to 
obtain.  There  all  the  long  night  sat  the  parties,  mutually  fearing  each  other,  and  neither 
summoning  sufficient  courage  to  stir.  When  morning  dawned,  the  Indians  left,  shakinjr 
hands  and  bidding  farewell,  but,  in  their  retreat,  were  very  cautious  not  to  be  shot  in  am- 
bush by  the  hardy  borderers. 

Hughes  died  near  Utica,  in  this  county,  in  March,  1845,  at  an  advanced  age,  in  the  hope 
of  a  happy  future.  His  early  life  had  been  one  of  much  adventure  :  he  was,  it  is  supposed, 
the  last  survivor  of  the  bloody  battle  of  Point  Pleasant.  He  was  buried  with  military 
honors  and  other  demonstrations  of  respect. 

Newark,  the  county  seat,  is  37  miles,  by  the  mail  route,  easterly 
from  Columbus,  at  the  confluence  of  the  three  principal  branches  of 
the  Licking.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Ohio  canal,  and  of  the  railroad 
now  constructing  from  Sandusky  City  to  Columbus,  a  branch  from 
which,  of  about  24  miles  in  length,  will  probably  diverge  from  this 
place  to  Zanesville.  Newark  is  a  beautiful  and  well-built  town,  on 
a  level  site,  and  has  the  most  spacious  and  elegant  public  square  in 
the  state.  It  was  laid  out,  with  broad  streets,  in  1801,  on  the  plan 
of  Newark,  N.  J.,  by  Gen.  Wm.  C.  Schenk,  Geo.  W.  Burnet,  Esq., 
and  John  M.  Cummings,  who  owned  this  military  section,  comprising 
4,000  acres.  The  first  hewed  log-houses  were  built  in  1802,  on  the 
public  square,  by  Samuel  Elliott  and  Samuel  Parr.  The  first  tavern. 
a  hewed  log  structure,  with  a  stone  chimney,  was  opened  on  the  site 
of  the  Franklin  house,  by  James  Black.  In  1804,  there  were  about 
15  or  20  families,  mostly  young  married  people.  Among  the  early 
Settlers  were  Morris  A.  Newman,  Adam  Hatfield,  Jas.  Black,  John 
Johnson,  Patrick  Cunningham,  William  Claypole,  Abraham  Miller, 
Samuel  H.  Smith,  Annaniah  Pugh,  Jas.  Petticord,  John  and  Aquila 
Belt,  Dr.  John  J.  Brice,  and  widow  Pegg.  About  the  year  1808, 
a  log  building  was  erected  on  or  near  the  site  of  the  court-house, 
which  was  used  as  a  court-house  and  a  church,  common  for  all  de- 
nominations. The  Presbyterians  built  the  first  regular  church,  about 
1817,  just  west  of  the  court-house,  on  the  public  square.  The  first 
sermon  delivered  in  Newark,  by  a  Presbyterian,  and  probably  the 
first  by  any  denomination  in  the  county,  was  preached  under  pecu- 
liar circumstances. 

In  1803,  Rev.  John  Wright,  missionary  of  the  Western  Missionary  Society  at  Pittsburg, 
arrived  on  a  Saturday  afternoon  at  Newark,  which  then  contained  five  or  six  log-cabins 
and  Black's  log  tavern,  at  which  he  put  up.  On  inquiring  of  the  landlady,  he  found  there 
was  but  one  Presbyterian  in  the  place,  and  as  he  was  very  poor,  he  concluded  to  remain  at 
the  tavern  rather  than  intrude  upon  his  hospitality.  The  town  was  filled  with  people  at- 
tending a  horse-race,  which,  not  proving  satisfactory,  they  determined  to  try  over  the  next 
day.  Mr.  Wright  retired  to  rest  at  an  early  hour,  but  was  intruded  upon  by  the  horse 
racers,  who  swore  that  he  must  either  join  and  drink  with  them,  or  be  ducked  under  a 
pump,  which  last  operation  was  coolly  performed  upon  one  of  the  company  in  his  presence. 
About  midnight,  he  sought  and  obtained  admittance  in  the  house  of  the  Presbyterian,  where 
he  rested  on  the  floor,  not  without  strenuous  urging  from  the  worthy  couple  to  occupy  their 
bed.  The  next  morning,  which  was  Sunday,  when  the  guests  ascertained  he  was  a  clergy- 
man, they  sent  an  apology  for  their  conduct,  and  requested  him  to  postpone  preaching  until 
afternoon,  when  the  race  was  over.  The  apology  was  accepted,  but  he  preached  in  the 
morning  to  a  few  persons,  and  in  the  afternoon  to  a  large  congregation.     The  sermon, 


294  LICKING  COUNTY. 

which  was  upon  the  sanctifnation  of  the  Sabbath,  was  practical  and  pungent.  When  he 
concluded,  a  person  arose  and  addressed  the  congregation,  telling  them  that  the  preacher 
had  told  the  truth ;  and  although  he  was  at  the  horse-race,  it  was  wrong,  and  that  they 
must  take  up  a  contribution  for  Mr.  Wright.  Over  seven  dollars  were  collected.  In  1804, 
Mr.  Wright  settled  in  Lancaster,  and  after  great  difficulty,  as  the  population  was  much 
addicted  to  vice,  succeeded,  in  about  1807,  through  the  aid  of  Mr.  David  Moore,  in  organ- 
izing the  first  Presbyterian  church  in  Newark. 

Newark  contains  2  Prebyterian,  1  Baptist,  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist, 
1  Welsh  Methodist,  1  German  Lutheran,  1  Welsh  Presbyterian  and 
1  Catholic  church ;  3  newspaper  printing  offices,  2  grist  mills  1 
ibundery,  1  woolen  factory,  6  forwarding  houses,  10  groceries,  1 
book,  2  hardware  and  18  dry  goods  stores  :  in  1830,  it  had  999  in- 
habitants, and  in  1840,  2,705,  in  1847,  3,406. 

Southwest  of  Newark,  in  the  forks  formed  by  a  branch  of  Licking 
river  and  Raccoon  creek,  are  numerous  ancient  works,  which  extend 
over  a  space  of  several  miles  in  length  and  breadth. 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1825,  occurred  one  of  the  most  violent  tor- 
nadoes ever  known  in  Ohio.  It  has  been  commonly  designated  as 
"  the  Burlington  sfor/?t,"  because  in  Burlington  township,  in  this 
county,  its  effects  were  more  severely  felt  than  in  any  other  part  of 
its  track.    This  event  is  told  in  the  language  of  a  correspondent. 

It  commenced  between  the  hours  of  one  and  two,  p.  m.,  in  the  southeast  part  of  Delaware 
county.  After  passing  for  a  few  miles  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  in  an  easterly  direc- 
tion, it  appeared  to  rise  so  high  from  the  earth  that  the  tallest  trees  were  not  affected  by  it, 
and  then  again  descended  to  the  surface,  and  with  greatly  increased  violence  and  force  pro- 
ceeded through  the  townships  of  Bennington  and  Burlington,  in  Licking  county,  and  then 
passed  into  Knox  county,  and  thence  to  Coshocton  county.  Its  general  course  was  a  little 
north  of  east.  For  force  and  violence  of  wind,  this  storm  has  rarely  been  surpassed  in  any 
country  hi  the  same  latitude.  Forests  and  orchards  were  completely  uprooted  and  levelled, 
buildings  blown  down,  and  their  parts  scattered  in  every  direction  and  carried  by  the  force 
of  the  wind  many  miles  distant.  Cattle  were  taken  from  the  ground  and  carried  one  hun- 
dred rods  or  more.  The  creek,  which  had  been  swollen  by  recent  rains,  had  but  little  water 
in  its  bed  after  the  storm  had  passed.  The  roads  and  fields  recently  plowed,  were  quite 
muddy  from  previous  rains  ;  but  after  the  storm  had  passed  by,  both  roads  and  fields  were 
clean  and  dry.  Its  track  through  Licking  county  was  from  one-third  to  three-fifths  of  a 
mile  wide,  but  became  wider  as  it  advanced  farther  to  the  eastward.  Those  who  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  be  witnesses  of  its  progress,  without  being  victims  of  its  fury,  represent  the 
appearance  of  the  fragments  of  trees,  buildings,  &c,  high  in  the  air,  to  resemble  large  num- 
bers of  birds,  such  as  buzzards,  or  ravens.  The  ground,  also,  seemed  to  tremble,  as  it  is 
asserted  by  many  credible  persons,  who  were,  at  the  time,  a  mile  from  the  tornado  itself. 
The  roar  of  the  wind,  the  trembling  of  the  ground,  and  the  crash  of  the  falling  timber  and 
buildings,  is  represented  by  all  who  were  witnesses  as  being  peculiarly  dreadful. 

Colonel  Wright  and  others,  who  witnessed  its  progress,  think  it  advanced  at  the  rate  of 
a  mile  per  minute,  and  did  not  last  more  than  a  minute  and  a  half  or  two  minutes.  The 
cloud  was  exceedingly  black,  and  sometimes  bore  hard  upon  the  ground,  and  at  others, 
seemed  to  rise  a  little  above  the  surface.  One  peculiarity  was,  that  the  fallen  timber  lay 
in  every  direction,  so  that  the  course  of  the  storm  could  not  be  determined  from  the  position 
of  the  fallen  trees. 

Many  incidents  are  related  by  the  inhabitants,  calculated  to  illustrate  the  power,  as  well 
as  the  terror,  of  the  storm,  among  which  are  the  following.  A  chain  from  three  to  four  feet 
long,  and  of  the  size  of  a  common  plow-chain,  was  taken  from  the  ground  near  the  house 
of  John  M'Clintock,  and  carried  about  half  a  mile,  and  lodged  in  the  top  of  a  sugar-tree 
stub,  about  25  feet  from  the  ground.  An  ox,  belonging  to  Col.  Wait  Wright,  was  carried 
about  80  rods  and  left  unhurt,  although  surrounded  by  the  fallen  timber,  so  that  it  required 
several  hours  chopping  to  release  him.  A  cow,  also,  was  taken  from  the  same  field  and  car- 
ried about  40  rods,  and  lodged  in  the  top  of  a  tree,  which  was  blown  down,  and  when  found 
was  dead,  and  about  8  feet  from  the  ground.  Whether  the  cow  was  blown  against  the  tree- 
top  before  it  was  blown  down,  or  was  lodged  in  it  after  it  fell,  cannot  be  determined.     A 


LICKING    COUNTY. 


295 


heavy  ox  cart  was  taken  from  the  yard  of  Col.  Wright,  and  carried  about  40  rods,  and 
struck  the  ground  with  such  force  as  to  break  the  axle  and  entirely  to  demolish  one  wheel. 
A  son  of  Col.  Wright,  upwards  of  fourteen  years  of  age,  was  standing  in  the  house  holding 
the  door.  The  house,  which  was  built  of  logs,  was  torn  in  pieces,  and  the  lad  was  thrown 
with  such  violence  across  the  room  as  to  kill  him  instantly.  A  coat,  which  was  hanging  in 
the  same  room,  was  found,  in  the  following  November,  in  Coshocton  county,  more  than  forty 
miles  distant,  and  was  afterwards  brought  to  Burlington,  and  was  identified  by  Col.  Wright's 
family.  Other  articles,  such  as  shingles,  pieces  of  timber  and  of  furniture,  were  carried 
twenty,  and  even  thirty  miles.  Miss  Sarah  Robb,  about  twelve  years  of  age,  was  taken 
from  her  father's  house  and  carried  some  distance,  she  could  not  tell  how  far ;  but  when 
consciousness  returned,  found  herself  about  forty  rods  from  the  house,  and  walking  towards 
it.  She  was  much  bruised,  but  not  essentially  injured.  The  family  of  a  Mr.  Vance,  on 
seeing  the  storm  approach,  fled  from  the  house  to  the  orchard  adjoining.  The  upper  part 
of  the  house  was  blown  off  and  through  the  orchard  ;  the  lower  part  of  the  house  remained. 
Two  sons  of  Mr.  Vance  were  killed — one  immediately,  and  the  other  died  in  a  day  or  two 
from  his  wounds.  These,  and  the  son  of  Col.  Wright,  above  mentioned,  were  all  the  fives 
known  to  be  lost  by  the  storm.  A  house,  built  of  large  logs,  in  which  was  a  family,  and 
which  a  number  of  workmen  had  entered  for  shelter  from  the  storm,  was  raised  up  on  one 
side  and  rolled  off  the  place  on  which  it  stood,  without  injuring  any  one.  A  yoke  of  oxen, 
belonging  to  Wm.  H.  Cooley,  were  standing  in  the  yoke  in  the  field,  and  after  the  storm, 
were  found  completely  enclosed  and  covered  with  fallen  timber,  so  that  they  were  not  re- 
leased till  the  next  day,  but  were  not  essentially  injured.  A  black  walnut  tree,  two  and  half 
feet  in  diameter,  which  had  lain  on  the  ground  for  many  years,  and  had  become  embedded 
in  the  earth  to  nearly  one  half  its  size,  was  taken  from  its  bed  and  carried  across  the  creek, 
and  left  as  many  as  30  rods  from  its  former  location.  A  crockery  crate,  in  which  several 
fowls  were  confined,  was  carried  by  the  wind  several  miles,  and,  with  its  contents,  set  down 
without  injury. 


Presbyterian  Female  Seminary. 


Episcopal  Female  Seminary. 


Granville  {Baptist)  College. 

Literary  Institutions  at  Granville. 


Male  Academy. 


The  village  of  Granville  is  six  miles  west  of  Newark,  and  is  con 
nected  with  the  Ohio  canal  by  a  side  cut  of  six  miles  in  length.  It 
is  aneat,  well-built  town,  noted  for  the  morality  and  intelligence  of 
its  inhabitants  and  its  flourishing  and  well-conducted  literary  insti- 
tutions.   It  contains  6  churches,  6  stores,  3  academies — (beside  a  large 


296 


LICKING    COUNTY. 


brick  building,  which  accommodates  in  each  of  its  stories  a  distinct 
school, — and  had  in  1840,  727  inhabitants.  The  Granville  college 
belongs  to  the  Baptists,  and  was  chartered  in  1832.  It  is  on  a  com 
manding  site,  one  mile  southwest  of  the  village :  its  faculty  consist 
of  a  president,  two  professors  and  two  tutors.  The  four  institutions 
at  Granville,  have,  unitedly,  from  15  to  20  instructors,  and  enjoy  a 
generous  patronage  from  all  parts  of  the  state.  When  all  the  schools 
and  institutions  are  in  operation,  there  are,  within  a  mile,  usually 
from  400  to  600  scholars. 

The  annexed  historical  sketch  of  Granville  township,  is  from  the 
published  sketches  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Little. 

In  1804,  a  company  was  formed  at  Granville,  Mass.,  with  the  intention  of  making  a 
settlement  in  Ohio.  This,  called  "  the  Scioto  company,"  was  the  third  of  that  name  which 
effected  settlements  in  Ohio.  (See  pp.  169,  178.)  The  project  met  with  great  favor,  and 
vouch  enthusiasm  was  elicited  ;  in  illustration  of  which,  a  song  was  composed  and  sung  to 
jie  tune  of  "  Pleasant  Ohio,"  by  the  young  people  in  the  house  and  at  labor  in  the  field 
We  annex  two  stanzas,  which  are  more  curious  than  poetical. 


When  rambling  o'er  these  mountains 

And  rocks,  where  ivies  grow 
Thick  as  the  hairs  upon  your  head, 

'Mongst  which  you  cannot  go ; 
Great  storms  of  snow,  cold  winds  that  blow, 

We  scarce  can  undergo  ; 
Says  I,  my  boys,  we'll  leave  this  place 

For  the  pleasant  Ohio. 


Our  precious  friends  that  stay  behind, 

We're  sorry  now  to  leave  ; 
But  if  they'll  stay  and  break  their  shins, 

For  them  we'll  never  grieve  ; 
Adieu,  my  friends  !  come  on  my  dears, 

This  journey  we'll  forego, 
And  settle  Licking  creek, 

In  yonder  Ohio. 


The  Scioto  company  consisted  of  114  proprietors,  who  made  a  purchase  of  28,000  acres 
In  the  autumn  of  1805,  234  persons,  mostly  from  East  Granville,  Mass.,  came  on  to  the 
purchase.  Although  they  had  been  forty-two  days  on  the  road,  their  first  business,  on  their 
arrival,  having  organized  a  church  before  they  left  the  east,  was  to  hear  a  sermon.  The 
first  tree  cut  was  that  by  which  public  worship  was  held,  which  stood  just  front  of  the  site 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  On  the  first  Sabbath,  November  16th,  although  only  about  a 
dozen  trees  had  been  cut,  they  held  divine  worship,  both  forenoon  and  afternoon,  at  that 
spot.  The  novelty  of  worshiping  in  the  woods,  the  forest  extending  hundreds  of  miles 
every  way,  the  hardships  of  the  journey,  the  winter  setting  in,  the  fresh  thoughts  of  home, 
with  all  the  friends  and  privileges  left  behind,  and  the  impression  that  such  must  be  the 
accommodations  of  a  new  country,  all  rushed  on  their  nerves  and  made  this  a  day  of  varied 
interest.  When  they  began  to  sing,  the  echo  of  their  voices  among  the  trees  was  so  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  was  in  the  beautiful  meeting  house  they  had  left,  that  they  could  no 
longer  restrain  their  tears.  They  wept  when  they  remembered  Zion.  The  voices  of  part 
of  the  choir  were  for  a  season  suppressed  with  emotion. 

An  incident  occurred,  which  some  Mrs.  Sigoumey  should  put  into  a  poetical  dress. 
Deacon  Theophilus  Reese,  a  Welsh  Baptist,  had  two  or  three  years  before  built  a  cabin  a 
mile  and  a  half  north,  and  lived  all  this  time  without  public  worship.  He  had  lost  his 
cows,  and  hearing  a  lowing  of  the  oxen  belonging  to  the  company,  set  out  towards  them. 
As  he  ascended  the  hills  overlooking  the  town-plot,  he  heard  the  singing  of  the  choir.  The 
reverberation  of  the  sound  from  hill-tops  and  trees,  threw  the  good  man  into  a  serious 
dilemma.  The  music  at  first  seemed  to  be  behind,  then  in  the  tops  of  the  trees  or  the 
clouds.  He  stopped,  till  by  accurate  listening,  he  caught  the  direction  of  the  sound,  and 
went  on,  till  passing  the  brow  of  the  hill,  when  he  saw  the  audience  sitting  on  the  level 
below.  He  went  home  and  told  his  wife  that  "  the  promise  of  God  is  a  bond  ;"  a  Welsh 
phrase,  signifying  that  we  have  security,  equal  to  a  bond  that  religion  will  prevail  every 
where.  He  said  "  these  must  be  good  people.  I  am  not  afraid  to  go  among  them." 
Though  he  could  not  understand  English,  he  constantly  attended  the  reading  meeting. 
Hearing  the  music  on  that  occasion,  made  such  an  impression  on  his  mind,  that  when  he 
became  old  and  met  the  first  settlers,  he  would  always  tell  over  this  story.  The  first  cabin 
built,  was  that  in  which  they  worshiped  succeeding  Sabbaths,  and  before  the  close  of 
winter  they  had  a  school  and  school  house.  That  church,  in  forty  years,  has  been  favored 
with  ten  revivals,  and  received  about  one  thousand  persons. 

The  first  Baptist  sermon  was  preached  in  the  log  church  by  Elder  Jones,  in  1806.     The 


G 
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LICKING  COUNTY.  297 

Welsh  Baptist  church  wag  organized  in  the  cabin  of  David  Thomas,  September  4,  1808. 
"The  Baptist  church  in  Christ  and  St.  Albans,"  was  organized  June  6th,  1819.  On  the 
21st  of  April,  1827,  the  Granville  members  were  organized  into  "  the  Granville  church," 
and  the  corner-stone  of  their  church  was  laid  September  21,  1829.  In  the  fall,  the  first 
Methodist  sermon  was  preached  under  a  black  walnut;  the  first  class  organized  in  1810, 
and  first  church  erected  in  1824.  An  Episcopal  church  was  organized  May  9th,  1827, 
and  a  church  consecrated  in  1838.  More  recently,  the  Welsh  Congregationalists  and  Cal- 
vinistic  Methodists  have  built  houses  of  worship,  making  seven  congregations,  of  whom 
three  worship  in  the  Welsh  language.  There  are,  in  the  township,  405  families,  of  which 
214  sustain  family  worship  ;  1431  persons  over  14  years  of  age,  of  whom  nearly  800  belong 
to  these  several  churches.  The  town  has  150  families,  of  which  80  have  family  worship. 
Twenty  years  ago,  the  township  furnished  40  school  teachers,  and  in  1846,  70,  of  whom 
62  prayed  in  school.  In  1846,  the  township  took  621  periodical  papers,  beside  three  small 
monthlies.  The  first  temperance  society  west  of  the  mountains,  was  organized  July  15th, 
1828,  and  in  1831,  the  Congregational  church  adopted  a  by-law,  to  accept  no  member  who 
trafficked  in  or  used  ardent  spirits. 

There  are  but  six  men  now  living  who  came  on  with  families  the  first  fall,  viz :  Hugh 
Kelley,  Roswell  Graves,  Elia3  Gillman,  William  Gavit,  Levi  and  Hiram  Rose.  Other 
males,  who  arrived  in  1805,  then  mostly  children,  and  still  surviving,  are  Elkannah  Linnel, 
Spencer,  Thomas  and  Timothy  Spelman,  Dennis  Kelley,  William  Jones,  Franklin  and 
Ezekiel  Gavit,  Cotton,  Alexander  and  William  Thrall,  Augustine  Munson,  Amos  Car- 
penter, Timothy,  Samuel,  Heland,  Lemuel,  C.  C.  and  Hiram  P.  Rose,  Justin  and  Truman 
Hillyer,  Silvanus,  Gideon,  Isaac  and  Archibald  Cornel,  Simeon  and  Alfred  Avery,  Fred- 
erick More,  Worthy  Pratt,  Ezekiel,  Samuel  and  Truman  Wells,  Albert,  Mitchell,  Joshua, 
Knowles  and  Benjamin  Linnel,  Lester  and  Hiram  Case,  Harry  and  Lewis  Clemens,  Lev- 
erett,  Harry  and  Charles  Butler,  and  Titus  Knox :  which,  added  to  the  others,  make  forty- 
one  persons. 

When  Granville  was  first  settled,  it  was  supposed  that  Worthington  would  be  the  capital 
of  Ohio,  between  which  and  Zanesville,  this  would  make  a  great  half-way  town.  At  this 
time,  snakes,  wolves  and  Indians  abounded  in  this  region.  On  the  pleasant  spring  morn- 
ings, large  numbers  of  snakes  were  found  running  on  the  flat  stones.  Upon  prying  up  the 
stones,  there  was  found  a  singular  fact  respecting  the  social  nature  of  serpents.  Dens 
were  found  containing  very  discordant  materials,  twenty  or  thirty  rattle-snakes,  black- 
snakes  and  copper-heads,  all  coiled  up  together.  Their  liberal  terms  of  admission  only 
seemed  to  require  evidence  of  snakeship.  Besides  various  turnouts  to  kill  them,  the  inhab- 
itants had  one  general  hunt.  Elias  Gillman  and  Justin  Hillyer  were  the  captains,  who 
chose  sides,  and  the  party  beaten  were  to  pay  three  gallons  of  whiskey.  Tradition  is 
divided  as  to  the  number  killed  that  day.  Some  say  300.  They  killed  that  year  between 
700  and  800  rattle-snakes  and  copper-heads,  keeping  no  account  of  the  black  and  other 
harmless  serpents.  The  young  men  would  seize  them  by  the  neck  and  thrash  them  against 
the  trees,  before  they  had  time  to  bite  or  curl  round  their  arms.  The  copper-head,  though 
smaller,  was  much  more  feared.  The  rattle-snake  was  larger,  sooner  seen,  and  a  true 
southerner,  always  living  up  to  the  laws  of  honor.  He  would  not  bite  without  provoca- 
tion, and  by  his  rattles  gave  the  challenge  in  an  honorable  way.  Instead  of  this  well-bred 
warfare,  the  copper-head  is  a  wrathy  little  felon,  whose  ire  is  always  up,  and  he  will  make 
at  the  hand  or  the  foot  in  the  leaves  or  grass,  before  he  i3  seen,  and  his  bite  is  as  poisonous 
as  that  of  his  brother  of  the  larger  fang.  The  young  men  tested  his  temper,  and  found  that 
in  his  wrath  he  would  bite  a  red  hot  coal.  Very  few  were  bitten  by  the  rattle-snake,  and 
all  speak  well  of  his  good  disposition  and  gentlemanly  manners ;  but  so  many  were  bitten 
in  consequence  of  the  fractious  temper  of  the  copper-head,  that  he  has  left  no  one  behind 
him  to  sound  a  note  in  his  praise. 

The  limb  bitten  became  immediately  swollen,  turned  the  color  of  the  snake,  and  the 
patient  was  soon  unable  to  walk.  In  some  cases  the  poison  broke  out  annually,  and  in 
others,  the  limb  for  years  was  exposed  to  frequent  swellings.  After  all  that  was  suffered 
from  poisonous  reptiles,  it  was  proved  to  a  demonstration,  that  no  animal  is  so  poisonous 
as  man.  Carrying  more  poison  in  his  mouth  than  any  other  creature,  he  can  poison  a 
venomous  serpent  to  death,  quicker  than  the  serpent  can  him.  Martin  Root  and  two  other 
young  men,  chopping  together,  saw  a  rattle-snake,  set  a  fork  over  his  neck,  and  put  in  his 
mouth  a  new  quid  from  one  of  their  mouths.  They  raised  the  fork,  and  the  poor  creature 
did  not  crawl  more  than  his  length  before  he  convulsed,  swelled  up  and  died,  poisoned  to 
death  by  virus  from  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  lords  of  creation.  Deacon  Hayes  and  Worthy 
Pratt  tried  the  same  experiment  upon  copper-heads,  with  the  same  results.     Many  others 

38 


298  LOGAN   COUNTY. 

killed  venomous  reptiles  In  the  same  way,  and  one  man  pretended  that  by  the  moderate 
use,  he  had  taught  a  copper-head  to  take  tobacco  without  injury. 

About  three  miles  northwest  of  the  ancient  works  in  the  vicinity 
of  Newark,  and  near  the  road  between  that  place  and  Granville, 
are  numerous  mounds  and  other  ancient  works.  The  most  curious 
object  is  the  figure,  shaped  like  and  called  "  the  Alligator,"  on  the  top 
of  a  high  hill.  Its  dimensions  are  as  follows,  in  feet:  length  of  the 
head  and  neck,  32;  do.  of  the  body,  73;  do.  tail,  105;  width  from 
the  ends  of  the  fore  feet  over  the  shoulders,  100  ;  do.  hind  feet  over 
the  hips,  92  ;  do.  between  the  legs  across  the  body,  32  ;  do.  tail  close 
to  the  body,  18;  height  at  the  highest  point,  7;  whole  length,  210; 
do.  head,  neck  and  body,  105.  It  appears  to  be  mainly  composed 
of  clay,  and  is  overgrown  with  grass.  Visitors  have  made  a  path 
from  the  nose  along  the  back  to  where  the  tail  begins  to  curl,  at 
which  point  stands  a  large  black  walnut. 

The  noted  "Narrows  of  Licking"  wee,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county.  "  This  is  a  very  picturesque  spot ;  cliffs  of  sandstone  rock, 
50  feet  in  height,  line  the  sides  of  the  canal,  especially  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  stream.  In  some  places,  they  hang  over  in  a  semi-cir- 
cular form,  the  upper  portion  projecting  and  defending  the  lower 
from  the  rains  and  weather.  In  one  of  these  spots,  the  aborigines 
chose  to  display  their  ingenuity  at  pictorial  writing,  by  figuring  on 
the  smooth  face  of  the  cliff,  at  an  elevation  of  eight  or  ten  feet  above 
the  water,  the  outlines  of  wild  animals,  and  among  the  rest,  the  figure 
of  a  huge  black  human  hand.  From  this  circumstance,  the  spot  is 
known  to  all  the  old  hunters  and  inhabitants  of  this  vicinity,  by  the 
name  of  '  the  black  hand  narrows.'  It  is  the  scene  of  many  an 
ancient  legend  and  wild  hunting  story." 

The  following  are  names  of  villages  in  this  county,  with  their 
population  in  1840:  some  of  them  have  much  increased  since,  and 
are  smart  business  places,  containing  several  stores,  churches,  mills, 
&c.  The  six  first  named  are  on  the  national  road.  Brownsville 
313,  Hebron  473,  Jacksontown  215,  Kirkersville  179,  Luray  109, 
Gratiot  147,  Alexandria  200,  Chatham  173,  Etna  219,  Fredonia  107, 
Hartford  106,  Havana  54,  Homer  201,  Linnville  101,  Lockport  125, 
and  Utica  355.  Johnstown,  omitted  in  the  census  of  1840,  is  a  vil- 
lage of  note,  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  county. 


LOGAN. 

Logan  derived  its  name  from  Gen.  Benj.  Logan :  it  was  formed 
March  1st,  1817,  and  the  courts  ordered  "to  be  holden  at  the  house 
of  Edwin  Matthews,  or  some  other  convenient  place  in  the  town  of 
Bellville,  until  a  permanent  seat  of  justice  should  be  established." 
The  soil,  which  is  various,  is  generally  good :  the  surface  broken 
around  the  head  Waters  of  Mad  river,  elsewhere  rolling  or  level ;  in 
the  western  part  are  eight  small  lakes,  covering  each  from  two  to 


Rush  Creek, 

1077 

Stokes, 

299 

Union, 

832 

Washington, 

517 

Zane, 

1021 

LOGAN  COUNTY.  295) 

seventy  acres  of  land.  The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  corn, 
rye,  oats  and  clover,  flax  and  timothy  seed.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population  : 

Bloomfield,        5G5         Liberty,        807 

Rakes  Creek,    222         M' Arthur,  1673 

Harrison,  658         Miami,        1423 

Jefferson,         1527         Monroe,      1203 

Lake,  1175         Perry,         1014 

The  population  of  Logan  in  1820,  was  3181  ;  in  1830,  6432,  and 
in  1840,  14,013,  or  33  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  territory  comprised  within  the  limits  of  this  county,  was  a 
favorite  abode  of  the  Shawanoe  Indians,  who  had  several  villages  on 
Mad  river,  called  the  Mack-a-chack  towns,  the  names  and  position 
of  three  of  which  are  given  to  us  by  an  old  settler.  The  first,  called 
Mack-a-chack,  stood  near  West  Liberty,  on  the  farm  of  Judge  Benj. 
Piatt ;  the  second,  Pigeon  Town,  was  about  three  miles  northwest, 
on  the  farm  of  George  F.  Dunn,  and  the  third,  Wappatomica,  was 
just  below  Zanesfield. 

The  Mack-a-chack  towns  were  destroyed  in  1786,  by  a  body  of 
Kentuckians,  under  Gen.  Benj.  Logan.  The  narrative  of  this  expe- 
dition is  from  the  pen  of  Gen.  William  Lytle,  (see  page  98,)  who 
wTas  an  actor  in  the  scenes  he  describes. 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  this  year,  that  Gen.  Clarke  raised  the  forces  of  the  Wabash  ex- 
pedition. They  constituted  a  numerous  corps.  Col.  Logan  was  detached  from  the  army  at 
the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  to  raise  a  considerable  force,  with  which  to  proceed  against  the  In- 
dian villages  on  the  head  waters  of  Mad  river  and  the  Great  Miami.  I  was  then  aged 
16,  and  too  young  to  come  within  the  legal  requisition  ;  but  I  offered  myself  as  a  volunteer. 
Col.  Logan  went  on  to  his  destination,  and  would  have  surprised  the  Indian  towns  against 
which  he  had  marched,  had  not  one  of  his  men  deserted  to  the  enemy,  not  long  before  they 
reached  the  town,  who  gave  notice  of  their  approach.  As  it  was,  he  burned  eight  large 
towns,  and  destroyed  many  fields  of  corn.  He  took  70  or  80  prisoners,  and  killed  20  war- 
riors, and  among  them  the  head  chief  of  the  nation.  This  last  act  caused  deep  regret,  hu- 
miliation and  shame  to  the  commander  in  chief  and  his  troops. 

We  came  in  view  of  the  two  first  towns,  one  of  which  stood  on  the  west  bank  of  Mad 
river,  and  the  other  on  the  northeast  of  it.  They  were  separated  by  a  prairie,  half  a  mile 
in  extent.  The  town  on  the  northeast  was  situated  on  a  high,  commanding  point  of  land, 
that  projected  a  small  distance  into  the  prairie,  at  the  foot  of  which  eminence  broke  out  sev- 
eral fine  springs,  This  was  the  residence  of  the  famous  chief  of  the  nation.  His  flag  was 
flying  at  the  time,  from  the  top  of  a  pole  60  feet  high.  We  had  advanced  in  three  lines, 
the  commander  with  some  of  the  horsemen  marching  at  the  head  of  the  center  line,  and  the 
footmen  in  their  rear.  Col.  Robert  Patterson  commanded  the  left,  and  I  think  Col.  Thomas 
Kennedy  the  right.  When  we  came  in  sight  of  the  towns,  the  spies  of  the  front  guard 
made  a  halt,  and  sent  a  man  back  to  inform  the  commander  of  the  situation  of  the  two  towns. 
He  ordered  Col.  Patterson  to  attack  the  towns  on  the  left  bank  of  Mad  river.  Col.  Kennedy 
was  also  charged  to  incline  a  little  to  the  right  of  the  town  on  the  east  side  of  the  prairie. 
He  determined  himself  to  charge,  with  the  center  division,  immediately  on  the  upper  town. 
I  heard  the  commander  give  his  orders,  and  caution  the  colonels  against  allowing  their  men 
to  kill  any  among  the  enemy,  that  they  might  suppose  to  be  prisoners.  He  then  ordered 
them  to  advance,  and  as  soon  as  they  should  discover  the  enemy,  to  charge  upon  them.  I 
had  my  doubts  touching  the  propriety  of  some  of  the  arrangements.  I  was  willing,  how- 
ever, to  view  the  affair  with  the  diffidence  of  youth  and  inexperience.  At  any  rate,  I  was 
determined  to  be  at  hand,  to  see  all  that  was  going  on,  and  *.o  be  as  near  the  head  of  the  line 
36  my  colonel  would  permit.  I  was  extremely  solicitous  *o  try  myself  in  bavile.  The 
commander  of  the  center  line  waved  his  sword  over  his  head,  as  a  signal  for  the  troops  to 
advance.  Col.  Daniel  Boone,  and  Major,  since  Gen.  Kenton,  commanded  the  advance,  and 
Col.  Trotter  the  rear.     As  we  approached  within  half  a  mile  of  the  town  on  the  left,  and 


300  LQGAN    COUNTY. 

about  three  fourths  from  that  on  the  right,  we  saw  the  savages  retreating  in  all  directions, 
making  for  the  thickets,  swamps,  and  high  prairie  grass,  to  secure  them  from  their  enemy. 
I  was  animated  with  the  energy  with  which  the  commander  conducted  the  head  of  hia 
line.  He  waved  his  sword,  and  in  a  voice  of  thunder  exclaimed,  "  Charge  from  right 
to  left !" 

The  horses  appeared  as  impatient  for  the  onset  as  their  riders.  As  we  came  up  with  the 
flying  savages,  I  was  disappointed,  discovering  that  we  should  have  little  to  do.  I  heard 
but  one  savage,  with  the  exception  of  the  chief,  cry  for  quarter.  They  fought  with  despeia- 
tion,  as  long  as  they  could  raise  knife,  gun  or  tomahawk,  after  they  found  they  could  not 
screen  themselves.  We  dispatched  all  the  warriors  that  we  overtook,  and  sent  the  women 
and  children  prisoners  to  the  rear.  We  pushed  ahead,  still  hoping  to  overtake  a  larger 
body,  where  we  might  have  something  like  a  general  engagement.  I  was  mounted  on  a 
very  fleet  grey  horse.  Fifty  of  my  companions  followed  me.  I  had  not  advanced  more 
than  a  mile,  before  I  discovered  some  of  the  enemy,  running  along  the  edge  of  a  thicket  of 
hazle  and  plum  bushes.  I  made  signs  to  the  men  in  my  rear,  to  come  on.  At  the  same 
time,  pointing  to  the  flying  enemy,  I  obliqued  across  the  plain,  so  as  to  get  in  advance  of 
them.  When  I  arrived  within  50  yards  of  them,  I  dismounted  and  raised  my  gun.  I  dis- 
covered, at  this  moment,  some  men  of  the  right  wing  coming  up  on  the  left.  The  warrior  I 
was  about  to  shoot,  held  up  his  hand  in  token  of  surrender,  and  I  heard  him  order  the  other 
Indians  to  stop.  By  this  time,  the  men  behind  had  arrived,  and  were  in  the  act  of  firing 
upon  the  Indians.  I  called  to  them  not  to  fire,  for  the  enemy  had  surrendered.  The  warrior 
that  had  surrendered  to  me,  came  walking  towards  me,  calling  his  women  and  children  to 
follow  him.  I  advanced  to  meet  him,  with  my  right  hand  extended  ;  but  before  I  could 
reach  him,  the  men  of  the  right  wing  of  our  force  had  surrounded  him.  I  rushed  in  among 
their  horses.  While  he  was  giving  me  his  hand,  several  of  our  men  wished  to  tomahawk 
him.  I  informed  them  that  they  would  have  to  tomahawk  me  first.  We  led  him  back  to 
the  place  where  his  flag  had  been.  We  had  taken  thirteen  prisoners.  Among  them  were 
the  chief,  his  three  wives — one  of  them  a  young  and  handsome  woman,  another  of  them  the 
famous  grenadier  squaw,  upwards  of  six  feet  high — and  two  or  three  fine  young  lads.  The  rest 
were  children.  One  of  these  lads  was  a  remarkably  interesting  youth,  about  my  own  age  and 
size.    He  clung  closely  to  me,  and  appeared  kpenly  to  notice  every  thing  that  was  going  on. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  town,  a  crowd  of  our  men  pressed  around  to  see  the  chief.  I 
stepped  aside  to  fasten  my  horse,  and  my  prisoner  lad  clung  close  to  my  side.  A  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Curner  had  been  to  one  of  the  springs  to  drink.  He  discovered  the 
young  savage  by  my  side,  and  came  running  towards  me.  The  young  Indian  supposed  he 
was  advancing  to  kill  him.  As  I  turned  around,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  he  let  fly  an 
arrow  at  Curner,  for  he  was  armed  with  a  bow.  I  had  just  time  to  catch  his  arm,  as  he 
discharged  the  arrow.  It  passed  through  Curner's  dress,  and  grazed  his  side.  The  jerk  I 
gave  his  arm  undoubtedly  prevented  his  killing  Curner  on  the  spot.  I  took  away  his  arrows, 
and  sternly  reprimanded  him.  I  then  led  him  back  to  the  crowd  which  surrounded  the 
prisoners.  At  the  same  moment,  Col.  M'Gary,  the  same  man  who  had  caused  the  disaster 
at  the  Blue  Licks,  some  years  before,  coming  up,  Gen.  Logan's  eye  caught  that  of  M'Gary. 
"  Col.  M'Gary,"  said  he,  "  you  must  not  molest  these  prisoners."  "  I  will  see  to  that,"  said 
M'Gary  in  reply.  I  forced  my  way  through  the  crowd  to  the  chief,  with  my  young  charge 
by  the  hand.  M'Gary  ordered  the  crowd  to  open  and  let  him  in.  He  came  up  to  the 
chief,  and  the  first  salutation  was  in  the  question,  "  Were  you  at  the  defeat  of  the  Blue 
Licks?"  The  Indian,  not  knowing  the  meaning  of  the  words,  or  not  understanding  the 
purport  of  the  question,  answered,  "  Yes."  M'Gary  instantly  seized  an  axe  from  the  hands 
of  the  grenadier  squaw,  and  raised  it  to  make  a  blow  at  the  chief.  I  threw  up  my  arm,  to 
ward  off  the  blow.  The  handle  of  the  axe  struck  me  across  the  left  wrist,  and  came  near 
breaking  it.  The  axe  sank  in  the  head  of  the  chief  to  the  eyes,  and  he  fell  dead  at  my  feet. 
Provoked  beyond  measure  at  this  wanton  barbarity,  I  drew  my  knife,  for  the  purpose  of 
avenging  his  cruelty  by  dispatching  him.  My  arm  was  arrested  by  one  of  our  men,  which 
prevented  me  inflicting  the  thrust.     M'Gary  escaped  from  the  crowd. 

A  detachment  was  then  ordered  off"  to  two  other  towns,  distant  six  or  eight  miles.  The 
men  and  prisoners  were  ordered  to  march  down  to  the  lower  town  and  encamp.  As  we 
marched  out  of  the  upper  town,  we  fired  it,  collecting  a  large  pile  of  corn  for  our  horses,  and 
beans,  pumpkins,  &c,  for  our  own  use.  I  told  Capt.  Stucker,  who  messed  with  me,  that  I 
had  seen  several  hogs  running  about  the  town,  which  appeared  to  be  in  good  order,  and  I 
thought  that  a  piece  of  fresh  pork  would  relish  well  with  our  stock  of  vegetables.  He  readily 
assenting  to  it,  we  went  in  pursuit  of  them  ;  but  as  orders  had  been  given  not  to  shoot  un- 
less at  an  enemy,  after  finding  the  hogs  we  had  to  run  them  down  on  foot,  until  we  got 
near  enough  to  tomahawk  them.     Being  engaged  at  this  for  some  time  before  we  killed 


LOGAN    COUNTY.  301 

one,  while  Capt.  S.  was  in  the  act  of  striking  the  hog,  I  cast  my  eye  along  the  edge  of  the 
woods  that  skirted  the  prairie,  and  saw  an  Indian  coming  along  with  a  deer  on  his  back. 
The  fellow  happened  to  raise  his  head  at  that  moment,  and  looking  across  the  praiiie  to  the 
upper  town,  saw  it  all  in  flames.  At  the  same  moment,  I  spake  to  Stucker  in  a  low  voice, 
that  here  was  an  Indian  coming.  In  the  act  of  turning  my  head  round  to  speak  to  Stucker, 
I  discovered  Hugh  Ross,  brother-in-law  to  Col.  Kennedy,  at  the  distance  of  about  GO  or  70 
yards,  approaching  us.  I  made  a  motion  with  my  hand  to  Ross  to  squat  down  ;  then 
taking  a  tree  between  me  and  the  Indian,  I  slipped  somewhat  nearer,  to  get  a  fairer  shot, 
when  at  the  instant  I  raised  my  gun  past  the  tree,  the  Indian  being  about  100  yards  dis- 
tant, Ross's  ball  whistled  by  me,  so  close  that  I  felt  the  wind  of  it,  and  struck  the  Indian  on 
the  calf  of  one  of  his  legs.  The  Indian  that  moment  dropped  his  deer,  and  sprang  into  the 
high  grass  of  the  prairie.  All  this  occurred  so  quickly,  that  I  had  not  time  to  draw  a  sight 
on  him,  before  he  was  hid  by  the  grass.  I  was  provoked  at  Ross  for  shooting  when  I  was 
near  enough  to  have  killed  him,  and  now  the  consequence  would  be,  that  probably  some  of 
our  men  would  lose  their  lives,  as  a  wounded  Indian  only  would  give  up  with  his  life.  Capt. 
Irwin  rode  up  that  moment,  with  his  troop  of  horse,  and  asked  me  where  the  Indian  was. 
I  pointed  as  nearly  as  I  could  to  the  spot  where  I  last  saw  him  in  the  grass,  cautioning  the 
captain,  if  he  missed  him  the  first  charge,  to  pass  on  out  of  his  reach  before  he  wheeled  to 
re-charge,  or  the  Indian  would  kill  some  of  his  men  in  the  act  of  wheeling.  Whether  the 
captain  heard  me,  I  cannot  say ;  at  any  rate,  the  warning  was  not  attended  to,  for  after 
passing  the  Indian  a  few  steps,  Captain  Irwin  ordered  his  men  to  wheel  and  re-charge  across 
the  woods,  and  in  the  act  of  executing  the  movement,  the  Indian  raised  up  and  shot  the 
captain  dead  on  the  spot — still  keeping  below  the  level  of  the  grass,  to  deprive  us  of  any  op- 
portunity of  putting  a  bullet  through  him.  The  troop  charged  again  ;  but  the  Indian  was 
so  active,  that  he  had  darted  into  the  grass,  some  rods  from  where  he  had  fired  at  Irwin, 
and  they  again  missed  him.  By  this  time  several  footmen  had  got  up.  Capt.  Stucker  and 
myself  had  each  of  us  taken  a  tree  that  stood  out  in  the  edge  of  the  prairie,  among  the 
grass,  when  a  Mr.  Stafford  came  up,  and  put  his  head  first  past  one  side  and  then  the  other 
of  the  tree  I  was  behind.  I  told  him  not  to  expose  himself  that  way,  or  he  would  get  shot 
in  a  moment.  I  had  hardly  expressed  the  last  word,  when  the  Indian  again  raked  up  or.t 
of  the  grass.  His  gun,  Stucker's,  and  my  own,  with  four  or  five  behind  us,  all  cracked  a! 
the  same  instant.  Stafford  fell  at  my  side,  while  we  rushed  on  the  wounded  Indian  with 
our  tomahawks.  Before  we  had  got  him  dispatched,  he  had  made  ready  the  powder  in  his 
gun,  and  a  ball  in  his  mouth,  preparing  for  a  third  fire,  with  bullet  holes  in  his  breast  that 
might  all  have  been  covered  with  a  man's  open  hand.  We  found  with  him  Capt.  Bcasley's 
rifle — the  captain  having  been  killed  at  the  Lower  Blue  Licks,  a  few  days  before  the  army 
passed  through  that  place  on  their  way  to  the  towns. 

Next  morning,  Gen.  Logan  ordered  another  detachment  to  attack  a  town  that  lay  seven 
or  eight  miles  to  the  north  or  northwest  of  where  we  then  were.  This  town  was  ako  burnt, 
together  with  a  large  blockhouse  that  the  English  had  built  there,  of  a  huge  size  and  thick- 
ness; and  the  detachment  returned  that  evening  to  the  main  body.  Mr.  Isaac  Zane  was 
at  that  time  living  at  this  last  village,  he  being  married  to  a  squaw,  and  having  at  the  place 
his  wife  and  several  children  at  the  time. 

The  name  of  the  Indian  chief  killed  by  M'Gary,  was  Moluntha,  the  great  sachem  of  the 
Shawnees.  The  grenadier  squaw  was  the  sister  to  Cornstalk,  who  fell  [basely  murdered] 
at  Point  Pleasant. 

Jonathan  Alder  (see  Madison  county)  was  at  this  time  living  with 
the  Indians. 

From  his  narrative,  it  appears  that  the  news  of  the  approach  of  the 
Kentuckians  was  communicated  to  the  Indians  by  a  Frenchman, 
a  deserter  from  the  former.  Nevertheless,  as  the  whites  arrived 
sooner  than  they  expected,  the  surprise  was  complete.  Most  of  the 
Indians  were  at  the  time  absent  hunting,  and  the  towns  became  an 
easy  conquest  to  the  whites.  Early  one  morning,  an  Indian  runner 
came  into  the  village  in  which  Alder  lived,  and  gave  the  information 
that  Mack-a-chack  had  been  destroyed,  and  that  the  whites  were  ap- 
proaching. Alder,  with  the  people  of  the  village,  who  were  princi- 
pally squaws  and  children,  retreated  for  two  days,  until  they  arrived 
somewhere  near  the  head  waters  of  the  Scioto,  where  they  suffered 


302  LOGAN    COUNTY. 

much  for  want  of  food.  There  was  not  a  man  among  them  capable 
of  hunting,  and  they  were  compelled  to  subsist  on  paw-paws,  muscles 
and  craw-fish.  In  about  eight  days,  they  returned  to  Zane's  town, 
tarried  a  short  time,  and  from  thence  removed  to  Hog  creek,  where 
they  wintered:  their  principal  living,  at  that  place,  was  "raccoons,  and 
that  with  little  or  no  salt,  without  a  single  bite  of  bread,  hommony,  or 
sweet  corn."  In  the  spring  they  moved  back  to  the  site  of  their  vil- 
lage, where  nothing  remained  but  the  ashes  of  the  dwellings  and  their 
corn  burnt  to  charcoal.  They  remained  daring  the  sugar  season, 
and  then  removed  to  Blanchard  s  fork,  where,  being  obliged  to  clear 
the  land,  they  were  enabled  to  raise  but  a  scanty  crop  of  corn. 
While  this  was  growing,  they  fared  hard,  and  managed  to  eke  out  a 
bare  subsistence  by  eating  a  "  kind  of  wild  potato"  and  poor  rac- 
coons, that  had  been  suckled  down  so  poor  that  dogs  would  hardly 
eat  them :  "  for  fear  of  losing  a  little,  they  threw  them  on  the  fire, 
singed  the  hair  off,  and  ate  skin  and  all." 

The  Indian  lad  to  whom  General  Lytle  alludes,  was  taken,  with 
others  of  the  prisoners,  into  Kentucky.  The  commander  of  the  ex- 
pedition was  so  much  pleased  with  him,  that  he  made  him  a  member 
of  his  own  family,  in  which  he  resided  some  years,  and  was  at  length 
permitted  to  return.  He  was  ever  afterwards  known  by  the  name 
of  Logan,  to  which  the  prefix  of  captain  was  eventually  attached. 
His  Indian  name  was  Spemica  Laioba,  i.  e.  "  the  High  Horn."  He 
subsequently  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  civil  chief,  on  account  of  his  many 
estimable  intellectual  and  moral  qualities.  His  personal  appearance 
was  commanding,  being  six  feet  in  height,  and  weighing  near  two 
hundred  pounds.  He  from  that  time  continued  the  unwavering 
friend  of  the  Americans,  and  fought  on  their  side  with  great  con- 
stancy. He  lost  his  life  in  the  fall  of  1812,  under  melancholy  cir- 
cumstances, which  evinced  that  he  was  a  man  of  the  keenest  sense 
of  honor.     The  facts  follow,  from  Drake's  Tecumseh. 

In  November  of  1812,  General  Harrison  directed  Logan  to  take  a  small  party  of  his 
tribe,  and  reconnoitre  the  country  in  the  direction  of  the  rapids  of  the  Maumee.  When 
near  this  point,  they  were  met  by  a  body  of  the  enemy,  superior  to  their  own  in  number, 
and  compelled  to  retreat.  Logan,  captain  Johnny  [see  p.  165]  and  Bright-horn,  who  com- 
posed the  party,  effected  their  escape  to  the  left  wing  of  the  army,  then  under  the  command 
of  Gen.  Winchester,  who  was  duly  informed  of  the  circumstances  of  their  adventure.  An 
officer  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  General  P.,  the  second  in  command,  without  the  slightest 
ground  for  such  a  charge,  accused  Logan  of  infidelity  to  our  cause,  and  of  giving  intelligence 
to  the  enemy.  Indignant  at  this  foul  accusation,  the  noble  chief  at  once  resolved  to  meet 
it  in  a  manner  that  would  leave  no  doubt  as  to  his  faithfulness  to  the  United  States.  He 
called  on  his  friend  Oliver,  [now  Major  Wm.  Oliver,  of  Cincinnati,]  and  having  told  him  of 
the  imputation  that  had  been  cast  upon  his  reputation,  said  that  he  would  start  from  the 
camp  next  morning,  and  either  leave  his  body  bleaching  in  the  woods,  or  return  with  such 
trophies  from  the  enemy,  as  would  relieve  his  character  from  the  suspicion  that  had  been 
wantonly  cast  upon  it  by  an  American  officer. 

Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  22d,  he  started  down  the  Maumee,  attended  by  his 
two  faithful  companions,  captain  Johnny  and  Bright-horn.  About  noon,  having  stopped  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  rest,  they  were  suddenly  surprised  by  a  party  of  seven  of  the  enemy, 
among  whom  were  young  Elliott,  a  half-breed,  holding  a  commission  in  the  British  ser- 
vice, and  the  celebrated  Potawatamie  chief,  Winnemac.  Logan  made  no  resistance,  but, 
with  great  presence  of  mind,  extending  his  hand  to  Winnemac,  who  was  an  old  acquaintance, 
proceeded  to  inform  him,  that  he  and  his  two  companions,  tired  of  the  American  service,  were 
just  leaving  Gen.  Winchester's  army,  for  the  'Hirpose  of  joining  the  British.     WinnemaCi 


LOGAN    COUNTY.  303 

being  familiar  with  Indian  strategy,  was  not  satisfied  with  this  declaration,  but  proceeded 
to  disarm  Logan  and  his  comrades,  and  placing  his  party  around  them,  so  as  prevent  their 
escape,  started  for  the  British  camp  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  In  the  course  of  the  after- 
noon, Logan's  address  was  such  as  to  inspire  confidence  in  his  sincerity,  and  induce  Win- 
nemac  to  restore  to  him  and  his  companions  their  arms.  Logan  now  formed  the  plan  of 
attacking  his  captors  on  the  first  favorable  opportunity  ;  and  while  marching  along,  suc- 
ceeded in  communicating  the  substance  of  it  to  captain  Johnny  and  Bright-horn.  Their 
guns  being  already  loaded,  they  had  little  further  preparation  to  make  than  to  put  bullets  into 
their  mouths,  to  facilitate  the  re-loading  of  their  arms.  In  carrying  on  this  process,  captain 
Johnny,  as  he  afterwards  related,  fearing  that  the  man  marching  by  his  side  had  observed 
the  operation,  adroitly  did  away  the  impress.on  by  remarking,  "  me  chaw  heap  tobac." 

The  evening  being  now  at  hand,  the  British  Indians  determined  to  encamp  on  the  bank 
of  Turkeyfoot  creek,  about  twenty  miles  from  Fort  Winchester.  Confiding  in  the  idea  that 
Logan  had  really  deserted  the  American  service,  a  part  of  his  captors  rambled  around  the 
place  of  their  encampment  in  search  of  blackhaws.  They  were  no  sooner  out  of  sight  than 
Logan  gave  the  signal  of  attack  upon  those  who  remained  behind  ;  they  fired,  and  two  of 
the  enemy  fell  dead — the  third,  being  only  wounded,  required  a  second  shot  to  dispatch 
him  ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  the  remainder  of  the  party,  who  were  near  by,  returned  the  fire, 
and  all  of  them  "  treed."  There  being  four  of  the  enemy,  and  only  three  of  Logan's  party, 
the  latter  could  not  watch  all  the  movements  of  their  antagonists.  Thus  circumstanced, 
and  during  an  active  fight,  the  fourth  man  of  the  enemy  passed  round  until  Logan  was  un- 
covered by  his  tree,  and  shot  him  through  the  body.  By  this  time,  Logan's  party  had 
wounded  two  of  the  surviving  four,  which  caused  them  to  fail'back.  Taking  advantage  of 
this  state  of  things,  captain  Johnny  mounted  Logan,  now  suffering  the  pain  of  a  mortal 
wound,  and  Bright-horn,  also  wounded,  on  two  of  the  enemy's  horses,  and  started  them  for 
Winchester's  camp,  which  they  reached  about  midnight.  Captain  Johnny,  having  already 
secured  the  scalp  of  Winnemac,  followed  immediately  on  foot,  and  gained  the  same  point 
early  on  the  following  morning.  It  was  subsequently  ascertained  that  the  two  Indians  of 
the  British  party,  who  were  last  wounded,  died  of  their  wounds,  making  in  all  five  out  of 
the  seven  who  were  slain  by  Logan  and  his  companions. 

When  the  news  of  this  gallant  affair  had  spread  through  the  camp,  and,  especially,  after 
it  was  known  that  Logan  was  mortally  wounded,  it  created  a  deep  and  mournful  sensation. 
No  one,  it  is  believed,  more  deeply  regretted  the  fatal  catastrophe  than  the  author  of  the 
charge  upon  Logan's  integrity,  which  had  led  to  this  unhappy  result. 

Logan's  popularity  was  very  great ;  indeed,  he  was  almost  universally  esteemed  in  the 
army  for  his  fidelity  to  our  cause,  his  unquestioned  bravery,  and  the  nobleness  of  his  nature. 
He  lived  two  or  three  days  after  reaching  the  camp,  but  in  extreme  bodily  agony  ;  he  was 
buried  by  the  officers  of  the  army  at  Fort  Winchester,  with  the  honors  of  war.  Previous  to 
his  death,  he  related  the  particulars  of  this  fatal  enterprize  to  his  friend  Oliver,  declaring  to 
him  that  he  prized  his  honor  more  than  life  ;  and  having  now  vindicated  his  reputation  from 
the  imputation  cast  upon  it,  he  died  satisfied.  In  the  course  of  this  interview,  and  while 
writhing  with  pain,  he  was  observed  to  smile  ;  upon  being  questioned  as  to  the  cause,  he 
replied,  that  when  he  recalled  to  his  mind  the  manner  in  which  captain  Johnny  took  off  the 
scalp  of  Winnemac,  while  at  the  same  time  dexterously  watching  the  movements  of  the 
enemy,  he  could  not  refrain  from  laughing — an  incident  in  savage  life,  which  shows  the 
"  ruling  passion  strong  in  death."  It  would,  perhaps,  be  difficult,  in  the  history  of  savage 
warfare,  to  point  out  an  enterprize,  the  execution  of  which  reflects  higher  credit  upon  the 
address  and  daring  conduct  of  its  authors,  than  this  does  upon  Logan  and  his  two  com- 
panions. Indeed,  a  spirit  even  less  indomitable,  a  sense  of  honor  less  acute,  and  a  patriotic 
devotion  to  a  good  cause  less  active,  than  were  manifested  by  this  gallant  chieftain  of  the 
woods,  might,  under  other  circumstances,  have  well  conferred  immortality  upon  his  name. 

Col.  John  Johnston,  in  speaking  of  Logan,  in  a  communication  to 
us,  says  : 

Logan  left  a  dying  request  to  myself,  that  his  two  sons  should  be  sent  to  Kentucky,  and 
there  educated  and  brought  up  under  the  care  of  Major  Hardin.  As  soon  as  peace  and  tran- 
quility was  re.-tored  among  the  Indians,  I  made  application  to  the  chiefs  to  fulfill  the  wish 
of  their  dead  friend  to  deliver  up  the  boys,  that  I  might  have  them  conveyed  to  Frankford, 
the  residence  of  Major  Hardin.  The  chiefs  were  embarrassed,  and  manifested  an  unwil- 
lingness to  comply,  and  in  this  they  were  warmly  supported  by  the  mother  of  the  children. 
On  no  account  would  they  consent  to  send  them  so  far  away  as  Kentucky,  but  agreed  that 
I  should  take  and  have  them  schooled  at  Piqua  ;  it  being  the  best  that  I  could  do,  in  com- 
pliance with  the  dying  words  of  Logan,  they  were  brought  in.     I  had  them  put  to  school. 


304  LOGAN    COUNTY. 

and  boarded  in  a  religious,  respectable  family.  The  mother  of  the  boys,  who  was  a  Dad 
woman,  thwarted  all  my  plans  for  their  improvement,  frequently  taking  them  off  for  weeks, 
giving  them  bad  advice,  and  even,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  brought  whiskey  to  the  school- 
house  and  made  them  drunk.  In  this  way  she  continued  to  annoy  me,  and  finally  took 
them  altogether  to  raise  with  herself  among  the  Shawanoese,  at  Wapaghkonetta.  I  made 
several  other  attempts,  during  my  connection  with  the  Indians,  to  educate  and  train  up  to 
civilized  life  many  of  their  youth,  without  any  encouraging  results — all  of  them  proved 
failures.  The  children  of  Logan,  with  their  mother,  emigrated  to  the  west  twenty  years 
ago,  and  have  there  became  some  of  the  wildest  of  their  race. 

Logan  county  continued  to  be  a  favorite  place  of  residence  with 
the  Indians  for  years  after  the  destruction  of  these  towns.  Major 
Galloway,  who  was  here  about  the  year  1800,  gives  the  following, 
from  memory,  respecting  the  localities  and  names  of  their  towns  at 
that  time.  Zane's  town,  now  Zanesfield,  was  a  Wyandot  village  ; 
Wapatomica,  three  miles  below,  on  Mad  river,  was  then  deserted ; 
M'Kee's  town,  on  M'Kee's  creek,  about  4  miles  south  of  Bellefontaine, 
so  named  from  the  infamous  M'Kee,  and  was  at  that  time  a  trading 
station ;  Read's  town,  in  the  vicinity  of  Bellefontaine,  which  then  had 
a  few  cabins  ;  Lewis  town,  on  the  Great  Miami,  and  Soloman's  town, 
at  which  then  lived  the  Wyandot  chief,  Tarhe,  "  the  Crane."  From 
an  old  settler  we  learn,  also,  that  on  the  site  of  Bellefontaine,  was 
Blue  Jacket's  town,  and  3  miles  north,  the  town  of  Buckongehelas. 
Blue  Jacket,  or  Weyapiersensaw,  and  Buckongehelas  were  noted 
chiefs,  and  were  at  the  treaty  of  Greenville :  the  first  was  a  Shaw- 
nee, and  the  last  a  Delaware.  At  Wayne's  victory,  Blue  Jacket  had 
the  chief  control,  and,  in  opposition  to  Little  Turtle,  advocated  giv- 
ing the  whites  battle  with  so  much  force  as  to  overpower  the  better 
councils  of  the  other. 

By  the  treaty  of  Sept.  29th,  1817,  at  the  foot  of  the  Maumee  rapids, 
the  Seneca  and  Shawnees  had  a  reservation  around  Lewistown,  in 
this  county  ;  by  a  treaty,  ratified  April  6th,  1832,  the  Indians  vacated 
their  lands  and  removed  to  the  far  west.  On  this  last  occasion,  Jas. 
B.  Gardiner  was  commissioner,  John  M'Elvain,  agent,  and  David 
Robb,  sub-agent. 

The  village  of  Lewistown  derived  its  name  from  Captain  John 
Lewis,  a  noted  Shawnee  chief.  When  the  county  was  first  settled, 
there  was  living  with  him,  to  do  his  drudgery,  an  aged  white  woman, 
named  Polly  Keyser.  She  was  taken  prisoner  in  early  life,  near 
Lexington,  Ky.,  and  adopted  by  the  Indians.  She  had  an  Indian 
husband  and  two  half-breed  daughters.  There  were  several  other 
whites  living  in  the  county,  who  had  been  adopted  by  the  Indians. 
We  give  below  sketches  of  two  of  them  :  the  first  is  from  N.  Z. 
M'Cullocli,  Esq.,  a  grandson  of  Isaac  Zane — the  last  from  Col.  John 
Johnston. 

Isaac  Zane  was  born  about  the  year  1753,  on  the  south  branch  of  the  Potomac,  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  at  the  age  of  about  nine  years,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Wyandots  and  carried 
to  Detroit.  He  remained  with  his  captors  until  the  age  of  manhood,  when,  like  most 
prisoners  taken  in  youth,  he  refused  to  return  to  his  home  and  friends.  He  married  a 
Wyandot  woman,  from  Canada,  of  half  French  blood,  and  took  no  part  in  the  war  of  the 
revolution.  After  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795,  he  bought  a  tract  of  1800  acres,  on  the 
site  of  Zanesfield,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1816. 

James  M'Pherson,  or  Squa-la-ka-ke,  "  the  red-faced  man,"  was  a  native  of  Carlisle, 


LOGAN    COUNTY. 


305 


Cumberland  county,  Pa.  He  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians  on  the  Ohio,  at  or  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Big  Miami,  in  Loughry's  defeat ;  was  for  many  years  engaged  in  the 
British  Indian  department,  under  Elliott  and  M'Kee,  married  a  fellow-prisoner,  came  into 
our  service  after  Wayne's  treaty  of  1795,  and  continued  in  charge  of  the  Shawanoese  and 
Senecas  of  Lewistown  until  his  removal  from  office,  in  1830,  since  which  he  has  died. 

Logan  county  was  first  settled  about  the  year  1806:  the  names 
of  the  early  settlers  recollected,  are  Robt.  and  Wm.  Moore,  Benj. 
and  John  Schuyler,  Philip  and  Andrew  Mathews,  John  Makimsom, 
John  and  Levi  Garwood,  Abisha  Warner,  Joshua  Sharp  and  brother, 
Samuel,  David  and  Robert  Marmon,  Samuel  and  Thomas  Newell, 
and  Benjamin  Joseph  Cox.     In  the  late  war,  the  settlements  in  this 


Public  Square,  Belief ontaine. 


county  were  on  the  verge  of  civilization,  and  the  troops  destined  for 
the  northwest  passed  through  here.  There  were  several  block-house 
stations  in  the  county :  namely,  Manary's,  M'Pherson's,  Vance's, 
and  Zane's.  Manary's,  built  by  Capt.  Jas.  Manary,  of  Ross  county, 
was  three  miles  north  of  Bellefontaine,  on  the  farm  of  John  Laney  ; 
M'Pherson's  stood  three-fourths  of  a  mile  nw.,  and  was  built  by  Capt. 
Maltby,  of  Green  county ;  Vance's,  built  by  ex-Gov.  Vance,  then 
captain  of  a  rifle  company,  stood  on  a  high  bluff  on  the  margin  of  a 
prairie  about  a  mile  east  of  Logansville ;  Zane's  block-house  was  at 
Zanesfield.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  many  hundred  of  friend- 
ly Indians  were  collected  and  stationed  at  Zane's  and  M'Pherson's 
block-houses,  under  the  protection  of  the  government,  who  for  a 
short  time  kept  a  guard  of  soldiers  over  them.  It  was  at  first 
feared  that  they  would  take  up  arms  against  the  Americans,  but  sub- 
sequent events  dissipating  these  apprehensions,  they  were  allowed  to 
disperse. 

Bellefontaine,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  line  of  the  Cincinnati  and 
Sandusky  City  railroad,  50  miles  nw.  of  Columbus.  It  was  laid  out 
March  18th,  1820,  on  the  land  of  John  Tulles  and  Wm.  Powell,  and 
named  from  the  fine  springs  abounding  in  the  vicinity.  The  first  of 
the  above  lived  at  the  time  in  a  cabin  on  the  town  plot,  yet  standing 
in  the  south  part  of  Bellefontaine.  After  the  town  was  laid  out, 
Joseph  Gordon  built  a  cabin,  now  standing,  on  the  corner  opposite 
Slicer's  hotel.     Anthony  Ballard  erected  the  first  frame  dwelling : 

39 


306 


LOGAN    COUNTY. 


Wm.  Scott  kept  the  first  tavern,  where  J.  C.  ScarfTs  drug  store  now 
is.  Slicer's  tavern  was  built  for  a  temporary  court-house.  Joseph 
Gordon,  Nathaniel  Dodge,  Anthony  Ballard,  Wm.  Gutridge,  Thos. 
Haynes  and  John  Rhodes  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  town, 
the  last  of  whom  was  the  first  merchant.  The  Methodists  built  the 
first  church,  a  brick  structure,  destroyed  by  fire,  which  stood  on  the 
site  of  their  present  church.  Bellefontaine  contains  2  Presbyterian, 
1  Episcopal  Methodist  and  1  Lutheran  church  ;  1  newspaper  print- 
ing office,  11  dry  goods  stores,  and  had,  in  October,  1846,  610 
inhabitants. 


"^^fS&HKlti^i^fmm^ 


Grave  of  Simon  Kenton. 

About  5  miles  ne.  of  Bellefontaine,  on  the  head  waters  of  Mad 
river,  is  the  grave  of  Gen.  Simon  Kenton.  He  resided  for  the  last 
few  years  of  his  life  in  the  small  log-house  shown  on  the  right  of  the 
engraving,  where  he  breathed  his  last.  He  was  buried  on  a  small 
grassy  knoll,  beside  the  grave  of  a  Mr.  Solomon  Praetor,  shown  on 
the  left.  Around  his  grave  is  a  rude  and  now  dilapidated  picketing, 
and  over  it,  a  small  slab  bearing  the  following  inscription. 


In  memory  of  Gen.  Simon  Kenton,  who  was  born  April  3d,  1755,  in  Culpepper 
county,  Va.,  and  died  April  29th,  1836,  aged  81  years  and  26  days.  His  fellow- 
citizens  of  the  West  will  long  remember  him  as  the  skillful  pioneer  of  early 
times,  the  brave  soldier  and  the  honest  man. 


Simon  Kenton  first  came  out  to  Kentucky  in  the  year  1771,  at 
which  time  he  was  a  youth  of  sixteen.  He  was  almost  constantly 
engaged  in  conflicts  with  the  Indians  from  that  time  until  the  treaty 
of  Greenville.  He  was  probably  in  more  expeditions  against  the 
Indians,  encountered  greater  peril,  and  had  more  narrow  escapes 
from  death,  than  any  man  of  his  time.  The  many  incidents  of  his 
romantic  and  eventful  life  are  well  detailed  by  his  friend  and  biog- 
rapher, Colonel  John  M'Donald,  from  whose  work  we  extract  the 


LOGAN    COUNTY.  307 

thrilling  narrative  of  his  captivity  and  hair-breadth  escapes  from  a 
cruel  and  lingering  death. 

Kenton  lay  about  Boon's  and  Logan's  stations  till  ease  became  irksome  to  him.  About 
the  first  of  September  of  this  same  year,  1778,  we  find  him  preparing  for  another  Indian 
expedition.  Alexander  Montgomery  and  George  Clark  joined  him,  and  they  set  off  from 
Boon's  station,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  obtaining  horses  from  the  Indians.  They  crossed 
the  Ohio,  and  proceeded  cautiously  to  Chillicothe,  (now  Oldtown,  Ross  county.)  They  ar- 
rived at  the  town  without  meeting  any  adventure.  In  the  night  they  fell  in  with  a  drove  of 
horses  that  were  feeding  in  the  rich  prairies.  They  were  prepared  with  salt  and  halters. 
They  had  much  difficulty  to  catch  the  horses  ;  however,  at  length  they  succeeded,  and  as 
soon  as  the  horses  were  haltered,  they  dashed  off  with  seven — a  pretty  good  haul.  They 
travelled  with  all  the  speed  they  could  to  the  Ohio.  They  came  to  the  Ohio  near  the  mouth 
of  Eagle  creek,  now  in  Brown  county.  When  they  came  to  the  river,  the  wind  blew  al- 
most a  hurricane.  The  waves  ran  so  high  that  the  horses  were  frightened,  and  could  not 
be  induced  to  take  the  water.  It  was  late  in  the  evening.  They  then  rode  back  into  the 
hills  some  distance  from  the  river,  hobbled  and  turned  their  horses  loose  to  graze  ;  while 
they  turned  back  some  distance,  and  watched  the  trail  they  had  come,  to  discover  whether 
or  no  they  were  pursued.  Here  they  remained  till  the  following  day,  when  the  wind  sub- 
sided. As  soon  as  the  wind  fell  they  caught  their  horses,  and  went  again  to  the  river ; 
but  their  horses  were  so  frightened  with  the  waves  the  day  before,  that  all  their  efforts  could 
not  induce  them  to  take  the  water.  This  was  a  sore  disappointment  to  our  adventurers. 
They  were  satisfied  that  they  were  pursued  by  the  enemy  ;  they  therefore  determined  to  lose 
no  more  time  in  useless  efforts  to  cross  the  Ohio  ;  they  concluded  to  select  three  of  the  best 
horses,  and  make  their  way  to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  where  Gen.  Clark  had  left  some  men 
stationed.  Each  made  choice  of  a  horse,  and  the  other  horses  were  turned  loose  to  shift 
for  themselves.  After  the  spare  horses  had  been  loosed,  and  permitted  to  ramble  off,  ava- 
rice whispered  to  them,  and  why  not  take  all  the  horses.  The  loose  horses  had  by  this 
time  scattered  and  straggled  out  of  sight.  Our  party  now  separated  to  hunt  up  the  horses 
they  had  turned  loose.  Kenton  went  towards  the  river,  and  had  not  gone  far  before  he 
heard  a  whoop  in  the  direction  of  where  they  had  heen  trying  to  force  the  horses  into  the 
water.  He  got  off  his  horse  and  tied  him,  and  then  crept  with  the  stealthy  tread  of  a  cat, 
to  make  observations  in  the  direction  he  heard  the  whoop.  Just  as  he  reached  the  high 
bank  of  the  river,  he  met  the  Indians  on  horseback.  Being  unperceived  by  them,  but  so 
nigh  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  retreat  without  being  discovered,  he  concluded  the 
boldest  course  to  be  the  safest,  and  very  deliberately  took  aim  at  the  foremost  Indian.  His 
gun  flashed  in  the  pan.  He  then  retreated.  The  Indians  pursued  on  horseback.  In  his 
retreat,  he  passed  through  a  piece  of  land  where  a  storm  had  torn  up  a  great  part  of  the 
timber.  The  fallen  trees  afforded  him  some  advantage  of  the  Indians  in  the  race,  as  they 
were  on  horseback  and  he  on  foot.  The  Indian  force  divided  ;  some  rode  on  one  side  of 
the  fallen  timber,  and  some  on  the  other.  Just  as  he  emerged  from  the  fallen  timber,  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  one  of  the  Indians  met  him  on  horseback,  and  boldly  rode  up  to  him, 
jumped  off  his  horse  and  rushed  at  him  with  his  tomahawk.  Kenton  concluding  a  gun-bar- 
rel as  good  a  weapon  of  defence  as  a  tomahawk,  drew  back  his  gun  to  strike  the  Indian 
before  him.  At  that  instant  another  Indian,  who  unperceived  by  Kenton  had  slipped  up 
behind  him,  clasped  him  in  his  arms.  Being  now  overpowered  by  numbers,  further  resist- 
tance  was  useless — he  surrendered.  While  the  Indians  were  binding  Kenton  with  tugs, 
Montgomery  came  in  view,  and  fired  at  the  Indians,  but  missed  his  mark.  Montgomery 
fled  on  foot.  Some  of  the  Indians  pursued,  shot  at,  and  missed  him  ;  a  second  fire  was 
made,  and  Montgomery  fell.  The  Indians  soon  returned  to  Kenton,  shaking  at  him  Mont- 
gomery's bloody  scalp.  George  Clark,  Kenton's  other  companion,  made  his  escape,  crossed 
the  Ohio,  and  arrived  safe  at  Logan's  station. 

The  Indians  encamped  that  night  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio.  The  next  morning  they 
prepared  their  horses  for  a  return  to  their  towns,  with  the  unfortunate  and  unhappy  pris- 
oner. Nothing  but  death  in  the  most  appalling  form  presented  itself  to  his  view.  When 
they  were  ready  to  set  off,  they  caught  the  wildest  horse  in  the  company,  and  placed  Ken- 
ton on  his  back.  The  horse  being  very  restif  it  took  several  of  them  to  hold  him,  while 
the  others  lashed  the  prisoner  on  the  horse.  They  first  took  a  tug,  or  rope,  and  fastened  his 
legs  and  feet  together  under  the  horse.  They  took  another  and  fastened  his  arms.  They 
took  another  and  tied  around  his  neck,  and  fastened  one  end  of  it  around  the  horse's  neck  ; 
the  other  end  of  the  same  rope  was  fastened  to  the  horse's  tail,  to  answer  in  place  of  a 
crupper.  They  had  a  great  deal  of  amusement  to  themselves,  as  they  were  preparing  Ken- 
ton and  his  horse  for  fun  and  frolic.  They  would  yelp  and  scream  around  him,  and  ask 
him  if  he  wished  to  steal  more  horses.     Another  rope  was  fastened  around  his  thighs,  and 


308  LOGAN    COUNTY. 

lashed  around  the  body  of  his  horse  ;  a  pair  of  moccasons  was  drawn  over  his  hands,  to  pre- 
vent him  from  defending  his  face  from  the  brush.  Thus  accoutered  and  fastened,  the  horse 
was  turned  loose  to  the  woods.  He  reared  and  plunged,  ran  through  the  woods  for  some 
time,  to  the  infinite  amusement  of  the  Indians.  After  the  horse  had  run  about,  plunging, 
rearing,  and  kicking  for  some  time,  and  found  that  he  could  not  shake  off,  nor  kick  off  his  ri- 
der, he  very  quietly  submitted  himself  to  his  situation,  and  followed  the  cavalcade  as  quiet  and 
peaceable  as  his  rider.  The  Indians  moved  towards  Chillicothe,  and  in  three  days  reached 
the  town.  At  night  they  confined  their  prisoner  in  the  following  manner  :  He  was  laid  on 
his  back,  his  legs  extended,  drawn  apart,  and  fastened  to  two  saplings  or  stakes  driven  in 
the  ground.  His  arms  were  extended,  a  pole  laid  across  his  breast,  and  his  arms  lashed  to 
the  pole  with  cords.  A  rope  was  tied  around  his  neck,  and  stretched  back  just  tight  enough 
not  to  choke  him,  and  fastened  to  a  tree  or  stake  near  his  head.  In  this  painful  and  un- 
comfortable situation,  he  spent  three  miserable  nights,  exposed  to  gnats,  and  musketoes, 
and  weather.  O,  poor  human  nature,  what  miserable  wretches  we  are,  thus  to  punish  and 
harrass  each  other.  (The  frontier  whites  of  that  day,  were  but  little  behind  the  Indians, 
in  wiles,  in  cruelty,  and  revenge.)  When  the  Indians  came  within  about  a  mile  of  the 
Chillicothe  town,  they  halted  and  camped  for  the  night,  and  fastened  the  poor  unfortunate 
prisoner  in  the  usual  uncomfortable  manner.  The  Indians,  young  and  old,  came  from  the 
town  to  welcome  the  return  of  their  successful  warriors,  and  to  visit  their  prisoner.  The 
Indian  part}',  young  and  old,  consisting  of  about  150,  commenced  dancing,  singing  and 
yelling  around  Kenton,  stopping  occasionally  and  kicking  and  beating  him  for  amusement. 
In  this  manner  they  tormented  him  for  about  three  hours,  when  the  cavalcade  returned 
to  town,  and  he  was  left  for  the  rest  of  the  night,  exhausted  and  forlorn,  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  gnats  and  musketoes.  As  soon  as  it  was  light  in  the  morning,  the  Indians 
began  to  collect  from  the  town,  and  preparations  were  made  for  fun  and  frolic  at  the  ex- 
pense of  Kenton,  as  he  was  now  doomed  to  run  the  gauntlet.  The  Indians  were  formed 
in  two  lines,  about  six  feet  apart,  with  each  a  hickory  in  his  hands,  and  Kenton  placed 
between  the  two  lines,  so  that  each  Indian  could  beat  him  as  much  as  he  thought  proper, 
as  he  ran  through  the  lines.  He  had  not  ran  far  before  he  discovered  an  Indian  with  his 
knife  drawn  to  plunge  it  into  him  ;  as  soon  as  Kenton  reached  that  part  of  the  line  where 
the  Indian  stood  who  had  the  knife  drawn,  he  broke  through  the  lines,  and  made  with  all 
speed  for  the  town.  Kenton  had  been  previously  informed  by  a  negro  named  Caesar,  who 
lived  with  the  Indians  and  knew  their  customs,  that  if  he  could  break  through  the  Indians' 
lines,  and  arrive  at  the  council-house  in  the  town  before  he  was  overtaken,  that  they  would 
not  force  him  a  second  time  to  run  the  gauntlet.  When  he  broke  through  their  Lines,  he 
ran  at  the  top  of  his  speed  for  the  council-house,  pursued  by  two  or  three  hundred  Indians, 
screaming  like  infernal  furies.  Just  as  he  had  entered  the  town,  he  was  met  by  an  Indian 
leisurely  walking  towards  the  scene  of  amusement,  wrapped  in  a  blanket.  The  Indian 
threw  off  his  blanket ;  and  as  he  was  fresh,  and  Kenton  nearly  exhuasted,  the  Indian  soon 
caught  him,  threw  him  down.  In  a  moment  the  whole  party  who  were  in  pursuit  came 
up,  and  fell  to  cuffing  and  kicking  him  at  a  most  fearful  rate.  They  tore  oft*  his  clothes, 
and  left  him  naked  and  exhausted.  After  he  had  laid  till  he  had  in  some  degree  recovered 
from  his  exhausted  state,  they  brought  him  some  water  and  something  to  eat.  As  soon  as 
his  strength  was  sufficiently  recovered,  they  took  him  to  the  council-house,  to  determine 
upon  his  fate.  Their  manner  of  deciding  his  fate  was  as  follows :  Their  warriors  were 
placed  in  a  circle  in  the  council  house  ;  an  old  chief  was  placed  in  the  center  of  the  circle, 
with  a  knife  and  apiece  of  wood  in  his  hands.  A  number  of  speeches  were  made.  Ken- 
ton, although  he  did  not  understand  their  language,  soon  discovered  by  their  animated  ges- 
tures, and  fierce  looks  at  him,  that  a  majority  of  their  speakers  were  contending  for  his 
destruction.  He  could  perceive  that  those  who  plead  for  mercy,  were  received  coolly  ;  but 
few  grunts  of  approbation  were  uttered  when  the  orators  closed  their  speeches.  After  the 
orators  ceased  speaking,  the  old  chief  who  sat  in  the  midst  of  the  circle,  raised  up  and 
handed  a  war-club  to  the  man  who  sat  next  the  door.  They  proceeded  to  take  the  deci- 
sion of  their  court.  All  who  were  for  the  death  of  the  prisoner,  struck  the  war-club  with 
violence  against  the  ground  ;  those  who  voted  to  save  the  prisoner's  life,  passed  the  club  to 
his  next  neighbor  without  striking  the  ground.  Kenton,  from  their  expressive  gestures, 
could  easily  distinguish  the  object  of  their  vote.  The  old  chief  who  stood  to  witness  and 
record  the  number  that  voted  for  death  or  mercy,  as  one  struck  the  ground  with  a  war-club 
he  made  a  mark  on  one  side  of  his  piece  of  wood  ;  and  when  the  club  was  passed  without 
striking,  he  made  a  mark  on  the  other.  Kenton  discovered  that  a  large  majority  were  for 
death. 

Sentence  of  death  being  now  passed  upon  the  prisoner,  they  made  the  welkin  ring  with 
fehouts  of  joy.     The  sentence  of  death  being  passed,  there  was  another  question  of  conside- 


LOGAN    COUNTY.  309 

rable  difficulty  now  presented  itself  to  the  consideration  of  the  council ;  that  was,  the  time 
and  place,  when  and  where,  he  should  be  burnt.  The  orators  again  made  speeches  on  the 
subject,  less  animated  indeed  than  on  the  trial ;  but  some  appeared  to  be  quite  vehement  for 
instant  execution,  while  others  appeared  to  wish  to  make  his  death  a  solemn  national  sacrifice. 
After  a  long  debate,  the  vote  was  taken,  when  it  was  resolved  that  the  place  of  his  execu- 
tion should  be  Wapatomika,  (now  Zanesfield,  Logan  county.)  The  next  morning  he  was 
hurried  away  to  the  place  destined  for  his  execution.  From  Chillicothe  to  Wapatomika, 
they  had  to  pass  through  two  otb'*.  Indian  towns,  to  wit :  Pickaway  and  Machecheek.  At 
both  towns  he  was  compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet ;  and  severely  was  he  whipped  through 
the  course.  While  he  !*>;,  at  Machecheek,  being  carelessly  guarded,  he  made  an  attempt  to 
escape.  Nothing1,  Vrorse  than  death  could  follow,  and  here  he  made  a  bold  push  for  life 
and  freedom  Being  unconfined,  he  broke  and  run,  and  soon  cleared  himself  out  of  sight 
of  his  pursuers.  While  he  distanced  his  pursuers,  and  got  about  two  miles  from  the  town, 
he  accidentally  met  some  Indians  on  horseback.  They  instantly  pursued  and  soon  came 
up  with  him,  and  drove  him  back  again  to  town.  He  now,  for  the  first  time,  gave  up  his 
case  as  hopeless.  Nothing  but  death  stared  him  in  the  face.  Fate,  it  appeared  to  him, 
had  sealed  his  doom  ;  and  in  sullen  despair,  he  determined  to  await  that  doom,  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  shun.  How  inscrutable  are  the  ways  of  Providence,  and  how  little 
can  man  control  his  destiny  !  When  the  Indians  returned  with  Kenton  to  the  town,  there 
was  a  general  rejoicing.  He  was  pinioned,  and  given  over  to  the  young  Indians,  who 
dragged  him  into  the  creek,  tumbled  him  in  the  water,  and  rolled  him  in  the  mud,  till  he  was 
nearly  suffocated  with  mud  and  water.  In  this  way  they  amused  themselves  with  him  till 
he  was  nearly  drowned.  He  now  thought  himself  forsaken  by  God.  Shortly  after  this 
his  tormenters  moved  with  him  to  Wapatomika.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  at  this  place,  the 
Indians,  young  and  old,  male  and  female,  crowded  around  the  prisoner.  Among  others 
who  came  to  see  him,  was  the  celebrated  and  notorious  Simon  Girty.  It  will  be  recollected 
that  Kenton  and  Girty  were  bosom  companions  at  Fort  Pitt,  and  on  the  campaign  with 
Lord  Dunmore.  As  it  was  the  custom  of  the  Indians  to  black  such  prisoners  as  were  in- 
tended to  be  put  to  death,  Girty  did  not  immediately  recognize  Kenton  in  his  black  dis- 
guise. Girty  came  forward  and  inquired  of  Kenton  where  he  had  lived.  Was  answered 
Kentucky.  He  next  inquired  how  many  men  there  were  in  Kentucky.  He  answered,  he 
did  not  know  ;  but  would  give  him  the  names  and  rank  of  the  officers,  and  he,  Girty,  could 
judge  of  the  probable  number  of  men.  Kenton  then  named  a  great  many  officers,  and 
their  rank,  many  of  whom  had  honorary  titles,  without  any  command.  At  length  Girty 
asked  the  prisoner  his  name.  When  he  was  answered,  Simon  Butler.  (It  will  be  recol- 
lected, that  he  changed  his  name  when  he  fled  from  his  parents  and  home.)  Girty  eyed 
him  for  a  moment,  and  immediately  recognized  the  active  and  bold  youth,  who  had  been 
his  companion  in  arms  about  Fort  Pitt,  and  on  the  campaign  with  Lord  Dunmore.  Girty 
threw  himself  into  Kenton's  arms,  embraced  and  wept  aloud  over  him — calling  him  his 
dear  and  esteemed  friend.  This  hardened  wretch,  who  had  been  the  cause  of  the  death 
of  hundreds,  had  some  of  the  sparks  of  humanity  remaining  in  him,  and  wept  like  a  child 
at  the  tragical  fate  which  hung  over  his  friend.  "  Well,"  said  he  to  Kenton, "  you  are  con- 
demned to  die,  but  I  will  use  every  means  in  my  power  to  save  your  life. 

Girty  immediately  had  a  council  convened,  and  made  a  long  speech  to  the  Indians,  to 
save  the  life  of  the  prisoner:  As  Girty  was  proceeding  through  his  speech,  he  became 
very  animated  ;  and  under  his  powerful  eloquence,  Kenton  could  plainly  discover  the  grim 
visages  of  his  savage  judges  relent.  When  Girty  concluded  his  powerful  and  animated 
speech,  the  Indians  rose  with  one  simultaneous  grunt  of  approbation,  saved  the  prisoner's 
life,  and  placed  him  under  the  care  and  protection  of  his  old  companion,  Girty. 

The  British  had  a  trading  establishment  then  at  Wapatomika.  Girty  took  Kenton  with 
him  to  the  store,  and  dressed  him  from  head  to  foot,  as  well  as  he  could  wish :  he  was  also 
provided  with  a  horse  and  saddle.  Kenton  was  now  free,  and  roamed  about  through  the 
country,  from  Indian  town  to  town,  in  company  with  his  benefactor.  How  uncertain  is 
the  fate  of  nations  as  well  as  that  of  individuals  !  How  sudden  the  changes  from  adversity 
to  prosperity,  and  from  prosperity  to  adversity  !  Kenton  being  a  strong,  robust  man,  with 
an  iron  frame,  with  a  resolution  that  never  winced  at  danger,  and  fortitude  to  bear  pain 
with  the  composure  of  a  stoic,  he  soon  recovered  from  his  scourges  and  bruises,  and  the 
other  severe  treatment  he  had  received.  It  is  thought  probable,  that  if  the  Indians  had 
continued  to  treat  him  with  kindness  and  respect,  he  would  eventually  have  become  one  of 
them.  He  had  but  few  inducements  to  return  again  to  the  whites.  He  was  then  a  fugi- 
tive from  justice,  had  changed  his  name,  and  he  thought  it  his  interest  to  keep  as  far  from 
his  former  acquaintances  as  possible.  After  Kenton  and  his  ben  -factor  had  been  roaming 
about  for  some  time,  a  war  party  of  Indians,  who  had  been  on  an  expedition  to  the  neigh- 


310  LOGAN    COUNTY. 

borhood  of  Wheeling,  returned  ;  they  had  been  defeated  by  the  whites,  some  of  their  men 
were  killed,  and  others  wounded.  When  this  defeated  party  returned  they  were  sullen, 
chagrined,  and  full  of  revenge,  and  determined  to  kill  any  of  the  whites  who  came  within 
their  grasp.  Kenton  was  the  only  white  man  upon  whom  they  could  satiate  their  revenge. 
Kenton  and  Girty  were  then  at  Solomon's  town,  a  small  distance  from  Wapatomika.  A 
message  was  immediately  sent  to  Girty  to  return,  and  bring  Kenton  with  him.  The  two 
friends  met  the  messenger  on  their  way.  The  messenger  shook  hands  with  Girty,  but  re- 
fused the  hand  of  Kenton.  Girty,  after  talking  aside  with  the  messenger  some  time,  said 
to  Kenton,  they  have  sent  for  us  to  attend  a  grand  council  at  Wapatomika.  They  hurried 
to  the  town;  and  when  they  arrived  there  the  council-house  was  crowded.  When  Girty 
went  into  the  house,  the  Indians  all  rose  up  and  shook  hands  with  him  ;  but  when  Kenton 
offered  his  hand,  it  was  refused  with  a  scowl  of  contempt.  This  alarmed  him  ;  he  began 
to  admit  the  idea  that  this  sudden  convention  of  the  council,  and  their  refusing  his  hand, 
boded  him  some  evil.  After  the  members  of  the  council  were  seated  in  their  usual  man- 
ner, the  war  chief  of  the  defeated  party  rose  up  and  made  a  most  vehement  speech,  frequently 
turning  his  fiery  and  revengeful  eyes  on  Kenton  during  his  speech.  Girty  was  the  next  to 
rise  and  address  the  council.  He  told  them  that  he  had  lived  with  them  several  years  ;  that 
he  had  risked  his  life  in  that  time  more  frequently  than  any  of  them  ;  that  they  all  knew  that 
he  had  never  spared  the  life  of  one  of  the  hated  Americans  ;  that  they  well  knew  that  he  had 
never  asked  for  a  division  of  the  spoils ;  that  he  fought  alone  for  the  destruction  of  their 
enemies  ;  and  he  now  requested  them  to  spare  the  life  of  this  young  man  on  his  account. 
The  young  man,  he  said,  was  his  early  friend,  for  whom  he  felt  the  tenderness  of  a  parent 
for  a  son,  and  he  hoped,  after  the  many  evidences  that  he  had  given  of  his  attachment  to 
the  Indian  cause,  they  would  not  hesitate  to  grant  his  request.  If  they  would  indulge  him 
in  granting  his  request  to  spare  the  life  of  this  young  man,  he  would  pledge  himself  never 
to  ask  them  again  to  spare  the  life  of  a  hated  American. 

Several  chiefs  spoke  in  succession  on  this  important  subject ;  and  with  the  most  appa- 
rent deliberation,  the  council  decided,  by  an  overwhelming  majority,  for  death.  After  the 
decision  of  this  grand  court  was  announced,  Girty  went  to  Kenton,  and  embracing  him 
very  tenderly,  said  that  he  very  sincerely  sympathized  with  him  in  his  forlorn  and  unfortunate 
situation  ;  that  he  had  used  all  the  efforts  he  was  master  of  to  save  his  life,  but  it  was  now 
decreed  that  he  must  die — that  he  could  do  no  more  for  him.     Awful  doom! 

It  will  be  recollected,  that  this  was  in  1778,  in  the  midst  of  the  American  revolution. 
Upper  Sandusky  was  then  the  place  where  the  British  paid  their  western  Indian  allies  their 
annuities  ;  and  as  time  might  effect  what  his  eloquence  could  not,  Girty,  as  a  last  resort, 
persuaded  the  Indians  to  convey  their  prisoner  to  Sandusky,  as  there  would  meet  vast 
numbers  to  receive  their  presents;  that  the  assembled  tribes  could  there  witness  the  solemn 
scene  of  the  death  of  the  prisoner.  To  this  proposition  the  council  agreed  ;  and  the  pris- 
oner was  placed  in  the  care  of  five  Indians,  who  forthwith  set  off  for  Upper  Sandusky. 
What  windings,  and  twistings,  and  turnings,  were  seen  in  the  fate  of  our  hero. 

As  the  Indians  passed  from  Wapatomika  to  Upper  Sandusky,  they  went  through  a  small 
village  on  the  river  Scioto,  where  then  resided  the  celebrated  chief,  Logan,  of  Jefferson 
memory.  Logan,  unlike  the  rest  of  his  tribe,  was  humane  as  he  was  brave.  At  his  wig- 
wam the  party  who  had  the  care  of  the  prisoner,  staid  over  night.  During  the  evening, 
Logan  entered  into  conversation  with  the  prisoner.  The  next  morning  he  told  Kenton 
that  he  would  detain  the  party  that  day — that  he  had  sent  two  of  his  young  men  off  the 
night  before  to  Upper  Sandusky,  to  speak  a  good  word  for  him.  Logan  was  great  and 
good — the  friend  of  all  men.  In  the  course  of  the  following  evening  his  young  men  re- 
turned, and  early  the  next  morning  the  guard  set  off  with  the  prisoner  for  Upper  Sandusky. 
When  Kenton's  party  set  off  from  Logan's,  Logan  shook  hands  with  the  prisoner,  but  gave 
no  intimation  of  what  might  probably  be  his  fate.  The  party  went  on  with  Kenton  till 
they  came  in  view  of  the  Upper  Sandusky  town.  The  Indians,  young  and  old,  came  out  to 
meet  and  welcome  the  warriors,  and  view  the  prisoner.  Here  he  was  not  compelled  to  run 
the  gauntlet.  A  grand  council  was  immediately  convened  to  determine  upon  the  fate  of 
Kenton.  This  was  the  fourth  council  which  was  held  to  dispose  of  the  life  of  the  pris- 
oner. As  soon  as  this  grand  court  was  organized  and  ready  to  proceed  to  business,  a  Ca- 
nadian Frenchman,  by  the  name  of  Peter  Druyer,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  British  service, 
and  dressed  in  the  gaudy  appendages  of  the  British  uniform,  made  his  appearance  in  the 
council.  This  Druyer  was  born  and  raised  in  Detroit — he  was  connected  with  the  British 
Indian  agent  department — was  their  principal  interpreter  in  settling  Indian  affairs  ;  this 
made  him  a  man  of  great  consequence  among  the  Indians.  It  was  to  this  influential  man, 
that  the  good  chief  Logan,  the  friend  of  all  the  human  family,  sent  his  young  men  to  intercede 
for  the  life  of  Kenton.     His  judgment  and  address  were  only  equalled  by  his  humanity. 


LOGAN    COUNTY.  311 

His  foresight  in  selecting  the  agent  who  it  was  most  probable  could  save  the  life  of  the 
prisoner,  proves  hi3  judgment  and  his  knowledge  of  the  human  heart.  As  soon  as  the 
grand  council  was  organized,  Capt.  Druyer  requested  permission  to  address  the  council. 
This  permission  was  instantly  granted.  He  began  his  speech  by  stating,  "  that  it  was  well- 
known  that  it  was  the  wish  and  interest  of  the  English  that  not  an  American  should  be 
left  alive.  That  the  Americans  were  the  cause  of  the  present  bloody  and  distressing  war — 
that  neither  peace  nor  safety  could  be  expected,  so  long  as  these  intruders  were  permitted 
to  live  upon  the  earth."  This  part  of  his  speech  received  repeated  grunts  of  approbation. 
He  then  explained  to  the  Indians,  "  that  the  war  to  be  carried  on  successfully,  required 
cunning  as  well  as  bravery — that  the  intelligence  which  might  be  extorted  from  a  prisoner, 
would  be  of  more  advantage,  in  conducting  the  future  operations  of  the  war,  than  would 
be  the  life  of  twenty  prisoners.  That  he  had  no  doubt  but  the  commanding  officer  at 
Detroit  could  procure  information  from  the  prisoner  now  before  them,  that  would  be  of  in- 
calculable advantage  to  them  in  the  progress  of  the  present  war.  Under  these  circumstan- 
ces, he  hoped  they  would  defer  the  death  of  the  prisoner  till  he  was  taken  to  Detroit,  and 
examined  by  the  commanding  general.  After  which  he  could  be  brought  back,  and  if 
thought  advisable,  upon  further  consideration,  he  might  be  put  to  death  in  any  manner  they 
thought  proper."  He  next  noticed,  "  that  they  had  already  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and 
fatigue  with  the  prisoner  without  being  revenged  upon  him  ;  but  that  they  had  got  back  all 
the  horses  the  prisoner  had  stolen  from  them,  and  killed  one  of  his  comrades ;  and  to  in- 
sure them  something  for  their  fatigue  and  trouble,  he  himself  would  give  $100  in  rum 
and  tobacco,  or  any  other  articles  they  would  choose,  if  they  would  let  him  take  the  pris- 
oner to  Detroit,  to  be  examined  by  the  British  general."  The  Indians,  without  hesitation, 
agreed  to  Captain  Druyer's  proposition,  and  he  paid  down  the  ransom.  As  soon  as  these 
arrangements  were  concluded,  Druyer  and  a  principal  chief  set  off  with  the  prisoner  for 
Lower  Sandusky.  From  this  place  they  proceeded  by  water  to  Detroit,  where  they  ar- 
rived in  a  few  days.  Here  the  prisoner  was  handed  over  to  the  commanding  officer,  and 
lodged  in  the  fort  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  He  was  now  out  of  danger  from  the  Indians,  and 
was  treated  with  the  usual  attention  of  prisoners  of  war  in  civilized  countries.  The  Brit- 
ish commander  gave  the  Indians  some  additional  remuneration  for  the  life  of  the  prisoner, 
and  they  returned  satisfied  to  join  their  countrymen  at  Wapatomika. 

As  soon  as  Kenton's  mind  was  out  of  suspense,  his  robust  constitu- 
tion and  iron  frame  in  a  few  days  recovered  from  the  severe  treat- 
ment they  had  undergone.  Kenton  remained  at  Detroit  until  the 
June  following,  when  he,  with  other  prisoners,  escaped,  and  after 
enduring  great  privations,  rejoined  their  friends. 

About  the  year  1802,  he  settled  in  Urbana,  where  he  remained 
some  years,  and  was  elected  brigadier-general  of  militia.  In  the 
war  of  1812,  he  joined  the  army  of  Gen.  Harrison,  and  was  at  the 
battle  of  the  Moravian  town,  where  he  displayed  his  usual  intrepid- 
ity. About  the  year  1820,  he  moved  to  the  head  of  Mad  river.  A 
few  years  after,  through  the  exertions  of  Judge  Burnet  and  General 
Vance,  a  pension  of  $20  per  month  was  granted  to  him,  which 
secured  his  declining  age  from  want.  He  died  in  1836,  at  which 
time  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  about  18  years. 
The  frosts  of  more  than  eighty  winters  had  fallen  on  his  head  with- 
out entirely  whitening  his  locks.  His  biographer  thus  describes  his 
personal  appearance  and  character. 

General  Kenton  was  of  fair  complexion,  six  feet  one  inch  in  height.  He  stood  and 
walked  very  erect ;  and,  in  the  prime  of  life,  weighed  about  one  hundred  and  ninety  pounds. 
He  never  was  inclined  to  be  corpulent,  although  of  sufficient  fullness  to  form  a  graceful 
person.  He  had  a  soft,  tremulous  voice,  very  pleasing  to  the  hearer.  He  had  laughing, 
grey  eyes,  which  appeared  to  fascinate  the  beholder.  He  was  a  pleasant,  good-humored 
and  obliging  companion.  When  excited,  or  provoked  to  anger,  (which  was  seldom  the 
case,)  the  fiery  glance  of  his  eye  would  almost  curdle  the  blood  of  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  His  rage,  when  reused,  was  a  tornado.  In  his  dealing,  he  was  perfectly 
honest ;  his  confidence  in  man,  and  his  credulity,  were  such,  that  the  same  man  might  cheat 
him  twenty  times ;  and  if  he  professed  friendship,  he  might  cheat  him  still. 


312 


LORAIN    COUNTY. 


West  Liberty  is  8  miles  south  of  BeUefontaine,  on  the  Cincinnati 
and  Sandusky  City  railroad.  This  is  a  thriving,  compact,  business- 
like town,  and  in  a  beautiful  country.  It  lies  upon  Mad  river,  one 
of  the  best  mill  streams  in  the  state,  the  valley  of  which  is  here  two 
or  three  miles  wide.  The  Miami  feeder,  which  enters  the  main 
trunk  at  Lockport,  and  now  extends  as  far  as  Port  Jefferson,  in 
Shelby  county,  will  probably  be  continued  to  the  Mad  river  at  this 
place,  an  act  of  the  legislature  having  been  passed  to  that  effect. 
West  Liberty  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and  1  Christian 
church,  9  stores,  1  flouring,  1  saw,  1  carding  and  fulling  mill,  and  a 
population  but  little  less  than  the  county  seat. 

Zanesfield,  4^  miles  east  of  BeUefontaine,  on  Mad  river,  has  5 
stores,  1  grist  and  3  saw  mills ;  1  Methodist  church,  1  Friends'  meet- 
ing-house, and  about  230  inhabitants.  Cherokee,  6  miles  north  of 
BeUefontaine,  Logans ville,  10  west,  Middleburgh,  11  southeast,  and 
Quincy,  13  southwest,  are  places  about  the  size  and  importance  of 
Zanesfield.  East  Liberty,  Rushsylvania  and  Richland  are  also  small 
villages. 


LORAIN. 


Lorain  was  formed  December  26th,  1822,  from  Huron,  Cuyahoga 
and  Medina.  The  surface  is  level,  and  the  soil  fertile  and  generally 
clayey.  Parallel  with  the  lake  shore,  are  three  sand  ridges,  which 
vary  from  40  to  150  rods  in  width:  they  are  respectively  about  3, 
7  and  9  miles  from  the  lake,  and  are  fertile.  The  agriculture  of 
Lorain  is  rapidly  improving.  The  principal  crops  are  grass,  wheat, 
corn,  oats,  rye  and  potatoes.  Dairy  products,  wool  and  beef  cattle 
are  also  staple  products,  and  madder  and  oil  of  peppermint  are  also 
produced.  Bog  iron  ore  is  found  in  quantities.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population: 

Eaton, 

Elyria, 

Grafton, 

Henrietta, 

Huntington, 

Lagrange, 

Pennfield, 

Pittsfield, 

The  population  of  Lorain,  in  1830,  was  5,696,  and  in  1840, 18,451, 
or  33  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

There  was  found  in  this  county,  a  few  years  since,  a  curious 
ancient  relic,  which  is  thus  described  in  the  Lorain  Republican,  of 
June  7,  1843. 

"  In  connection  with  our  friend  Mr.  L.  M.  Parsons,  we  have  pro- 
cured two  views  or  sketches  of  the  engravings  upon  a  stone  column 


Amherst, 

1186 

A  v  on, 

1211 

Blackriver, 

668 

Brighton, 

999 

Brownhelm, 

934 

Camden, 

504 

Carlisle, 

1094 

Columbia, 

876 

764 

Ridgeville, 

818 

1636 

Rochester, 

487 

713 

Russia, 

1302 

743 

Sheffield, 

521 

743 

Sullivan, 

782 

991 

Troy 

289 

405 

Wellington, 

781 

704 

LORAIN    COUNTY. 


313 


or  idol,  found  upon  the  farm  of  Mr.  Alfred  Lamb,  in  Brighton,  in 

this  county,  in  1838.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  side  view  of  the  pil- 
lar or  column. 

"  It  was  found  about  three 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  Mr. 
Lamb's  house,  covered  with  a 
thick  coat  of  moss.  Upon  three 
different  places  are  engraved 
the  figures  1533.  The  horns 
represented  are  now  broken  ofi^ 
but  their  place  is  easily  defined. 
A  flat  stone,  8  inches  in  diam- 
eter and  lrr  inches  thick,  was 
found  beneath  this  column,  on 
removing  it  from  its  erect  po- 
sition, upon  which  the  figures 
were  discovered,  also  engraved.     Another  stone  was  found 

It  was  about  0  inches  long  and  3 
in  diameter,  (6  sided,)  support- 


1533 

about  10  feet  distant,  of  like  quality 


ed  by  3  pillars  about  3  inches 
long,  of  pyramidal  form.  No 
marks  of  tools  were  upon  it. 
Upon  the  top  part  of  the  first 
mentioned  pillars,  above  shown, 
was  an  engraving  of  a  vessel 
under  full  sail,  in  form,  as  near 
as  now  can  be  ascertained,  as 
follows.  The  engraving  was 
most  unfortunately  nearly  ob- 
literated by  the  boys  cracking 
hickory  nuts  upon  it.  These 
are  about  all  the  facts  con- 
nected with  these  curious  rel- 
ics, which  have  come  to  our 
knowledge." 

In  connection  with  the  above  editorial,  Mr.  Parsons,  in  his  com- 
munication, says : 

"  I  believe  there  can  be  a  good  deal  of  evidence  collected  in  this 
section  of  country,  which  will  go  to  prove  that  it  was  once  inhabited 
by  a  race  who  emigrated  either  from  South  America  or  the  southern 
portion  of  North  America,  or  at  least  had  commercial  relations  with 
that  country.  I  will  refer  to  one  circumstance,  which,  doubtless, 
antiquarians  will  regard  as  worthy  of  record.  In  the  township  of 
Perry,  Lake  county,  about  the  year  1820,  in  digging  into  an  Indian 
burying  field,  a  club  of  nicaraugua  was  found  in  connection  with 
the  bones  of  a  man.  The  club  was  sound,  but  the  bones  were  con- 
siderably decayed,  and  bore  the  same  evidence  of  the  effect  of 
time  as  those  usually  found  in  our  ancient  burying  grounds.     The 

40 


314 


LORAIN    COUNTY. 


women  are  more  utilitarians  than  antiquarians,  for  on  calling  for  the 
club  a  few  days  after,  I  found  they  had  cut  it  up  to  color  with,  and 
they  said  it  was  as  good  as  any  they  ever  got  at  stores." 

Elyria,  the  county  seat,  is  7  miles  from  Lake  Erie,  24  west  of 
Cleveland,  and  130  northeast  of  Columbus.  The  first  settler  in  the 
town  and  township,  was  Mr.  Heman  Ely,  from  West  Springfield, 


Public  Square,  Elyria. 

Mass.,  who  came  out  here  in  March,  1817,  and  built  a  cabin  about 
12  rods  southeast  of  his  present  residence.  He  bi'ought  with  him 
some  hired  men,  to  make  improvements  on  his  land,  a  large  tract  of 
which  he  had  purchased  at  this  place  and  vicinity.  The  village  was 
soon  laid  out,  and  some  time  in  the  succeeding  year,  Mr.  Ely  moved 
into  his  present  residence,  the  first  frame  house  erected  in  the  town- 
ship. The  name  Elyria,  was  formed  from  the  surname  of  Mr.  Ely 
and  the  last  syllable  of  the  given  name  of  his  wife,  Ma-rfa.  Upon 
the  organization  of  the  county,  the  old  court  house  was  built,  which 
was  used  as  a  church  by  the  Presbyterians,  until  they  built  a  house 
of  worship,  the  first  erected  in  the  village.  Elyria  is  a  beautiful 
and  thriving  village  ;  in  its  center  is  a  handsome  public  square,  shown 
in  the  engraving :  the  large  building  in  front  is  the  court  house,  be- 
vond,  on  the  right,  is  the  public  square,  on  which  are  seen,  facing 
"  Beebe's  block/'  "  the  Mansion  House"  and  "  the  brick  block."  The 
Gothic  structure  on  the  left,  is  the  Presbyterian  church,  designed  by 
R.  A.  Sheldon,  of  New  York,  and  erected  in  1846-7,  by  H.  J.  & 
S.  C.  Brooks,  of  Elyria ;  it  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  churches  in 
Ohio,  built  of  sandstone,  and  finished  throughout  in  a  tasteful  and 
substantial  manner,  at  an  expense  of  about  88000. 

The  village  stands  on  a  peninsula,  formed  by  the  forks  of  Black 
river,  on  which,  near  the  town,  are  two  beautiful  falls,  of  40  feet 
perpendicular  descent,  highly  valuable  for  manufacturing  purposes. 
At  the  falls  on  the  west  fork,  the  scenery  is  wild  and  picturesque  ;  the 
rocks  are  lofty,  and  overhang  the  valley  for  perhaps  some  30  feet. 
At  that  point  is  a  large  cavern,  of  a  semi-circular  form,  about  75 


LORAIN    COUNTY. 


315 


feet  deep,  100  broad  at  the  entrance,  with  a  level  floor,  and  wall 
from  5  to  9  feet  high,  forming  a  cool  and  romantic  retreat  from  the 
heats  of  summer.  The  sandstone  bounding  the  valley,  is  of  an  ex- 
cellent quality,  and  is  much  used  for  building  purposes.  Elyria 
contains  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  1  Baptist,  1  Disciples  and  1  or  2 
Congregational  churches,  1  classical  academy,  6  dry  goods,  3  grocery 
■and  3  drug  stores,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  1  woollen,  1  axe,  and 
sash  and  blind  factory,  1  furnace,  1  machine  shop,  3  flouring  mills 
and  about  1500  inhabitants. 


Collegiate  Buildings,  Oberlin. 

Eight  miles  southwest  of  Elyria,  is  the  village  of  Oberlin,  so 
named  from  Rev.  John  Frederic  Oberlin,  pastor  of  Waldbach,  Swit- 
zerland, who  was  remarkable  for  his  great  benevolence  of  character  : 
he  was  born  in  Strasbourg,  in  1740,  and  died  at  Waldbach,  in  1826. 
The  town  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  and  level  plain,  girted  around  by 
the  original  forest  in  its  primitive  majesty.  The  dwellings  at  Ober- 
lin are  usually  two  stories  in  height,  built  of  wood,  and  painted 
white,  after  the  manner  of  the  villages  of  New  England,  to  which 
this  has  a  striking  resemblance.  Oberlin  contains  3  dry  goods  and 
1  book  store,  a  Presbyterian  church,  the  collegiate  buildings,  and 
about  150  dwellings.  The  Oberlin  Evangelist,  which  has  a  circula- 
tion of  5000,  and  the  Oberlin  Quarterly  Review,  are  published  here. 
The  engraving  shows,  on  the  right,  the  Presbyterian  church,  a  sub- 
stantial brick  building,  neatly  finished  externally  and  internally,  and 
capable  of  holding  a  congregation  of  3000  persons  ;  beyond  it,  on  a 
green  of  about  12  acres,  stands  Tappan  Hall ;  and  facing  the  green, 
commencing  on  the  left,  are  seen  Oberlin  Hall,  Ladies'  Hall  and 
Colonial  Hall,  all  of  which  buildings  belong  to  the  Institute.  By  the 
annual  catalogue  of  1846-7,  there  were  at  Oberlin  492  pupils,  viz: 
in  the  theological  department,  25;  college,  106;  teachers  depart- 
ment, 16;  shorter  course,  4;  male  preparatory,  174;  young  ladies' 
course,  140;  and  ladies'  preparatory,  28.  Of  these,  there  were 
males  314,  and  females  178.     The  annexed  sketch  of  Oberlin  was 


316  LORAIN    COUNTY. 

written  by  J.  A.  Harris,  editor  of  the  Cleveland  Herald,  and  pub- 
lished in  that  print,  in  1845. 

The  Oberlin  Collegiate  Institute  is  emphatically  the  people's  college,  and  although  some 
of  its  leading  characteristics  are  peculiar  to  the  institution,  and  are  at  variance  with  the 
general  public  opinion  and  prejudices,  the  college  exerts  a  wide  and  healthful  influence.  It 
places  a  useful  and  thoroughly  practical  education  within  the  reach  of  indigent  and  indus- 
trious young  men  and  women,  as  well  as  those  in  affluent  circumstances  ;  and  many  in  all 
ranks  of  life  avail  themselves  of  the  rare  advantages  enjoyed  at  Oberlin.  The  average 
number  of  students  the  last  five  years  is  528,  and  this,  too,  be  it  remembered,  in  an  institu- 
tion that  has  sprung  up  in  what  was  a  dense  wilderness  but  a  dozen  years  ago  !  To  re- 
move all  incredulity,  we  will  give  a  concise  history  of  its  origin  and  progress. 

The  Rev.  John  J.  Shipherd  was  a  prominent  founder  of  Oberlin.  His  enterprising  spirit 
led  in  the  devising  and  incipient  steps.  Without  any  fund  in  the  start,  in  August,  1832,  he 
rode  over  the  ground,  for  inspection,  where  the  village  of  Oberlin  now  stands.  It  was  then 
a  dense,  heavy,  unbroken  forest,  the  land  level  and  wet,  almost  inaccessible  by  roads,  and 
the  prospects  for  a  settlement  forbidding  in  the  extreme.  In  November,  1832,  Mr.  Ship- 
herd,  in  company  with  a  few  others,  selected  the  site.  Five  hundred  acres  of  land  were 
conditionally  pledged  by  Messrs.  Street  and  Hughes,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  on  which  the 
college  buildings  now  stand.  A  voluntary  board  of  trustees  held  their  first  meeting  in  the 
winter  of  1832,  in  a  small  Indian  opening  on  the  site.  The  legislature  of  1833-4,  granted 
a  charter  with  university  privileges.  Improvements  were  commenced,  a  log  house  or  two 
were  erected,  people  began  to  locate  in  the  colony,  and  in  1834,  the  board  of  trustees  re- 
solved to  open  the  school  for  the  reception  of  colored  persons  of  both  sexes,  to  be  regarded 
as  on  an  equality  with  others.  In  January,  1835,  Messrs.  Mahan,  Finney  and  Morgan 
were  appointed  as  teachers,  and  in  May  of  that  year,  Mr.  Mahan  commenced  house-keep- 
ing in  a  small  log  dwelling.  Such  was  the  beginning — and  the  present  result  is  a  striking 
exemplification  of  what  obstacles  can  be  overcome,  and  what  good  can  be  accomplished 
under  our  free  institutions,  by  the  indomitable  energy,  earliest  zeal,  and  unfaltering  perse- 
verance of  a  few  men,  when  they  engage  heart  and  soul  in  a  great  philanthropic  enterprise. 

Oberlin  is  now  a  pleasant,  thriving  village,  of  about  two  thousand  souls,  with  necessarr 
stores  and  mechanics'  shops,  the  largest  church  in  the  state,  and  a  good  temperance  heVi. 
It  is  a  community  of  letotallers,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  the  sale  of  ardent  spirits 
never  having  been  permitted  within  its  borders.  The  college  buildings  number  seven  com- 
modious edifices.  Rev.  A.  Mahan,  is  president  of  the  Collegiate  Institute,  assisted  by  fifteen 
able  professors  and  teachers.  Endowments — eight  professorships  are  supported  in  part  by 
pledges ;  500  acres  of  land  at  Oberlin,  and  10,000  acres  in  western  Virginia. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  INSTITUTION. 

1.  To  educate  youths  of  both  sexes,  so  as  to  secure  the  development  of  a  strong  mind 
in  a  sound  body,  connected  with  a  permanent,  vigorous,  progressive  piety — all  to  be  aided 
by  a  judicious  system  of  manual  labor. 

2.  To  beget  and  to  confirm  in  the  process  of  education  the  habit  of  self-denial,  patient 
endurance,  a  chastened  moral  courage, and  a  devout  consecration  of  the  whole  being  to  God, 
in  seeking  the  best  good  of  man. 

3.  To  establish  universal  liberty  by  the  abolition  of  every  form  of  sin. 

4.  To  avoid  the  debasing  association  of  the  heathen  classics,  and  make  the  bible  a  text- 
book in  all  the  departments  of  education. 

5.  To  raise  up  a  church  and  ministers  who  shall  be  known  and  read  of  all  men  in  deep 
sympathy  with  Christ,  in  holy  living,  and  in  efficient  action  against  all  which  God  forbids. 

6.  To  furnish  a  seminary,  affording  thorough  instruction  in  all  the  branches  of  an  educa- 
tion for  both  sexes,  and  in  which  colored  persons,  of  both  sexes,  shall  be  freely  admitted, 
and  on  the.  terms  of  equality  and  brotherhood. 

We  confess  that  much  of  our  prejudice  against  the  Oberlin  College  has  been  removed  by 
a  visit  to  the  institution.  The  course  of  training  and  studies  pursued  there,  appear  ad- 
mirably calculated  to  rear  up  a  class  of  healthy,  useful,  self-educated  and  self-relyir.g  men 
and  women — a  class  which  the  poor  man's  son  and  daughter  may  enter  on  equal  terms 
with  others,  with  an  opportunity  to  outstrip  in  the  race,  as  they  often  do.  It  is  the  only 
college  in  the  United  States  where  females  enjoy  the  privileges  of  males  in  acquiring  an 
education,  and  where  degrees  are  conferred  on  ladies ;  and  this  peculiar  feature  of  the  in- 
struction has  proved  highly  useful.  By  combining  manual  labor  with  study,  the  physical 
system  keeps  pace  with  the  mind  in  strength  and  development,  and  the  result  in  most  cases 
is  "  sound  minds  in  healthy  bodies."  Labor  and  attention  to  household  duties  are  made 
familiar  and  honorable,  and  pleased  as  we  were  to  note  the  intelligent  and  healthful  coun- 


LUCAS    COUNTY.  317 

tenances  of  the  young  ladies  seated  at  the  boarding  ho  ise  dinner  table,  the  gratification 
was  heightened  shortly  after  by  observing  the  same  graceful  fcrms  clad  in  tidy  long  aprons, 
and  busily  engaged  in  putting  the  dining  hall  in  order.  And  the  literary  exercises  of  the 
same  ladies,  proved  that  the  labor  of  the  hands  in  the  institution  had  been  no  hindrance  in 
the  acquisition  of  knowledge. 

Young  in  years  as  is  Oberlin,  the  institution  has  sent  abroad  many  well  qualified  and 
diligent  laborers  in  the  great  moral  field  of  the  world.  Her  graduates  may  be  found  in 
nearly  every  missionary  clime,  and  her  scholars  are  active  co-workers  in  many  of  the  phi- 
lanthropic movements  that  distinguish  the  age.  It  is  the  people's  college,  and  long  may  i 
prove  an  increasing  blessing  to  the  people. 

Black  River,  at  the  mouth  of  Black  River,  8  miles  from  Elyria, 
has  a  good  harbor,  capable  of  much  improvement.  It  is  the  prin- 
cipal port  of  the  county :  it  has  a  beacon,  several  forwarding  houses 
and  stores,  and  about  50  dwellings.  La  Porte,  3  miles  se.  of  E.,  on 
the  Wooster  and  Akron  road,  has  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and 
1  Universalist  church,  2  stores  and  about  50  dwellings.  There  are 
other  small  villages,  among  which  may  be  named  Corwinville,  Fisn 
Creek,  Wellington  Center  and  Grafton  Center. 


LUCAS. 


1335 

Sylvania, 

426 

160 

Waterville, 

755 

204 

Waynesfield, 

1290 

401 

Wing, 

145 

443 

York, 

435 

494 

Lucas,  named  from  the  Hon.  Robert  Lucas,  governor  of  Ohio 
from  1832  to  1836,  has  been  created  within  a  few  years.  The  sur- 
face is  level,  a  portion  of  it  covered  by  the  black  swamp,  and  the 
northern  part  a  sandy  soil.  The  principal  productions  are  Indian 
corn,  wheat,  potatoes  and  oats.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  town- 
ships in  1840,  with  their  population: 
Amboy,  452         Port  Lawrence,   2335 

Chesterfield,   301         Providence, 
Clinton,  353         Richfield, 

German,  452         Royalton, 

Gorham,  352         Springfield, 

Oregon,  264         Swan  Creek, 

The  population  of  Lucas,  in  1840,  was  9392,  or  about  5  inhab 
itants  to  the  square  mile. 

This  region  of  country — the  Maumee  valley — has  been  the  theater 
of  important  historical  incidents.  The  greatest  event,  Wayne's 
victory,  or  "the  battle  of  Fallen  Timbers,"  was  fought  August  20th, 
1794,  within  the  limits  of  this  county. 

On  the  28th  of  July,  Wayne  having  been  joined  by  General  Scott, 
with  1600  mounted  Kentuckians,  moved  forward  to  the  Maumee. 
By  the  8th  of  August,  the  army  had  arrived  near  the  junction  of  the 
Auglaize  with  that  stream,  and  commenced  the  erection  of  Fort 
Defiance,  at  that  point.  The  Indians,  having  learned  from  a  deserter 
of  the  approach  of  Wayne's  army,  hastily  abandoned  their  head 
quarters  at  Auglaize,  and  thus  defeated  the  plan  of  Wayne  to  sur- 
prise them,  for  which  object  he  had  cut  two  roads,  intending  to  march 
by  neither.     At  Fort  Defiance,  Wayne  received  full  information  of 


318  LUCAS    COUNTY. 

the  Indians,  and  the  assistance  they  were  to  derive  from  the  volun- 
teers at  Detroit  and  vicinity.  On  the  13th  of  August,  true  to  the 
spirit  of  peace  advised  by  Washington,  he  sent  Christian  Miller,  who 
had  been  naturalized  among  the  Shawanese,  as  a  special  messenger 
to  offer  terms  of  friendship.  Impatient  of  delay,  he  moved  forward, 
and  on  the  16th,  met  Miller  on  his  return  with  the  message,  that  if 
the  Americans  would  wait  ten  days  at  Grand  Glaize,  [Fort  Defiance,] 
they — the  Indians — would  decide  for  peace  or  war.  On  the  18th, 
the  army  arrived  at  Roche  de  Bceuf,  just  south  of  the  site  of  Water- 
ville,  where  they  erected  some  light  works  as  a  place  of  deposite 
for  their  heavy  baggage,  which  was  named  Fort  Deposite.  During 
the  19th,  the  army  labored  at  their  works,  and  about  8  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  20th,  moved  forward  to  attack  the  Indians,  who 
were  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Maumee,  at  and  around  a  hill 
called  "  Presque  Isle,"  about  two  miles  south  of  the  site  of  Maumee 
City,  and  four  south  of  the  British  Fort  Miami.  From  Wayne's  re- 
port of  the  battle,  we  make  the  following  extract : 

The  legion  was  on  the  right,  its  flank  covered  by  the  Maumee:  one  brigade  of  mounted 
volunteers  on  the  left,  under  Brig.  Gen.  Todd,  and  the  other  in  the  rear,  under  Brig.  Gen. 
Barbee.  A  select  battalion  of  mounted  volunteers  moved  in  front  of  the  legion,  com- 
manded by  Major  Price,  who  was  directed  to  keep  sufficiently  advanced,  so  as  to  give 
timely  notice  for  the  troops  to  form  in  case  of  action,  it  being  yet  undetermined  whether 
the  Indians  would  decide  for  peace  or  war. 

After  advancing  about  five  miles,  Major  Price's  corps  received  so  severe  a  fire  from  the 
enemy,  who  were  secreted  in  the  woods  and  high  grass,  as  to  compel  them  to  retreat.  The 
legion  was  immediately  formed  in  two  lines,  principally  in  a  close  thick  wood,  which  ex- 
tended for  miles  on  our  left,  and  for  a  very  considerable  distance  in  front ;  the  ground 
being  covered  with  old  fallen  timber,  probably  occasioned  by  a  tornado,  which  rendered  it 
impracticable  for  the  cavalry  to  act  with  effect,  and  afforded  the  enemy  the  most  favorable 
covert  for  their  mode  of  warfare.  The  savages  were  formed  in  three  lines,  within  sup- 
porting distance  of  each  other,  and  extending  for  near  two  miles  at  right  angles  with  the 
river.  I  soon  discovered,  from  the  weight  of  the  fire  and  extent  of  their  lines,  that  the 
enemy  were  in  full  force  in  front,  in  possession  of  their  favorite  ground,  and  endeavoring 
to  turn  our  left  flank.  I  therefore  gave  orders  for  the  second  line  to  advance  and  support 
the  first ;  and  directed  Major  General  Scott  to  gain  and  turn  the  right  flank  of  the  savages, 
with  the  whole  force  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  by  a  circuitous  route  ;  at  the  same  time  I 
ordered  the  front  line  to  advance  and  charge  with  trailed  arms,  and  rouse  the  Indians  from 
their  coverts  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  when  up,  to  deliver  a  close  and  well-directed 
fire  on  their  backs,  followed  by  a  brisk  charge,  so  as  not  to  give  them  time  to  load  again. 

I  also  ordered  Captain  Mis  Campbell,  who  commanded  the  legionary  cavalry,  to  turn  the 
left  flank  of  the  enemy  next  the  river,  and  which  afforded  a  favorable  field  for  that  corps 
to  act  in.  All  these  orders  were  obeyed  with  spirit  and  promptitude ;  but  such  was  the 
impetuosity  of  the  charge  by  the  first  line  of  infantry,  that  the  Indians  and  Canadian 
militia  and  volunteers  were  drove  from  all  their  coverts  in  so  short  a  time,  that  although 
every  possible  exertion  was  used  by  the  officers  of  the  second  line  of  the  legion,  and  by 
Generals  Scott,  Todd  and  Barbee,  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  to  gain  their  proper  posi- 
tions, but  part  of  each  could  get  up  in  season  to  participate  in  the  action  ;  the  enemy  being 
drove,  in  the  course  of  one  hour,  more  than  two  miles  through  the  thick  woods  already 
mentioned,  by  less  than  one  half  their  numbers.  From  every  account  the  enemy  amounted 
to  two  thousand  combatants.  The  troops  actually  engaged  against  them  were  short  of  nine 
hundred.  This  horde  of  savages,  with  their  allies,  abandoned  themselves  to  flight,  and 
dispersed  with  terror  and  dismay,  leaving  our  victorious  army  in  full  and  quiet  possession 
of  the  field  of  battle,  which  terminated  under  the  influence  of  the  guns  of  the  British  gar- 
rison. ***** 

The  bravery  and  conduct  of  every  officer  belonging  to  the  army,  from  the  generals  down 
to  the  ensigns,  merit  my  highest  approbation.  There  were,  however,  some  whose  rank 
and  situation  placed  their  conduct  in  a  very  conspicuous  point  of  view,  and  which  I  ob- 
served with  pleasure,  and  the  most  lively  gratitude.     Among  whom,  I  must  beg  leave  to 


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320  LUCAS    COUNTY. 

mention  Brigadier  General  Wilkinson  and  Colonel  HamtramcK,  the  commandants  of  *h,e 
right  and  left  wings  of  the  legion,  whose  brave  example  inspired  the  troops.  To  those  I 
must  add  the  names  of  my  faithful  and  gallant  aids-de-camp,  Captains  De  Butt  and  T. 
Lewis,  and  Lieutenant  Harrison,  who,  with  the  Adjutant  General,  Major  Mills,  rendered 
the  most  essential  service  by  communicating  my  orders  in  every  direction,  and  by  their  con- 
duct and  bravery  exciting  the  troops  to  press  for  victory.  *  *  * 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  more  than  that  of  the  federal  army.  The  woods  were 
strewed  for  a  considerable  distance  with  the  dead  bodies  of  Indians  and  their  white  auxil- 
iaries, the  latter  armed  with  British  muskets  and  bayonets. 

We  remained  three  days  and  nights  on  the  banks  of  the  Maumee,  in  front  of  the  field 
of  battle,  during  which  time  all  the  houses  and  corn-fields  were  consumed  and  destroyed 
for  a  considerable  distance,  both  above  and  below  Fort  Miami,  as  well  as  within  pistol-shot 
of  the  garrison,  who  were  compelled  to  remain  tacit  spectators  to  this  general  devastation 
and  conflagration,  among  which  were  the  houses,  stores  and  property  of  Colonel  M'Kee, 
the  British  Indian  agent  and  principal  stimulator  of  the  war  now  existing  between  the 
United  States  and  the  savages. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  this  battle,  was  33  killed  and  100 
wounded,  including  5  officers  among  the  killed,  and  19  wounded. 

One  of  the  Canadians  taken  in  the  action,  estimated  the  force  of 
the  Indians  at  about  1400.  He  also  stated  that  about  70  Canadians 
were  with  them,  and  that  Col.  M'Kee,  Capt.  Elliott  and  Simon  Girty 
were  in  the  field,  but  at  a  respectful  distance,  and  near  the  river. 
When  the  broken  remains  of  the  Indian  army  were  pursued  under 
the  British  fort,  the  soldiers  could  scarce  be  restrained  from  storm- 
ing it.  This,  independent  of  its  results  in  bringing  on  a  war  with 
Great  Britain,  would  have  been  a  desperate  measure,  as  the  fort 
mounted  10  pieces  of  artillery,  and  was  garrisoned  by  450  men, 
while  Wayne  had  no  armament  proper  to  attack  such  a  strongly 
fortified  place.  While  the  troops  remained  in  the  vicinity,  there 
did  not  appear  to  be  any  communication  between  the  garrison  and 
the  savages.  The  gates  were  shut  against  them,  and  their  rout  and 
slaughter  witnessed  with  apparent  unconcern  by  the  British.  That 
the  Indians  were  astonished  at  the  lukewarmness  of  their  real  allies, 
and  regarded  the  fort,  in  case  of  defeat,  as  a  place  of  refuge,  is  evi- 
dent from  various  circumstances,  not  the  least  of  which  was  the  well 
known  reproach  of  Tecumseh,  in  his  celebrated  speech  to  Proctor, 
after  Perry's  victory.  The  near  approach  of  the  troops  drew  forth 
a  letter  of  remonstrance  from  Major  Campbell,  the  British  com- 
mandant, to  General  Wayne.  A  sharp  correspondence  ensued,  but 
without  any  especial  results.  The  morning  before  the  army  left, 
General  Wayne,  after  arranging  his  force  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
show  that  they  were  all  on  the  alert,  advanced  with  his  numerous 
staff  and  a  small  body  of  cavalry,  to  the  glacis  of  the  British  fort,  re- 
connoitering  it  with  great  deliberation,  while  the  garrison  were  seen 
with  lighted  matches,  prepared  for  any  emergency.  It  is  said  that. 
Wayne's  party  overheard  one  of  the  British  subordinate  officers 
appeal  to  Major  Campbell,  for  permission  to  fire  upon  the  cavalcade, 
and  avenge  such  an  insulting  parade  under  his  majesty's  guns ;  but 
that  officer  chided  him  with  the  abrupt  exclamation,  "  be  a  gentle- 
man !  be  a  gentleman  /"  On  the  27th,  Wayne's  army  returned  to 
Fort  Defiance,  by  easy  marches,  laying  waste  the  villages  and  corn 
fields  of  the  Indians,  for  about  50  miles  on  each  side  of  the  Man 


LUCAS    COUNTY.  321 

mee :  this  was  done  with  the  hope  that  the  fear  of  famine  would 
prove  a  powerful  auxiliary  in  producing  peace. 

Jonathan  Alder,  who  was  at  this  time  living  with  the  Indians,  has 
given,  in  his  mss.  autobiography,  the  Indian  account  of  the  battle  of 
Fallen  Timbers.  He  says,  after  describing  the  attack  on  Fort  Re- 
covery and  the  retreat  to  Defiance : 

We  remained  here  [Defiance]  about  two  weeks,  until  we  heard  of  the  approach  of  Wayne, 
when  we  packed  up  our  goods  and  started  for  the  old  English  fort  at  the  Maumee  rapids. 
Here  we  prepared  ourselves  for  battle,  and  sent  the  women  and  children  down  about  three 
miles  below  the  fort ;  and  as  I  did  not  wish  to  fight,  they  sent  me  to  Sandusky,  to  inform 
some  Wyandots  there  of  the  great  battle  that  was  about  to  take  place.  I  remained  at  San- 
dusky until  the  battle  was  over.  The  Indians  did  not  wait  more  than  three  or  four  days, 
before  Wayne  made  his  appearance  at  the  head  of  a  long  prairie  on  the  river,  where  he 
halted,  and  waited  for  an  opportunity  to  suit  himself.  Now  the  Indians  are  very  curious 
about  fighting ;  for  when  they  know  they  are  going  into  a  battle,  they  will  not  eat  any 
thing  just  previous.  They  say  that  if  a  man  is  shot  in  the  body  when  he  is  entirely  empty, 
there  is  not  half  as  much  danger  of  the  ball  passing  through  his  bowels,  as  when  they  are 
full.  So  they  started  the  first  morning  without  eating  any  thing,  and  moving  up  to  the  end 
of  the  prairie,  ranged  themselves  in  order  of  battle  at  the  edge  of  the  timber  There  they 
waited  all  day  without  any  food,  and  at  night  returned  and  partook  of  their  suppers.  The 
second  morning  they  asain  placed  themselves  in  the  same  position,  and  again  returned  at 
night  and  supped.  By  this  time  they  had  begun  to  get  weak  from  eating  only  once  a  day, 
and  concluded  they  would  eat  breakfast  before  they  again  started.  So  the  next  morning 
they  began  to  cook  and  eat.  Some  were  eating,  and  others,  who  had  finished,  had  moved 
forward  to  their  stations,  when  Wayne's  army  was  seen  approaching.  Soon  as  they  were 
within  gunshot,  the  Indians  began  firing  upon  them  ;  but  Wayne,  making  no  halt,  rushed  on 
upon  them.  Only  a  small  part  of  the  Indians  being  on  the  ground,  they  were  obliged  to  give 
back,  and  finding  Wayne  too  strong  for  them,  attempted  to  retreat.  Those  who  were  on 
the  way  heard  the  noise,  and  sprang  to  their  assistance.  So  some  were  running  from,  and 
others  to  the  battle,  which  created  great  confusion.  In  the  mean  time,  the  light-horse  had 
gone  entirely  around,  and  came  in  upon  their  rear,  blowing  their  horns  and  closing  in  upon 
them.  The  Indians  now  found  that  they  were  completely  surrounded,  and  all  that  could, 
made  their  escape,  and  the  balance  were  all  killed,  which  was  no  small  number.  Among 
these  last,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  were  all  the  Wyandots  that  lived  at  Sandusky  at  the 
time  I  went  to  inform  them  of  the  expected  battle.  The  main  body  of  the  Indians  were 
back  nearly  two  miles  from  the  battle-ground,  and  Wayne  had  taken  them  by  surprise,  and 
made  such  a  slaughter  among  them  that  they  were  entirely  discouraged,  and  made  the  best 
of  their  way  to  their  respective  homes. 

We  insert  below  some  anecdotes  of  the  battle,  the  first  three  of 
which  are  derived  from  a  published  source,  and  the  last,  second-hand 
from  Gen.  Harrison. 

At  the  time  Capt.  Campbell  was  endeavoring  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy,  three 
Indians,  being  hemmed  in  by  the  cavalry  and  infantry,  plunged  into  the  river,  and  endeav- 
ored to  swim  to  the  opposite  side.  Two  negroes  of  the  army,  on  the  opposite  bank,  con- 
cealed themselves  behind  a  log  to  intercept  them.  When  within  shooting  distance,  one  of 
them  shot  the  foremost  through  the  head.  The  other  two  took  hold  of  him  to  drag  him  to 
shore,  when  the  second  negro  fired  and  killed  another.  The  remaining  Indian  being  now 
in  shoal  water,  endeavored  to  tow  the  dead  bodies  to  the  bank.  In  the  mean  time  the 
first  negro  had  re-loaded,  and  firing  upon  the  survivor,  mortally  wounded  him.  On  ap- 
proaching them,  the  negroes  judged  from  their  striking  resemblance  and  devotion,  that  they 
were  brothers.     After  scalping  them,  they  let  their  bodies  float  down  stream. 

Another  circumstance  goes  to  show  with  what  obstinacy  the  conflict  was  maintained,  by 
individuals  in  both  armies.  A  soldier  who  had  got  detached  a  short  distance  from  the  army, 
met  a  single  Indian  in  the  woods,  when  they  attacked  each  other — the  soldier  with  his  bayo- 
net, the  Indian  with  his  tomahawk.  Two  days  after,  they  were  found  dead  ;  the  soldier 
with  his  bayonet  in  the  body  of  the  Indian — the  Indian  with  his  tomahawk  in  the  head  of 
the  soldier. 

Several  months  after  the  battle  of  Fallen  Timbers,  a  number  of  Potawatamie  Indians  ar- 
rived at  Fort  Wayne,  where  they  expressed  a  desire  to  see  "  The  Wind,"  as  they  called 
Gen.  Wayne.     On  being  asked  for  an  explanation  of  the  name,  they  replied,  that  at  the  bat- 

41 


322  LUCAS  COUNTY. 

tie  of  the  20th  of  August,  he  was  exactly  like  a  hurricane,  which  drives  and  tears  every 
Ihing  before  it. 

Gen.  Wayne  was  a  man  of  most  ardent  impulses,  and  in  the  heat  of  action  apt  to  forge/ 
that  he  was  the  general — not  the  soldier.  When  the  attack  on  the  Indians  who  were  con- 
cealed behind  the  fallen  timbers,  was  commencing  by  ordering  the  regulars  up,  the  late 
Gen.  Harrison,  then  aid  to  Wayne,  being  lieutenant  with  the  title  of  major,  addressed  his; 
superior — "  Gen.  Wayne,  I  am  afraid  you  will  get  into  the  fight  yourself,  and  forget  to  give 
me  the  necessary  field  orders."  "  Perhaps  I  may,"  replied  Wayne,  "  and  if  I  do,  recollect 
the  standing  order  for  the  day  is,  charge  the  d d  rascals  with  the  bayonets." 

That  this  Indian  war  was  in  a  great  measure  sustained  by  British 
influence,  admits  of  ample  proof.  That  they  lent  their  aid  in  this 
campaign  and  battle,  is  fully  confirmed  in  the  extract  given  from  a 
letter  from  Gen.  Harrison  to  Hon.  Thomas  Chilton,  dated  North 
Bend,  Feb.  17th,  1834. 

That  the  northwestern  and  Indian  war  was  a  continuation  of  the  revolutionary  contest, 
is  susceptible  of  proof.  The  Indians  in  that  quarter  had  been  engaged  in  the  first  seven 
years  of  the  war,  as  the  allies  of  Great  Britain,  and  they  had  no  inclination  to  continue  it 
after  the  peace  of  1783.  It  is  to  British  influence  that  their  subsequent  hostilities  are  to  be 
attributed.  The  agents  of  that  government  never  ceased  to  stimulate  their  enmity  against 
the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  to  represent  the  peace  which  had  been  made  as  a 
temporary  truce,  at  the  expiration  of  which,  "  their  great  fathers  would  unite  with  them  in 
the  war,  and  drive  the  long  knives  from  the  land  which  they  had  so  unjustly  usurped  from 
his  red  children."  This  was  the  cause  of  the  detention  of  the  posts  of  Detroit,  Mackinaw, 
and  Niagara,  so  long  after  the  treaty  of  1783.  The  reasons  assigned  for  so  doing,  deceived 
nobody,  after  the  failure  of  the  negotiation  attempted  by  Gen.  Lincoln,  Gov.  Randolph  and 
Col.  Pickering,  under  British  mediation  voluntarily  tendered. 

The  bare  suggestion  of  a  wish  by  the  British  authorities,  would  have  been  sufficient  to 
induce  the  Indians  to  accept  the  terms  proposed  by  the  American  commissioners.  But  at 
any  rate,  the  withholding  the  supplies  with  which  the  Indians  had  been  previously  furnished, 
would  have  left  no  other  alternative  but  to  make  peace.  From  that  period,  however,  the 
war  was  no  longer  carried  on  "  in  disguise."  Acts  of  open  hostility  were  committed.  In 
June,  1794,  the  Indians  assembled  at  the  Miami  of  the  Lake,  and  were  completely  equipped 
out  of  the  King's  store,  from  the  fort  (a  large  and  regularly  fortified  work)  which  had  been 
built  there  in  the  preceding  spring,  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  operations  of  the  Indians 
against  the  army  of  Gen.  Wayne.  Nor  was  the  assistance  limited  to  the  supply  of  provi- 
sions and  munitions  of  war.  On  the  advance  of  the  Indians,  they  were  attended  by  a  cap- 
tain of  the  British  army,  a  Serjeant,  and  six  matrosses,  provided  with  fixed  ammunition, 
suited  to  the  caliber  of  two  field  pieces,  which  had  been  taken  from  Gen.  St.  Clair,  and  de- 
posited in  a  creek  near  the  scene  of  his  defeat  in  1791.  Thus  attended,  they  appeared  be- 
fore Fort  Recovery,  (the  advanced  post  of  our  army,)  on  the  4th  of  July,  1794,  and  having 
defeated  a  large  detachment  of  our  troops,  encamped  under  its  walls,  would  probably  have 
succeeded  in  taking  the  fort,  if  the  guns  which  they  expected  to  find  had  not  been  pre- 
viously discovered  and  removed.  In  this  action,  Capt.  Hartshorn,  of  the  1st  sub-legion, 
was  wounded  by  the  Indians,  and  afterwards  killed  in  a  struggle  with  Capt.  M'Kee  of  the 
British  army.* 

Upon  the  advance  of  the  American  army  in  the  following  month,  the  British  fort  at  the 
Rapids  was  again  the  point  of  rendezvous  for  the  Indians.  There  the  deficiencies  in  arms, 
ammunition  and  equipments,  were  again  supplied  ;  and  there  they  were  fed  with  regular 
rations  from  the  King's  stores,  consisting  of  flour  and  Irish  beef,  until  the  arrival  of  Gen. 
Wayne  with  his  army,  on  the  20th  of  August.  In  the  general  action  of  that  day,  there  were 
two  militia  companies  from  Amherstburg  and  Detroit.  The  captain  of  the  cutter  (who  was 
also  the  clerk  of  the  court  at  that  place)  was  found  among  the  killed,  and  one  of  his  privates 
taken  prisoner.  These  unequivocal  acts  of  hostility  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain,  did  not 
pass  unnoticed  by  our  government,  and  although  anxious  to  avoid  a  general  war,  the  Presi- 
dent determined  that  the  aggression  on  our  territory,  by  the  erection  of  a  fortress  so  far 
within  our  acknowledged  limits,  required  some  decisive  measure. 

*It  is  proper  to  state,  that  Capt.  M'Kee  asserted  that  he  interfered  to  save  Hartshorn, 
but  that  he  refused  quarter  and  attempted  to  kill  him,  (M'Kee,)  and  would  have  suoceeded^ 
if  he  had  not  been  anticipated  by  his  (M'Kee's)  servant. 


LUCAS    COUNTY.  323 

Authority  was  therefore  given  to  Gen.  Wayne,  to  dispossefs  the  intruders,  if,  in  his  opin- 
ion, it  was  necessary  to  the  success  of  his  operations  against  the  Indians. 

Although  the  qualification  of  this  order,  in  its  literal  sense,  might  be  opposed  to  its  exe- 
cution after  the  entire  defeat  of  the  Indians — the  daring  violation  of  neutrality  which  was 
professed,  by  the  supply  of  food,  arms  and  ammunition  to  the  enemy  on  the  very  morning 
of  the  action,  afforded,  in  the  opinion  of  Gen.  Wayne,  a  sufficient  justification  for  its  being 
carried  into  effect.  An  accurate  examination,  however,  of  the  defenses  of  the  fort,  made  by 
the  general  at  great  personal  hazard,  showed  but  too  clearly  that  our  small  howitzers,  which 
had  been  transported  on  the  backs  of  horses,  our  only  artillery,  could  make  no  impression 
upon  its  massive  earthen  parapet,  while  the  deep  fosse  and  frasing  by  which  it  was  sur- 
rounded, afforded  no  prospect  of  the  success  of  an  escalade,  but  at  an  expense  of  valuable 
lives,  which  the  occasion  did  not  seem  to  call  for. 

From  my  situation  as  aid-de-camp  to  the  general  in  chief,  I  mention  these  things  from 
personal  knowledge.  If,  then,  the  relation  I  have  given  is  correct,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
the  war  of  the  revolution  continued  in  the  western  country  until  the  peace  of  Greenville, 
in  1795. 

There  were  some  individuals  on  both  sides,  who  took  an  active 
part,  either  in  the  battle  or  its  connecting  events,  who  demand  more 
than  a  passing  notice.  Among  these,  were  the  faithful  spies  of 
Wayne,  whose  exploits  M'Donald  in  his  sketches  thus  describes. 

Gen.  Wayne,  having  a  bold,  vigilant  and  dexterous  enemy  to  contend  with,  found  it  in- 
dispensably necessary  to  use  the  utmost  caution  in  his  movements  to  guard  against  surprise. 
To  secure  his  army  against  the  possibility  of  being  ambuscaded,  he  employed  a  number  of 
the  best  woodsmen  the  frontier  afforded  to  act  as  spies.  Capt.  Ephraim  Kibby,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  at  Columbia,  who  had  distinguished  himself  as  a  bold  and  intrepid  soldier, 
commanded  the  principal  part  of  this  corps. 

A  very  effective  division  of  the  spies  was  commanded  by  Capt.  William  Wells.*     At- 

*  Wm.  Wells,  while  a  child,  was  captured  by  the  Indians,  and  became  the  adopted  son  of 
Little  Turtle,  the  most  eminent  forest-warrior  and  statesman  of  his  time.  In  the  defeats 
of  Harmar  and  St.  Clair,  he  took  a  distinguished  part,  commanding  in  the  latter  action  30(1 
young  Indian  warriors,  who  were  posted  immediately  in  front  of  the  artillery,  and  caused 
such  carnage  among  those  who  served  it.  He  arranged  his  party  behind  logs  and  trees, 
immediately  under  the  knoll  on  which  the  guns  were,  and  thence,  almost  uninjured,  picked 
off  the  artillerists,  untri,  it  is  said,  their  bodies  were  heaped  up  almost  to  the  height  of  their 
pieces.  After  this  sanguinary  affair,  his  forecast  enabled  him  to  anticipate  the  final  ascen- 
dancy of  the  whites,  who  would  be  aroused  by  their  reverses  to  such  exertions  as  must  be 
successful  with  their  preponderance  of  power ,  and  he  resolved  to  abandon  the  savages. 
His  mode  of  announcing  this  determination,  was  in  accordance  with  the  simple  and  sen- 
tentious habits  of  a  forest  life.  He  was  traversing  the  woods  in  the  morning,  with  his 
adopted  father,  the  Little  Turtle,  when  pointing  to  the  heavens,  he  said,  "  when  the  sun 
reaches  the  meridian,  I  leave  you  for  the  whites ;  and  whenever  you  meet  me  in  battle,  you 
must  kill  me  as  I  shall  endeavor  to  do  by  you."  The  bonds  of  affection  and  respect  which 
had  bound  these  two  singular  and  highly  gifted  men  together,  were  not  severed  or  weak- 
ened by  this  abrupt  dereliction.  Capt.  Wells  soon  after  joined  Wayne's  army,  and  by  his 
intimacy  with  the  wilderness,  and  his  perfect  knowledge  of  the  Indian  haunts,  habits  and 
modes  of  Indian  warfare,  became  an  invaluable  auxiliary  to  the  Americans.  He  served 
faithfully  and  fought  bravely  through  the  campaign,  and  at  the  close,  when  peace  had  re- 
stored amity  between  the  Indians  and  the  whites,  rejoined  his  foster-father,  the  Little 
Turtle  ;  and  their  friendship  and  connexion  was  broken  only  by  the  death  of  the  lat- 
ter. When  his  body  was  found  among  the  slain  at  Chicago,  in  August,  1812,  the  In- 
dians are  said  to  have  drank  his  blood,  from  a  superstitious  belief  that  they  should  thus  im- 
bibe his  warlike  endowments,  which  had  been  considered  by  them  as  pre-eminent. 

The  above  paragraph  respecting  Wells,  is  copied  from  the  discourse  of  Henry  Whiting, 
Esq.,  before  the  Historical  Society  of  Michigan  ;  that  below,  relating  to  his  death,  is  from 
the  mss.  of  Col.  John  Johnston. 

William  Wells,  interpreter  for  the  Miamies,  and  whose  wife  was  of  that  nation,  himself 
uncle  to  Mrs.  Heald,  the  lady  of  the  commandant  at  Fort  Dearborn,  Chicago,  went  from 
Fort  Wayne  with  a  party  of  12  or  15  Miamies  to  that  place,  with  a  view  of  favoring  the 
escape  of  the  garrison  to  Fort  Wayne.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  unfortunate  than 
this,  for  Wells  was  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the  Putawatimies,  and  especially  to  the  chief, 


324  LUCAS    COUNTY. 

tached  to  Wells's  command  were  the  following  men.  Robert  M'Clellan,  one  of  the  most 
active  men  on  foot  that  ever  lived.  Next  to  him  was  Henry  Miller,  who  deserves  here  a 
passing  notice.  He  and  a  younger  brother,  named  Christopher,  had  been  made  captives 
by  the  Indians  while  quite  young,  and  adopted  into  an  Indian  family.  He  lived  with  them 
until  about  24  years  of  age,  when,  although  he  had  adopted  all  their  customs,  he  began 
to  think  of  returning  to  his  relatives  among  the  whites.  His  resolution  continually  gaining 
strength  by  reflection,  he  determined  to  make  the  attempt,  and  endeavored  to  induce  his 
brother  to  accompany  him  in  his  flight,  but  to  no  purpose.  Christopher  was  young  when 
captured,  he  was  now  a  good  hunter,  an  expert  woodsman  and  a  free  and  independent  In- 
dian. Henry  Miller,  however,  escaped  through  the  woods,  and  arrived  safe  among  his 
friends  in  Kentucky.  Capt.  Wells  was  familiar  with  Miller  during  his  captivity,  and  knew 
that  he  possessed  that  firm  intrepidity  which  would  render  him  a  valuable  companion  in 
time  of  need.  To  these  were  added,  Hickman,  May  and  Thorp,  all  men  of  tried  worth 
in  Indian  warfare. 

Capt.  Wells  and  his  four  companions  were  confidential  and  privileged  gentleman  in 
camp,  who  were  only  called  upon  to  do  duty  upon  very  particular  and  interesting  occasions. 
They  were  permitted  a  carte  blanche  among  the  horses  of  the  dragoons,  and  when  on 
duty  always  went  well  mounted  ;  while  the  spies,  commanded  by  Capt.  Kibby,  went  on 
foot,  and  were  kept  constantly  on  the  alert,  scouring  the  country  in  every  direction. 

In  June,  1794,  while  the  head  quarters  of  the  army  was  at  Greenville,  Wayne  dis 
patched  Wells,  with  his  corps,  with  orders  to  bring  an  Indian  into  the  camp  as  prisoner. 
Accordingly  he  proceeded  cautiously  with  his  party  through  the  Indian  country.  They 
crossed  the  St.  Mary's  and  thence  to  the  Auglaize,  without  meeting  with  any  straggling  party 
of  Indians.  In  passing  up  the  latter,  they  discovered  a  smoke,  dismounted,  tied  their 
horses  and  cautiously  reconnoitered.  They  found  three  Indians  encamped  on  a  high,  open 
piece  of  ground,  clear  of  brush  or  any  undergrowth,  rendering  it  difficult  to  approach  them 
without  being  discovered.  While  reconnoitering,  they  saw  not  very  distant  from  the 
camp,  a  fallen  tree.  They  returned  and  went  round,  so  as  to  get  it  between  them  and  the 
Indians.  The  tree  top  being  full  of  leaves  would  serve  to  screen  them  from  observation. 
They  crept  forward  on  their  hands  and  knees  with  the  caution  of  the  cat,  until  they  reached 
it,  when  they  were  within  70  or  80  yards  of  the  camp.  The  Indians  were  sitting  or  stand- 
ing about  the  fire,  roasting  their  venison,  laughing  and  making  merry  antics,  little  dream- 
ing that  death  was  about  stealing  a  march  upon  them.  Arrived  at  the  fallen  tree,  their 
plans  were  settled.  M'Clellan,  who  was  almost  as  swift  of  foot  as  a  deer,  was  to  catch  the 
center  Indian,  while  Wells  and  Miller  were  to  kill  the  other  two,  one  shooting  to  the  right 
and  the  other  to  the  left.  Resting  the  muzzles  of  their  rifles  on  a  log  of  the  fallen  tree, 
they  aimed  for  the  Indians  hearts.  Whiz  went  the  balls,  and  both  Indians  fell.  Before 
the  smoke  had  risen  two  feet,  M'Clellan  was  running  with  uplifted  tomahawk  for  the  re- 
maining Indian,  who  bounded  down  the  river,  but  finding  himself  likely  to  be  headed  if  he 
continued  in  that  direction,  he  turned  and  made  for  the  river,  which  at  that  place  had  a 
bluff  bank  about  20  feet  high.     On  reaching  it,  he  sprang  off  into  the  stream  and  sunk  to 

"  the  Black  Bird,"  who  was  the  leading  warrior  on  the  occasion.  The  Putawatimies  were 
alone  in  arms  against  us,  at  the  time,  in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  presence  of  Wells 
was  fatal  to  the  safety  of  the  troops  ;  the  chief  Blackbird  had  often  spoken  to  myself  in 
very  bitter  terms  against  him.  On  the  14th  of  August,  1812,  a  council  was  held  between 
the  officers  and  the  chiefs,  at  which  it  was  agreed,  that  the  whole  garrison  with  their  arms, 
ammunition  sufficient  for  the  journey  and  clothing,  should  retire  unmolested  to  Fort  Wayne, 
and  that  the  garrison,  with  all  that  it  contained,  should  be  delivered  up  to  the  Indians.  In 
the  night  preceding  the  evacuation,  all  the  powder  and  whiskey  in  the  fort  was  thrown  into 
a  canal,  communicating  from  the  garrison  to  the  Chicago  river.  The  powder  floated 
out  and  discovered  the  deception  to  the  Indians ;  this  greatly  exasperated  them  and  no 
doubt  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  August,  the  troops 
marched  out  to  commence  their  journey,  and  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance,  when 
they  were  attacked  by  the  Indians.  Wells  seeing  that  all  was  lost,  and  not  wishing  to  fall 
into  their  hands,  as  he  well  knew  that  in  that  case,  a  cruel  and  lingering  death  awaited 
him,  wetted  powder  and  blacked  his  face,  as  a  token  of  defiance,  mounted  his  horse  and 
commenced  addressing  the  Indians  with  all  the  approbrious  and  insulting  language  he  could 
think  of.  His  purpose  evidently  was  to  induce  them  to  dispatch  him  forthwith.  His  object 
was  accomplished.  They  beeame  so  enraged  at  last  with  his  taunts  and  jeers,  that  one  of 
them  shot  him  off  his  horse,  and  immediately  pouncing  upon  him,  cut  his  body  open,  took 
out  his  heart  and  eat  it.  The  troops  were  massacred,  the  commanding  officer  and  wife 
were  saved.     .     .     .     Chicago  means  in  Putawatimie,"  the  place  o)  the  pole  cat." 


LUCAS    COUNTY.  325 

his  middle  in  the  soft  mud  at  its  bottom.  M'Clellan  came  after  and  instantly  sprang  upon 
him,  as  he  was  wallowing  and  endeavoring  to  extricate  himself  from  the  mire.  The  In- 
dian drew  his  knife  :  the  other  raised  his  tomahawk  and  bade  him  throw  down  his  knife 
or  he  would  kill  him  instantly.     He  did  so,  and  surrendered  without  farther  opposition. 

By  this  time,  Wells  and  his  companion  came  to  the  bank,  and  discovered  the  two  quietly 
sticking  in  the  mud.  Their  prisoner  being  secure,  they  selected  a  place  where  the  bank 
was  less  precipitous,  went  down,  dragged  the  captive  out  and  tied  him.  He  was  sulky 
and  refused  to  speak  either  Indian  or  English.  Some  of  the  party  went  back  for  their 
horses,  while  the  others  washed  the  mud  and  paint  from  the  prisoner.  When  cleaned,  he 
turned  out  to  be  a  white  man,  but  still  refused  to  speak,  or  give  any  account  of  himself. 
The  party  scalped  the  two  Indians  whom  they  had  shot,  and  then  set  off  for  head  quar- 
ters. Henry  Miller  having  some  suspicions  that  their  prisoner  might  possibly  be  his  brother 
Christopher,  whom  he  had  left  wiih  the  Indians,  years  previous,  rode  up  along  side  of  him, 
and  called  him  by  his  Indian  name.  At  the  sound,  he  started,  stared  around,  and  eagerly 
inquired  how  he  came  to  know  his  name  ?  The  mystery  was  soon  explained.  Their  pris- 
oner was  indeed  Christopher  Miller  !  A  mysterious  providence  appeared  to  have  placed 
him  in  a  situation  in  the  camp,  by  which  his  life  was  preserved.  Had  he  been  standing 
either  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  he  would  inevitably  have  been  killed,  and  an  even  chance 
too,  if  not  by  his  own  brother.  But  that  fate  which  appears  to  have  doomed  the  Indian 
race  to  extinction,  permitted  the  white  man  to  live. 

When  they  arrived  at  Greenville,  their  prisoner  was  placed  in  the  guard  house.  Wayne 
often  interrogated  him  as  to  what  he  knew  of  the  future  intentions  of  the  Indians.  Capt. 
Wells  and  his  brother  Henry,  were  almost  constantly  with  him,  urging  him  to  abandon 
the  idea  of  ever  again  joining  the  Indians,  and  to  unite  with  the  whites.  For  some  time 
he  was  reserved  and  sulky,  but  at  length  became  more  cheerful,  and  agreed  that  if  they 
would  release  him  from  his  confinement,  he  would  remain  among  them.  Capt.  Wells  and 
Henry  Miller  urged  Wayne  to  release  him,  who  did  so,  with  the  observation,  that  should 
he  deceive  them  and  return  to  the  enemy,  they  would  be  one  the  stronger.  He  appeared 
pleased  with  his  change  of  situation,  and  was  mounted  on  a  fine  horse,  and  otherwise 
equipped  for  war.  He  joined  the  company  of  Wells,  and  continued  through  the  war  a 
brave  and  intrepid  soldier. 

As  soon  as  Wells  and  his  company  had  rested  themselves,  they  were  anxious  for  another 
bout  with  the  red  men.  Time  without  action  was  irksome  to  such  stirring  spirits.  Ac- 
cordingly in  July,  they  left  Greenville,  their  number  strengthened  by  the  addition  of  Chris- 
topher Miller,  with  orders  to  bring  in  prisoners.  When  on  these  excursions,  they  were  al- 
ways mounted  on  elegant  horses  and  dressed  and  painted  in  Indian  style.  They  arrived 
in  the  country  near  the  Auglaize,  when  they  met  a  single  Indian,  and  called  upon  him  to 
surrender.  Notwithstanding  there  were  six  against  him,  he  refused,  levelled  his  rifle,  and 
as  they  approached  him  on  horseback,  fired,  missed  his  mark  and  then  ran.  The  thick  un- 
derbrush enabling  him  to  gain  upon  them,  Christopher  Miller  and  M'Clellan  dismounted 
and  pursued,  and  the  latter  soon  overtook  him.  Upon  this  he  turned  and  made  a  blow 
at  M'Clellan  with  his  rifle,  which  was  parried.  As  it  was  M'Clellan's  intention  not  to  kill, 
he  kept  him  at  bay  until  Christopher  came  up,  when  they  closed  in,  and  made  him  prisoner 
without  receiving  injury.  They  then  turned  about  and  arrived  with  him  at  Greenville. 
He  was  reported  to  be  a  Pottawatamie  chief  of  scarcely  equalled  courage  and  prowess. 
As  Christopher  Miller  had  performed  his  part  on  this  occasion,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
the  brave  spirits  with  whom  he  acted,  he  had,  as  he  merited,  their  entire  confidence. 

On  one  of  Captain  Wells's  peregrinations  through  the  Indian  country,  as  he  came  to  the 
bank  of  the  St.  Mary's,  he  discovered  a  family  of  Indians  coming  up  the  river  in  a  canoe. 
He  dismounted  from  his  horse  and  concealed  his  men,  while  he  went  to  the  bank  of  the 
river,  in  open  view,  and  called  to  the  Indians  to  come  over.  As  he  was  dressed  in  Indian 
costume  and  spoke  in  that  language,  they  crossed  to  him,  unsuspicious  of  danger.  The 
moment  the  canoe  struck  the  shore,  Wells  heard  the  nicking  of  the  cocks  of  his  comrades' 
rifles,  as  they  prepared  to  shoot  the  Indians  ;  but  who  should  be  in  the  canoe  but  his  Indian 
father  and  mother,  with  their  children  !  The  others  were  now  coming  forward  with  their 
rifles  cocked  and  ready  to  pour  in  a  deadly  fire  upon  this  family.  Wells  shouted  to  them 
to  desist,  informing  them  who  the  Indians  were,  solemnly  declaring  that  the  first  man  who 
attempted  to  injure  one  of  them  should  receive  a  ball  in  his  head.  "  That  family,"  said  he 
to  his  men,  "had  fed  him  when  hungry,  clothed  him  when  naked,  and  nursed  him  when 
sick,  and  had  treated  him  as  affectionately  as  their  own  children."  This  short  speech 
moved  the  sympathetic  hearts  of  his  leather-hunting-shirt  comrades,  who  entered  at  once 
into  his  feelings  and  approved  of  his  lenity.  Dropping  their  tomahawks  and  rifles,  they 
went  to  the  canoe  and  shook  hands  with  the  trembling  Indians  in  the  most  friendly  manner. 


326  LUCAS    COUNTY. 

Wells  assured  them  they  had  nothing  to  fear  ;  and  after  talking  with  them  some  time,  to 
dispel  their  anxiety,  he  told  them  "  that  Gen.  Wayne  was  approaching  with  an  overwhelm- 
ing force  ;  that  the  best  thing  the  Indians  could  do  was  to  make  peace,  and  that  the  whites 
did  not  wish  to  continue  the  war.  He  urged  his  Indian  father  to  keep  for  the  future  out  of 
danger :"  he  then  bade  them  farewell.  They  appeared  grateful  for  his  clemency,  pushed 
i iff  their  canoe,  and  paddled  with  their  utmost  rapidity  down  stream.  Capt.  Wells  and  his 
comrades,  though  perfect  desperadoes  in  fight,  upon  this  occasion  proved  that  they  largely 
possessed  that  gratitude  and  benevolence  which  does  honor  to  human  kind. 

While  Wayne's  army  lay  at  the  Indian  village  at  the  confluence  of  the  Auglaize  and 
Maumee,  building  Fort  Defiance,  the  general,  wishing  to  be  informed  of  the  intentions  of 
the  enemy,  dispatched  Capt.  Wells's  party  to  bring  in  another  prisoner.  They  consisted 
of  Wells,  M'Clellan,  the  Millers,  May  and  Mahaffy.  They  proceeded  cautiously  down  the 
Maumee  until  opposite  the  site  of  Fort  Meigs,  where  was  an  Indian  village.  This  was  on 
the  11th  of  August,  nine  days  before  the  battle.  Wells  and  his  party  boldly  rode  into  this 
(own,  as  if  they  had  come  from  the  British  fort,  and  occasionally  stopped  and  talked  with 
the  Indians  in  their  language.  The  savages  believed  them  to  be  Indians  from  a  distance, 
who  had  come  to  take  a  part  in  the  expected  battle.  After  passing  through  the  village, 
they  met,  some  distance  from  it,  an  Indian  man  and  woman  on  horseback,  who  were  re- 
turning to  town  from  hunting.  They  made  them  captives  without  resistance,  and  set  off 
for  Defiance. 

A  little  after  dark,  they  came  near  a  large  encampment  of  Indians,  merrily  amusing  them- 
selves around  their  camp  fires.  Ordering  their  prisoners  to  be  silent,  under  pain  of  instant 
death,  they  went  around  the  camp  until  they  got  about  half  a  mile  above  it.  They  then 
held  a  consultation,  tied  and  gagged  their  prisoners,  and  rode  into  the  Indian  camp  with 
their  rifles  lying  across  the  pummels  of  their  saddles.  They  inquired  when  they  had  heard 
last  of  Gen.  Wayne  and  the  movements  of  his  army,  and  how  soon  and  where  the  expected 
battle  would  be  fought  I  The  Indians  standing  about  Wells  and  his  party  were  very  com- 
municative, and  answered  the  questions  without  any  suspicions  of  deceit  in  their  visitors. 
At  length  an  Indian,  who  was  sitting  at  some  distance,  said  in  an  under-tone,  in  another 
tongue,  to  some  who  were  near  him,  that  he  suspected  these  strangers  had  some  mischief 
in  their  heads.  Wells  overheard  it,  gave  the  preconcerted  signal,  and  each  fired  his  rifle 
into  the  body  of  an  Indian,  at  not  more  than  six  feet  distance.  The  moment  the  Indian 
had  made  the  remark,  he  and  his  companions  rose  up  with  their  rifles  in  hand,  but  not 
before  each  of  the  others  had  shot  their  man.  The  moment  after  Wells  and  party  had 
tired,  they  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  lying  with  their  breasts  on  their  animals'  necks,  so  as  to 
lessen  the  mark  to  fire  at,  and  before  they  had  got  out  of  the  light  of  the  camp  fires,  the  In- 
dians had  fired  upon  them.  As  M'Clellan  lay  in  this  position,  a  ball  entered  beneath  his 
shoulder  blade  and  came  out  at  the  top  of  his  shoulder  ;  Wells's  arm  was  broken  by  a  ball, 
and  his  rifle  dropped  to  the  ground  ;  May  was  chased  to  the  smooth  rock  in  the  Maumee, 
where,  his  horse  falling,  he  was  taken  prisoner. 

The  rest  of  the  party  escaped  without  injury  and  rode  full  speed  to  where  their  prisoners 
were  confined,  and  mounting  them  upon  horses  continued  their  route.  Wells  and  M'Clel- 
lan being  severely  wounded,  and  their  march  slow  and  painful  to  Defiance,  a  distance  of 
about  30  miles,  ere  they  could  receive  surgical  aid,  a  messenger  was  dispatched  to  hasten  to 
that  post  for  a  surgeon  and  a  guard.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  with  the  tidings  of  the  wounds 
and  perilous  situation  of  these  heroic  and  faithful  spies,  very  great  sympathy  was  manifested. 
Wayne's  feeling  for  the  suffering  soldier  was  at  all  times  quick  and  sensitive.  We  can, 
then,  imagine  the  intensity  of  his  solicitude  when  informed  of  the  sufferings  and  perils  of 
his  confidential  and  chosen  band.  He  instantly  dispatched  a  surgeon  and  a  company  of 
ihe  swiftest  dragoons  to  meet,  assist  and  guard  these  brave  fellows  to  head-quarters,  where 
ihey  arrived  safe,  and  the  wounded  in  due  time  recovered. 

May,  who  was  taken  prisoner,  having  formerly  lived  and  ran  away  from  the  Indians,  was 
recognized.  They  told  him,  the  second  day  before  the  battle,  "  We  know  you — you  speak 
Indian  language — you  not  content  to  live  with  us:  to-morrow  we  take  you  to  that  tree — 
pointing  to  a  very  large  burr  oak  at  the  edge  of  the  clearing  near  the  British  fort — we  will 
tie  you  up  and  make  a  mark  on  your  breast,  and  we  will  try  what  Indian  can  shoot  nearest 
it."  Accordingly,  the  next  day  he  was  tied  to  that  tree,  a  mark  made  on  his  breast,  and 
his  body  riddled  with  at  least  fifty  bullets.     Thus  ended  poor  May  ! 

This  little  band  of  spies,  during  the  campaign,  performed  more  real  service  than  any 
other  corps  of  equal  number  belonging  to  the  army.  They  brought  in,  at  different  times, 
not  less  than  20  prisoners,  and  killed  more  than  an  equal  number.  As  they  had  no  rivals 
in  the  army,  they  aimed  in  each  excursion  to  outdo  their  former  exploits.  What  confidence  ! 
what  self-possession  was  displayed  by  these  men   in  their  terrific  encounters !     To  ride 


LUCAS   COUNTY.  327 

boldiy  into  the  enemy's  camp,  in  full  view  of  their  blazing  camp-fires,  and  enter  into  con- 
versation with  them  without  betraying  the  least  appearance  of  trepidation  or  confusion,  and 
openly  commence  the  work  of  death,  proves  how  well  their  souls  were  steeled  against  fear. 
They  had  come  off  unscathed  in  so  many  desperate  conflicts,  that  they  became  callous  to 
danger. 

In  the  battle,  Wayne's  army  took  a  white  man  prisoner,  by  the 
name  of  Lasselle,     Col.  John  Johnston  says  respecting  him : 

Antoine  Lasselle  I  well  knew :  this  man,  a  Canadian,  was  taken  prisoner  at  Wayne's 
battle,  painted,  dressed  and  disguised  as  an  Indian.  He  was  tried  by  court-martial,  at 
Roche  de  Boeuf,  and  sentenced  to  be  hung.  A  gallows  was  erected  and  the  execution 
ordered,  when  Col.  John  F.  Hamtranck — a  native  of  Canada,  who  joined  the  American 
standard  under  Montgomery,  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  was,  in  1794,  colonel  of  the 
1st  regiment  of  infantry,  under  Wayne — interposed  and  begged  the  life  of  the  prisoner. 
Gen.  Wayne  afterwards  granted  to  Lasselle  license  to  trade  at  Fort  Wayne,  and  he  was 
there  as  such  many  years  during  my  agency  at  the  post.  He  was  a  man  of  wit  and  drollery, 
and  would  often  clasp  his  neck  with  both  hands,  to  show  how  near  he  had  been  to  hanging 
by  order  of  mad  Anthony. 

Col.  Johnston  also  says,  respecting  Col.  M'Kee  and  Capt.  Elliott, 
who  were  both  alledged  to  have  been  in  the  action,  and  were  noto- 
rious enemies  of  the  Americans  in  the  wars  in  the  northwest : 

M'Kee  and  Elliott  were  Pennsylvanians,  and  the  latter,  I  think,  of  Irish  birth.  They 
resided  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war  in  Path  valley,  Pa.  A  brother  and 
a  brother-in-law  of  mine  lived  in  the  same  neighborhood  ;  I  therefore  have  undoubted  au- 
thority for  the  facts.  A  number  of  tories  resided  in  the  township,  M'Kee  and  Elliot  being 
leaders.  A  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  being  whigs,  the  place  became  too  warm  to 
hold  them.  They  fled  to  the  enemy,  and  leagued  with  the  Shawanese  Indians  in  com- 
mitting depredations  on  the  frontier  settlers.  Both  of  these  incendiaries  had  Indian  wives 
and  children,  and  finally  their  influence  became  so  great  among  the  savages,  that  they 
were  appointed  agents  for  Indian  affairs  by  the  British  government,  and  continued  as  such 
until  their  death.  Matthew  Elliott  was  an  uncle,  by  his  father's  side,  to  the  late  Commodore 
Elliott,  and  had  a  son  killed  in  the  late  war,  by  the  Indians  under  Logan.  [See  p.  302.] 
On  the  death  of  M'Kee,  his  son,  a  half-breed,  was  a  deputy  agent  in  Upper  Canada.  He 
was  a  splendid  looking  man,  and  married  an  accomplished  white  lady.  He  had  too  much 
of  the  Indian  nature,  and  the  marriage  turned  out  somewhat  unhappily. 

In  August,  1814,  several  letters  were  published  in  the  National 
Intelligencer,  from  Col.  M'Kee  to  Col.  England,  the  British  com- 
mandant at  Detroit  during  the  campaign  of  Wayne,  the  originals  of 
which,  the  editor  stated,  were  then  in  his  possession.  M'Kee  was  at 
this  time  superintendent  of  the  Indians  under  his  majesty.  Some 
brief  extracts  below  pile  up  the  evidence  already  adduced  of  his  hos- 
tility, and  that  of  the  English  to  the  Americans. 

Rapids,  July  5th,  1794.  Sir, — I  send  this  by  a  party  of  Saginas,  who  returned  yester- 
day from  Fort  Recovery,  where  the  whole  body  of  the  Indians,  except  the  Delawares,  who 
had  gone  another  route,  imprudently  attacked  the  fort  on  Monday,  the  30th  of  last  month. 

Every  thing  had  been  settled  prior  to  their  leaving  the  fallen  timber,  and  it  had  been 

agreed  upon  to  confine  themselves  to  taking  convoys  and  attacking  at  a  distance  from  the 
forts,  if  they  should  have  the  address  to  entice  the  enemy  out 

Rapids,  Aug.  \3th,  1794.  Sir, — I  was  honored  last  night  with  your  letter  of  the  11th, 
and  am  extremely  glad  to  find  you  making  such  exertions  to  supply  the  Indians  with 

provisions Scouts  are  sent  up  to  view  the  situation  of  the  army,  [Wayne's,]  and  WE  now 

muster  1000  Indians.  All  the  lake  Indians,  from  Sagina  downwards,  should  not  lose  one 
moment  in  joining  their  brethren,  as  every  accession  of  strength  is  an  addition  to  their 
spirits. 

Maumee  city,  the  county  seat,  is  124  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  and 
8  s.  of  Toledo.  It  was  laid  out  under  the  name  of  Maumee  in  1817, 
by  Maj.  Wm.  Oliver  and  others,  within  what  had  been  the  reservation 


328 


LUCAS    COUNTY. 


of  12  miles  square,  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  the  Maumee,  granted 
to  the  Indians  at  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795.  The  town  is 
situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Maumee,  and  on  the  Wa- 
bash and  Erie  canal,  opposite  Perrysburg  and  Fort  Meigs. 


Maumee  City,  from  Fort  Meigs. 

The  river  banks  upon  which  Maumee  city  and  its  neighbor, 
Perrysburg  stand,  are  elevated  near  100  feet  above  the  water  level. 
Both  banks,  at  this  point,  curve  gracefully  inward,  while  the  river 
above  and  below  is  somewhat  contracted,  thus  forming  a  vast  amphi- 
theatre of  about  two  miles  in  length  and  nearly  one  in  breadth,  while 
a  beautiful  cultivated  island  of  200  acres,  and  several  small  islets 
embosomed  in  its  centre,  enhance  a  scene  rich  in  picturesque  effect. 

From  a  very  early  day,  this  was  a  favorite  point  with  the  Indians. 
As  early  as  1680,  the  French  had  a  trading  station  just  below  the 
town,  where,  later  in  the  spring  of  1794,  was  built  the  British  fort 
Miami,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still  conspicuous.  Part  of  Wayne's 
battle  was  within  the  limits  of  the  town — the  action  commenced  two 
or  three  miles  south.  At  that  point,  by  the  road  side,  is  a  noted 
rock,  of  several  tons  weight,  near  the  foot  of  Presque  Isle  hill,  where 
it  is  said  an  Indian  chief,  named  Turkey  Foot,  rallied  a  few  of  his 
men  and  stood  upon  it  fighting  until  his  strength  becoming  exhausted 
from  loss  of  blood,  he  fell  and  breathed  his  last.  Upon  it  have  been 
carved  by  the  Indians,  representations  of  turkey's  feet,  now  plainly 
to  be  seen,  and  it  is  said  "  the  early  settlers  of  and  travellers  through 
the  Maumee  valley,  usually  found  many  small  pieces  of  tobacco  de- 
posited on  this  rock,  which  had  been  placed  there  by  the  Indians  as 
devotional  acts,  by  way  of  sacrifice,  to  appease  the  indignant  spirit 
of  the  departed  hero."  During  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs,  in  the  late 
war,  the  British  encamped  below  the  town,  and  erected  several 
batteries  within  it,  which  played  upon  the  American  fort.     The&u 


LUCAS  COUNTY.  329 

having  been  stormed  and  taken  by  Col.  Dudley,  on  the  5th  of  May, 
1813,  that  officer  pushed  his  victory  too  far,  and  was,  in  turn,  attacked 
by  the  enemy,  who  had  been  reinforced  from  below,  and  defeated 
with  great  slaughter  on  the  site  of  the  town.     (See  Wood  county.) 

The  view  of  Maumee  city,  taken  from  the  site  of  Fort  Meigs, 
shows,  in  front,  Maumee  river  and  the  bridge  ;  beyond,  on  the  left, 
the  canal,  and  on  the  summit  of  the  hill,  a  small  portion  of  the  town, 
which  is  much  scattered.  On  the  right  is  seen  the  Presbyterian 
church,  on  the  left,  the  Methodist,  and  between,  the  Catholic  ;  the 
Episcopal  church  does  not  appear  in  this  view.  Maumee  city  is  a 
thriving  town,  and  has  an  extensive  water  power,  which,  if  fully 
improved,  would  be  sufficient  for  250  runs  of  stone :  it  now  contains 
10  dry  goods,  8  grocery  and  3  drug  stores  ;  1  or  2  newspaper  print- 
ing offices,  4  flouring,  1  oil  and  2  saw  mills;  1  pail  factory,  1  tannery, 
a  wool-carding  and  cloth-dressing  establishment,  and  had  in  1840, 
840  inhabitants,  since  which  it  has  much  increased.  A  number  of 
vessels,  steamboats,  propellers  and  canal  boats  have  been  built  here. 
A  spirit  of  rivalry  exists  between  the  towns  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids, 
Maumee  city  and  Perrysburg,  with  Toledo.  While  the  latter  has 
outstripped  them  in  prosperity,  there  is,  perhaps,  but  little  question 
that  if  the  navigation  of  the  river  was  improved,  Maumee  city  and 
Perrysburg  would  draw  to  themselves  a  vast  accession  of  business, 
and  be  important  points  for  the  shipment  and  transhipment  of  freight. 
The  Maumee  is  navigable,  in  its  present  condition,  for  steamboats 
and  schooners  drawing  seven  feet  of  water ;  but,  since  the  construc- 
tion of  boats  of  a  heavier  draught,  it  is  necessary  that  an  improve- 
ment, by  excavating  the  channel  along  what  is  called  "  the  rock  bar," 
should  be  made.  This  bar,  which  is  of  blue  limestone,  commences 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  Perrysburg.  At  a  common  stage, 
the  water  upon  it  is  about  six  and  half  feet  deep.  To  open  a  clear 
and  unobstructed  channel  upon  it  for  the  largest  lake  boats,  it  has 
been  estimated,  would  cost  about  $30,000.  Government  has  fre- 
quently, but  ineffectually,  been  petitioned  to  make  this  improvement. 

Toledo  is  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Maumee  river,  and  on  the 
Wabash  and  Erie  canal,  134  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  246  by  canal 
n.  of  Cincinnati,  about  50  s.  of  Detroit,  about  100  w.  of  Cleveland, 
and  33  miles  from  Adrian,  Michigan,  where  a  railroad  from  Toledo 
intersects  with  the  southern  Michigan  railroad.  Toledo  stretches 
along  the  river  bank  for  more  than  a  mile,  and  has  two  points  at 
which  business  concentrates,  called  respectively  the  upper  and  lower 
landing.  It  wras  originally  two  distinct  settlements — the  upper,  Port 
Lawrence,  the  lower,  Vistula.  Between  these  two  points  Toledo  is 
thinly  settled  ;  but  at  them,  and  particularly  at  the  upper,  the  stores, 
warehouses  and  dwellings  are  densely  packed  together.  The  view 
of  the  harbor  from  the  upper  landing  is  very  fine  :  the  eye  takes  in 
a  distance  of  several  miles  of  the  river,  bounded  by  well-defined  pro- 
jecting headlands,  and  often  showing  a  large  number  of  sails,  pre- 
senting not  only  a  scene  of  beauty,  but  evidence  of  the  extensive 
commerce,  of  which  this  place  is  the  center. 

42 


330  LUCA8    COUNTY. 

Toledo  covers  the  site  of  a  stockade  fort,  called  Fort  Industry 
erected  about  the  year  1800,  near  what  is  now  Summit  street.  A 
treaty  was  held  in  this  fort  with  the  Indians  July  4th,  1805,  by  which 
the  Indian  title  to  the  "  fire-lands"  was  extinguished.  Chas.  Jouett 
was  United  States  commissioner,  and  the  Ottawa,  Chippewa,  Pot- 
tawatimie,  Wyandot,  Shawanee,  Munsee  and  Delaware  tribes,  re- 
presented by  their  respective  chiefs.  The  insignificant  settlements 
of  Port  Lawrence  and  Vistula  were  later  formed,  and  have  now  lost 
their  identity  in  Toledo,  the  history,  present  condition  and  prospects 
of  which  we  annex,  in  a  communication  from  a  gentleman  of  the 
place. 

In  the  summer  of  1832,  Vistula,  under  the  impetus  given  it  by  Captain  Samuel  Allen, 
from  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  and  Major  Stickney,  made  quite  a  noise  as  a  promising  place  for  a 
town.  People  from  various  quarters  were  met  by  the  writer,  in  June  of  that  year,  at  the 
residence  of  Major  Stickney.  All  seemed  sanguine  of  a  sudden  and  large  growth  for  the 
new  town,  and  many  made  purchases  in  and  about  it.  At  the  same  time,  arrangements 
were  being  made  by  Major  Oliver  and  Micajah  T.  Williams,  of  Cincinnati,  with  Daniel 
O.  Comstock  and  Stephen  B.  Comstock,  brothers,  from  Lockport,  for  the  resuscitation  of 
Port  Lawrence,  at  the  mouth  of  Swan  creek.  The  Comstocks  took  an  interest,  and  be- 
came the  agents  for  the  Port  Lawrence  property,  now  known  as  Upper  Toledo.  No  sales 
of  any  importance  were  made  before  1833.  In  Vistula,  the  first  store  was  started  by  Mr. 
E.  Briggs  ;  W.  J.  Daniels,  now  a  leading  man,  was  his  clerk.  Soon  after,  Flagg  &  Bissell 
opened  a  more  extensive  store  of  goods — probably  the  first  good  assortment  for  the  use  of 
white  people.  In  1833,  not  much  progress  was  made  towards  building  a  town  in  Vistula 
or  Port  Lawrence.  In  the  latter,  the  first  Toledo  steamer  was  built,  and  called  the  Detroit. 
She  was  of  120  tons,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Baldwin,  son  of  a  sea  captain  of  that 
name,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Port  Lawrence.  The  best  lots  in  Port  Law- 
rence, GO  feet  front  by  120  deep,  were  offered  by  Stephen  B.  Comstock,  for  $50,  coupled 
with  a  condition  to  make  some  little  improvements.  Four  of  these  lots,  if  they  were  now 
not  built  upon,  would  sell  for  $5,000  each.  Three  of  them  are  nearly  covered  by  3  story 
brick  buildings,  and  form  the  center  of  business  of  Toledo.  They  are  corners,  on  Monroe 
and  Summit  streets. 

In  1834,  speculation  in  lots  began,  and  with  slight  intermission  continued  until  the  spring 
of  1837.  Mr.  Edward  Bissell,  from  Lockport,  a  man  of  enterprise  and  activity,  became 
a  part  owner,  and  gave  a  great  impetus  to  the  growth  of  Vistula.  Through  him  and  the 
Port  Lawrence  owners,  many  men  of  influence  became  interested  in  the  new  towns. 
Among  these,  Judge  Mason,  from  Livingston  county,  N.  Y.,  deserves  mention,  as  he  be- 
came agent  of  Bissell  and  the  other  chief  owners,  and  made  Vistula  his  residence. 

In  1836,  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal  was  located,  having  three  terminations,  one  at 
Maumee,  one  at  Toledo,  and  one  at  Manhattan.  Great  exertions  were  made  to  induce  the 
commissioners  to  terminate  it  at  the  foot  of  the  Rapids  ;  and  also  to  have  it  continued  be- 
low, on  the  high  bank.  All  the  points  were  accommodated,  and  the  state  has  had  a  heavy 
bill  to  foot  as  the  consequence.  In  1837,  the  canal  was  let,  and  the  contractors  entered 
vigorously  on  its  construction.  The  commissioners  held  out  the  opinion,  that  it  would  be 
completed  in  two  years.  Under  the  expectation  of  its  early  completion,  many  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Toledo,  who  had  been  brought  there  by  the  speculations  of  1835  and  1836,  and 
the  business  it  gave,  held  on  in  order  to  participate  in  the  business  it  was  expected  to  furnish. 
The  seasons  of  1838  and  1839  were  uncommonly  sickly,  not  only  at  Toledo,  but  along  the 
entire  line  of  the  canal.  This  kept  back  the  work  on  the  canal,  and  it  was  not  com- 
pleted, so  as  to  make  its  business  sensiby  felt,  before  the  season  of  1845.  The  Miami  and 
Erie  canal  was  opened  through,  from  river  to  lake,  the  same  season,  and  for  a  time  had  a 
great  rush  of  business  through  it.  But  it  was  so  imperfect,  that  great  prejudice  was  excited 
against  it  as  a  channel  of  commerce.  During  the  season  of  1846,  it  was  kept  in  good 
order,  and  recovered  a  portion  of  its  lost  popularity. 

The  productions  of  the  south  and  southwest,  that  reached  Toledo  by  these  two  canals, 
during  the  season  of  1846,  exceeded  three  millions  of  dollars  in  value,  and  more  than 
doubled  the  receipts  of  the  preceding  year.  The  value  sent  up  from  Toledo  can  scarcely 
have  been  less  than  five  million  dollars.  The  aggregate  of  breadstuff's  exported,  exceeded 
three  millions  of  bushels,  being  greater  than  any  other  port  around  the  lakes,  except  Cleve- 
land, that  shipped  by  lake.     It  is  expected  that  the  business  of  these  canals  this  year,  will 


LUCAS    COUNTY.  331 

nearly  double  that  of  the  season  of  1846.  The  Wabash  and  Erie  canal  will  then  be  ex- 
tended 49  miles  further  down  the  Wabash  ;  and  the  country  on  the  lines  of  both  canals 
being  new,  is  being  opened  to  cultivation,  and  having  the  roads  that  bring  trade  to  the 
canals  every  year  extended  farther  from  their  borders,  and  made  better.  By  position  and 
the  aid  of  these  canals,  Toledo  is  evidently  destined  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  gath- 
ering points  of  agricultural  productions  in  the  country.  Its  situation  is  equally  favorable 
for  the  distribution,  over  the  lakes,  of  southern  productions — sugar,  tobacco,  &c.  The 
Miami  and  Erie  canal  is  the  best  channel  for  the  goods  destined  from  the  eastern  cities  to 
the  great  river  valley  below  Cincinnati. 

The  Wabash  and  Erie  canal,  when  completed  to  Evansville,  on  the  Ohio,  will  be  460 
miles  in  length,  and  control  most  of  the  external  trade  of  Indiana  and  eastern  Illinois. 
The  Miami  and  Erie  canal,  connecting  Toledo  and  Cincinnati,  is  247  miles  long.  This, 
it  is  believed,  will  one  day  become  one  of  the  most  important  canals  in  the  world. 

Within  the  last  two  years,  Toledo  has  expended  near  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 
grading  and  other  permanent  improvements  that  tend  to  give  facility  to  commercial  opera- 
tions. Like  all  the  other  towns  on  Lake  Erie,  it  has  suffered,  during  the  early  years  of  its 
life,  from  sickness  ;  and  perhaps  it  has  suffered  still  more,  in  its  growth  and  prospects,  from 
the  exaggerations  which  public  rumor  has  spread  over  the  country,  respecting  its  insalubrity. 
And  yet  it  woald  be  difficult  to  find  a  healthier  looking  or  a  more  vigorous  set  of  men,  than 
are  the  first  settlers  of  Toledo  and  other  places  on  the  harbor.  Toledo  has  had  sickness, 
but  not  more  than  Cleveland  and  Sandusky  and  Monroe,  at  the  same  period  of  their  growth. 
The  excavations  for  the  canal  and  the  grades,  have  undoubtedly  contributed  to  the  preva- 
lence of  intermittents,  which  is  the  chief  cause  of  complaint.  Every  year  will  witness  an 
improvement  in  this  respect,  until,  like  Cleveland,  it  will  be  forgotten  as  a  place  especially 
fruitful  of  malaria,  and  be  spoken  of  chiefly  for  the  activity  and  extent  of  its  commerce,  and 
the  rapidity  of  its  progress  towards  the  high  destiny  which  reflecting  men  have  long  antici- 
pated for  it. 

Toledo  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1836,  and  has  1  Presbyte- 
rian, 1  Catholic,  1  Methodist,  1  Episcopal  and  1  Lutheran  church, 
37  mercantile  establishments — including  3  drug  and  2  book  stores 
— 9  forwarding  and  commission  houses,  2  banks,  and  its  population 
is  estimated  at  2400;  in  1840,  it  had  1322  inhabitants.  A  daily 
steamboat  line  connects  Toledo  with  Buffalo,  and  another  with  De- 
troit. A  railroad  has  been  chartered  and  surveyed  between  Toledo 
and  the  west  line  of  Indiana,  in  the  direction  of  the  falls  of  Illinois, 
or  towards  Chicago. 

Toledo  was  the  center  of  the  military  operations  in  "  the  Ohio 
and  Michigan  war,"  so  called,  which  at  the  time  threatened  serious 
results,  but  was  accompanied  with  so  much  of  the  ludicrous,  as  to 
be  usually  adverted  to  with  emotions  of  merriment.  In  the  language 
of  "  an  actor  in  the  scenes  which  he  depicts,"  the  narration  below  is 
given. 

The  dispute  of  Ohio  and  Michigan,  about  the  line  of  division  between  them,  originated' 
in  this  wise.  The  ordinance  of  1787,  provided  for  the  division  of  the  North  Western 
territory  into  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than  five  states ;  and  if  into  five,  then  the  three 
southern  were  to  be  divided  from  the  two  northern,  by  a  line  drawn  east  and  west  through 
the  southern  point  of  Lake  Michigan,  extending  eastward  to  the  territorial  line  in  Lake 
Erie.  The  constitution  of  Ohio  contained  a  provision,  that  if  the  said  line  should  not  go 
so  far  north  as  the  north  cape  of  the  Maumee  bay,  then  the  northern  boundary  of  Ohio 
should  be  a  line  drawn  from  the  southerly  part  of  Lake  Michigan  to  the  north  cape  of  the 
Maumee  bay.  With  this  constitution,  Ohio  was  admitted  into  the  union.  The  line  of  the 
ordinance  was  an  impossible  line,  inasmuch  as  it  would  never  touch  the  territorial  line  by 
extending  it  eastward,  bat  would,  on  the  contrary,  leave  north  of  it  a  considerable  portion 
of  that  part  of  Ohio  known  as  the  Western  Reserve. 

When  Michigan  became  a  territory,  the  people  living  between  the  two  lines — that 
claimed  by  Michigan,  known  as  the  Fulton  line,  and  that  claimed  by  Ohio,  as  the  Harris 
line — found  it  more  convenient  to  be  attached  to  Michigan,  and  agreeably  to  their  wish, 
the  territorial  laws  were  extended  over  the  disputed  territory.     In   1833,  it  appeared  im- 


332  LUCAS    COUNTY. 

portant  that  the  boundary  should  be  settled,  and  at  the  suggestion  of  J.  W.  Scott,  Esq.,  of 
Toledo,  Senator  Tilden,  of  Norwalk,  Ohio,  brought  the  matter  before  the  legislature,  which 
passed  a  resolution  asking  congress  to  act  upon  the  subject,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the 
claim  of  Ohio. 

In  1835,  the  matter  came  before  congress,  and  J.  Q.  Adams  made  an  elaborate  report 
against  the  claim  of  Ohio.  Through  the  exertions  of  A.  Palmer,  S.  B.  Comstock,  W.  P. 
Daniels  and  others,  the  former  was  immediately  dispatched  to  Columbus,  with  a  petition 
from  most  of  the  inhabitants,  to  the  legislature  of  Ohio,  then  in  session,  asking  the  exten- 
sion of  the  laws  of  Ohio  over  the  disputed  territory.  An  act  was  soon  after  passed  for 
that  purpose,  and  the  disputed  territory  was  attached  to  the  counties  of  Wood,  Henry  and 
Williams.  This  occasioned  a  counteraction  on  the  part  of  Michigan.  A  double  set  of 
officers  were  created  at  the  spring  election,  and  war  became  inevitable.  The  inhabitants 
were  mostly  for  the  Ohio  claim,  but  enough  sided  with  Michigan  to  fill  all  the  offices. 
These  soon  needed  the  aid  of  their  neighbors  of  Monroe  county,  who  were  organized,  and 
made  some  inroads  under  the  sheriff's  posse,  and  carried  off  to  Monroe,  some  of  the  would- 
be  citizens  of  Ohio. 

Thereupon,  Ohio  levied  troops,  and  Governor  Lucas  came  on  at  their  head,  early  in  the 
spring  of  1835.  In  the  mean  time,  Governor  Mason  mustered  troops  from  Michigan  ;  and 
while  Governor  Lucas  was  encamped  at  old  Fort  Miami,  8  miles  above  Toledo  and  4 
miles  above  the  disputed  territory,  Mason  marched  into  Toledo,  overrun  all  the  water-melon 
patches,  made  fowls  very  scarce,  and  demolished  utterly  the  ice  house  of  Major  Stickney, 
burst  in  the  front  door  of  his  residence,  and  triumphantly  carried  him  off  a  prisoner  of  war 
to  Monroe.* 

About  this  time  appeared  from  the  court  of  Washington,  two  ambassadors,  with  full 
powers  to  negotiate  with  the  belligerants,  for  an  amicable  settlement  of  difficulties.  These 
were  Richard  Rush,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Colonel  Howard,  of  Maryland.  They  were 
successful  in  their  mission,  chiefly  because  Michigan  was  satisfied  with  the  laurels  won, 
and  Ohio  was  willing  to  stand  on  her  dignity — 8  miles  from  the  ground  in  dispute.  At 
the  court  next  holden  in  Wood  county,  the  prosecuting  attorney  presented  bills  of  indict- 
ment against  Governor  Mason  and  divers  others,  in  like  manner  offending  ;  but  the  bills 
were  thrown  out  by  the  grand  jury.  Thus  was  Ohio  defeated  in  her  resort  to  law,  as  she 
had  before  been  in  her  passage  at  arms.  At  the  next  session  of  congress,  the  matter  was 
taken  up,  and  able  arguments  in  favor  of  Ohio  were  made  in  the  house,  by  Samuel  F. 
Vinton,  and  in  the  senate,  by  Thomas  Ewing.  Here  Ohio  carried  the  day.  Michigan, 
instead  of  the  narrow  strip,  averaging  about  8  miles  wide,  on  her  southern  border,  received 
as  an  equivalent  the  large  peninsula  between  Lakes  Huron,  Michigan  and  Superior,  now 
so  well  known  for  its  rich  deposit  of  copper  and  other  minerals.  The  chief  value  to  Ohio, 
of  the  territory  in  dispute,  was  the  harbor  at  Toledo,  formed  by  the  mouth  of  the  Maumee, 
essential,  as  her  public  men  believed,  to  enable  her  to  reap  the  benefit  of  the  commerce 
made  by  her  canals  to  Cincinnati  and  Indiana.  The  result  has  shown  that  they  judged 
correctly.  Toledo  has  proved  to  be  the  true  point  for  the  meeting  of  lake  and  canal  com- 
merce. 

Manhattan,  3  miles  below  Toledo,  was  laid  out  a  few  years  since, 
and  much  enterprise  exhibited  on  the  part  of  its  founders  :  it  is,  how- 
ever, a  small  place,  containing  in  1840,  282  inhabitants.  Waterville, 
about  5  miles  above  Maumee  City,  is  a  neat  village,  containing  about 
300  inhabitants.  Providence,  near  the  line  of  Henry  county,  on 
the  river,  had  in  1840,  130  inhabitants ;  in  1846,  it  was  seriously  in- 
jured by  fire.  There  are  other  small  towns  in  the  county,  but  none 
of  note. 

*  Many  amusing  incidents  are  related  of  the  actors  in  this  war.  Dr.  Russ,  of  New 
York,  was  with  the  forces  of  Mason,  on  their  march  from  Monroe  to  Toledo,  and  gave  to 
the  writer  a  vivid  description  of  the  mixture  of  frolic  and  fear  among  the  new  soldiers. 
Reports  were  constantly  being  circulated  of  the  great  number  of  sharp-shooting  Buck- 
eyes who  were  ready,  with  poised  rifles,  to  greet  their  arrival  at  Toledo ;  and  so  terror- 
stricken  were  the  warriors  by  these  stories  of  the  wags,  that  nearly  half  of  those  who 
marched  boldly  from  Monroe,  availed  themselves  of  the  bushes,  by  the  road-side,  to  with 
draw  from  the  dangerous  enterprise. 


MADISON    COUNTY.  333 


MADISON. 

Madison  was  organized  in  March,  1810,  and  named  from  James 
Madison,  the  fourth  President  of  the  U.  States.  The  soil  is  clayey, 
and  the  surface  level.  Almost  one-third  of  the  surface  is  prairie 
land.  Wool-growing  has  become  an  object  of  considerable  business. 
It  is  principally  a  stock-raising  county.  The  productions  are  grass, 
corn  and  oats,  and  beef  cattle.  Wool  and  pork  are  the  principal 
staples.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 


Canaan, 

607 

Monroe, 

385 

Range, 

820 

Darby, 

466 

Pike, 

529 

Somerford, 

761 

Deer  Creek, 

545 

Pleasant, 

936 

Stokes, 

770 

Fairfield, 

505 

Union, 

1350 

The  population  of  Madison,  in  1820,  was  4799;  in  1830,  6191  ; 
and  in  1840,  9025,  or  20  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

In  the  course  of  this  work,  we  have  made  several  extracts  from  the 
mss.  of  Jonathan  Alder,  who  was  taken  captive  when  a  boy,  and 
passed  many  years  among  the  Indians.  These  mss.  contain  about 
a  hundred  pages,  and  comprise  a  sketch  of  his  life  while  with 
the  Indians,  together  with  a  relation  of  many  of  their  customs,  and 
incidents  that  came  under  his  observation.  Mr.  Alder  is  now  living 
on  Darby  creek,  in  this  county.  We  give  a  sketch  of  him,  derived 
from  the  above-mentioned  source. 

Jonathan  Alder  was  bora  in  New  Jersey,  about  8  miles  from  Philadelphia,  Sept,  17th, 
1773.  When  at  about  the  age  of  seven  years,  his  parents  removed  to  Wythe  county,  Va., 
and  his  father  soon  after  died. 

In  the  succeeding  March,  (1782,)  while  out  with  his  brother  David,  hunting  for  a  mare  and 
her  colt,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  a  small  party  of  Indians.  His  brother,  on  the  first  alarm, 
ran,  and  was  pursued  by  some  of  the  party.  "  At  length,"  says  Alder,  "  I  saw  them  return- 
ing, leading  my  brother,  while  one  was  holding  the  handle  of  a  spear,  that  he  had  thrown 
at  him  and  run  into  his  body.  As  they  approached,  one  of  them  stepped  up  and  grasped 
him  around  the  body,  while  another  pulled  out  the  spear.  I  observed  some  flesh  on  the  end 
of  it,  which  looked  white,  which  I  supposed  came  from  his  entrails.  I  moved  to  him,  and 
inquired  if  he  was  hurt,  and  he  replied  that  he  was.  These  were  the  last  words  that  passed 
between  us.  At  that  moment  he  turned  pale  and  began  to  sink,  and  I  was  hurried  on,  and 
shortly  after  saw  one  of  the  barbarous  wretches  coming  up  with  the  scalp  of  my  brother  in 
his  hand,  shaking  off  the  blood." 

The  Indians  having  also  taken  prisoner  a  Mrs.  Martin,  a  neighbor  to  the  Alders,  with 
her  young  child,  aged  about  four  or  five  years,  retreated  towards  their  towns.  Their  rou'.e 
lay  through  the  woods  to  the  Big  Sandy,  down  that  stream  to  the  Ohio,  which  they  crossed, 
and  from  thence  went  overland  to  the  Scioto,  near  Chillicothe,  and  so  on  to  a  Mingo  village 
on  Mad  river. 

Finding  the  child  of  Mrs.  Martin  burdensome,  they  soon  killed  and  scalped  it.  The  last 
member  of  her  family  was  now  destroyed,  and  she  screamed  in  agony  of  grief.  Upon  this, 
one  of  the  Indians  caught  her  by  her  hair,  and  drawing  the  edge  of  his  knife  across  her 
forehead,  cried  "  sculp  !  sculp!"  with  the  hope  of  stilling  her  cries.  But,  indifferent  to  life, 
ehe  continued  her  screams,  when  they  procured  some  switches,  and  whipped  her  until  she 
was  silent.  The  next  day,  young  Alder  having  not  risen,  thrcugh  fatigue,  from  eating,  at 
the  moment  the  word  was  given,  saw,  as  his  face  was  to  the  north,  the  shadow  of  a  man's 
arm  with  an  uplifted  tomahawk.  He  turned,  and  theix  stood  an  Indian,  ready  for  the  fatal 
blow.  Upon  this  he  let  down  his  arm,  and  commenced  feeling  of  his  head.  He  afterwards 
told  Alder  it  had  been  his  intention  to  have  killed  him  ;  but  as  he  turned  he  looked  so  smil- 
ing and  pleasant,  that  he  could  not  strike,  and  on  feeling  of  his  head  and  noticing  that  his 


334  MADISON    COUNTY. 

hair  was  very  black,  the  thought  struck  him,  that  if  he  could  only  get  him  to  his  tribe  he 
would  make  a  good  Indian  ;  but  that  all  that  saved  his  life  was  the  color  of  his  hair. 

After  they  crossed  the  Ohio,  they  killed  a  bear,  and  remained  four  days  to  dry  the  meat 
for  packing,  and  to  fry  out  the  oil,  which  last  they  put  in  the  intestines,  having  first  turned 
and  cleaned  them. 

The  village  to  which  Alder  was  taken,  belonged  to  the  Mingo  tribe,  and  was  on  the  north 
side  of  Mad  river,  which  we  should  judge  was  somewhere  within  or  near  the  limits  of  what 
is  now  Logan  county.  As  he  entered,  he  was  obliged  to  run  the  gauntlet,  formed  by  young 
children  armed  with  switches.  He  passed  through  this  ordeal  with  little  or  no  injury,  and  was 
adopted  into  an  Indian  family.  His  Indian  mother  thoroughly  washed  him  with  soap  and 
warm  water  with  herbs  in  it,  previous  to  dressing  him  in  the  Indian  costume,  consisting  of 
a  calico  shirt,  breech  clout,  leggins  and  moccasons.  The  family  having  thus  converted  him 
into  an  Indian,  were  much  pleased  with  their  new  member.  But  Jonathan  was  at  first  very 
homesick,  thinking  of  his  mother  and  brothers.  Every  thing  was  strange  about  him  ;  he 
was  unable  to  speak  a  word  of  their  language  ;  their  food  disagreed  with  him  ;  and,  child- 
like, he  used  to  go  out  daily  for  more  than  a  month,  and  sit  under  a  large  walnut  tree  near 
the  village,  and  cry  for  hours  at  a  time  over  his  deplorable  situation.  His  Indian  father  was 
a  chief  of  the  Mingo  tribe,  named  Succohanos ;  his  Indian  mother  was  named  Whinecheoh, 
and  their  daughters  respectively  answered  to  the  good  old  English  names  of  Mary,  Hannah 
and  Sally.  Succohanos  and  Whinecheoh  were  old  people,  and  had  lost  a  son,  in  whose 
place  they  had  adopted  Jonathan.  They  took  pity  on  the  little  fellow,  and  did  their  best  to 
comfort  him,  telling  him  that  he  would  one  day  be  restored  to  his  mother  and  brothers.  He 
says  of  them,  "  they  could  not  have  used  their  own  son  better,  for  which  they  shall  always 
be  held  in  most  grateful  remembrance  by  me."  His  Indian  sister  Sally,  however,  treated 
him  "  like  a  slave,"  and  when  out  of  humor,  applied  to  him,  in  the  Indian  tongue,  the  un- 
lady-like  epithet  of  "  onorary,  [mean,]  lousy  prisoner  !"  Jonathan  for  a  time  lived  with  Mary, 
who  had  become  the  wife  of  the  chief,  Col.  Lewis,  (see  p.  304.)  "  In  the  fall  of  the  year,"  says 
he,  "  the  Indians  would  generally  collect  at  our  camp,  evenings,  to  talk  over  their  hunting 
expeditions.  I  would  sit  up  to  listen  to  their  stories,  and  frequently  fell  asleep  just  where  I 
was  sitting.  After  they  left,  Mary  would  fix  my  bed,  and  with  Col.  Lewis,  would  carefully 
take  me  up  and  carry  me  to  it.  On  these  occasions  they  would  often  say — supposing  me  to 
be  asleep — '  poor  fellow  !  we  have  sat  up  too  long  for  him,  and  he  has  fallen  asleep  on  the 
cold  ground  ;'  and  then  how  softly  would  they  lay  me  down  and  cover  me  up.  Oh  !  never 
have  I,  nor  can  I,  express  the  affection  I  had  for  these  two  persons." 

Jonathan,  with  other  boys,  went  into  Mad  river  to  bathe,  and  on  one  occasion  came  near 
drowning.  He  was  taken  out  senseless,  and  some  time  elapsed  ere  he  recovered.  He  says, 
"  I  remember,  after  I  got  over  my  strangle,  I  became  very  sleepy,  and  thought  I  could  draw 
my  breath  as  well  as  ever.  Being  overcome  with  drowsiness,  I  laid  down  to  sleep,  which 
was  the  last  I  remember.  The  act  of  drowning  is  nothing,  but  the  coming  to  life  is  dis- 
tressing. The  boys,  after  they  had  brought  me  too,  gave  me  a  silver  buckle,  as  an  induce- 
ment not  to  tell  the  old  folks  of  the  occurrence,  for  fear  they  would  not  let  me  come  with 
them  again  ;  and  so  the  affair  was  kept  secret." 

When  Alder  had  learned  to  speak  the  Indian  language,  he  became  more  contented.  He 
says,  "  1  would  have  lived  very  happy,  if  I  could  have  had  health  ;  but  for  three  or  four 
years  I  was  subject  to  very  severe  attacks  of  fever  and  ague.  Their  diet  went  very  hard 
with  me  for  a  long  time.  Their  chief  living  was  meat  and  hommony  ;  but  we  rarely  had 
bread,  and  very  little  salt,  which  was  extremely  scarce  and  dear,  as  well  as  milk  and  butter. 
Honey  and  sugar  were  plentiful,  and  used  a  great  deal  in  their  cooking,  as  well  as  on  their 
food." 

When  he  was  old  enough,  he  was  given  an  old  English  musket,  and  told  that  he  must  go 
out  and  learn  to  hunt.  So  he  used  to  follow  along  the  water  courses,  where  mud  turtles 
were  plenty,  and  commenced  his  first  essay  upon  them.  He  generally  aimed  under  them. 
as  they  lay  basking  on  the  rocks  ;  and  when  he  struck  the  stone,  they  flew  sometimes  seve- 
ral feet  in  the  air,  which  afforded  great  sport  for  the  youthful  marksman.  Occasionally  he 
killed  a  wild  turkey,  or  a  raccoon  ;  and  when  he  returned  to  the  village  with  his  game,  gen- 
erally received  high  praise  for  his  skill — the  Indians  telling  him  he  would  make  "a  great 
hunter  one  of  these  days." 

We  cannot,  within  our  assigned  ;imits,  give  many  of  the  incidents 
and  anecdotes  related  by  Alder,  or  any  thing  like  a  connected  his- 
tory of  his  life  among  the  Indians.  In  the  June  after  he  was  taken, 
occurred  Crawford's  defeat.  He  describes  the  anxiety  of  the  squaws 
while  the  men  were  gone  to  the  battle,  and  their  joy  on  their  return- 


MADISON    COUNTY.  335 

ing  with  scalps  and  other  trophies  of  the  victory.  He  defends  Simon 
Girty  from  the  charge  of  being  the  instigator  of  the  burning  of 
Crawford,  and  states  that  he  could  not  have  saved  his  life,  because 
he  had  no  influence  in  the  Delaware  tribe,  whose  prisoner  Crawford 
was.  Alder  was  dwelling  at  the  Mackachack  towns  (see  p.  299)  when 
they  were  destroyed  by  Logan,  in  1786  ;  was  in  the  attack  on  Fort 
Recovery,  in  1794,  (see  p.  140,)  and  went  on  an  expedition  into 
"  Kaintucky  to  steal  horses"  from  the  settlers. 

Alder  remained  with  the  Indians  until  after  Wayne's  treaty,  in  1795.  He  was  urged  by 
them  to  be  present  on  the  occasion,  to  obtain  a  reservation  of  land,  which  was  to  be  given 
to  each  of  the  priscners ;  but,  ignorant  of  its  importance,  he  neglected  going,  and  lost  the 
land.  Peace  having  been  restored,  Alder  says,  "  I  could  now  lie  down  without  fear,  and 
rise  up  and  shake  hands  with  both  the  Indian  and  the  white  man." 

The  summer  after  the  treaty,  while  living  on  Big  Darby,  Lucas  Sullivant  (see  p.  168) 
made  his  appearance  in  that  region,  surveying  land,  and  soon  became  on  terms  of  intimacy 
with  Alder,  who  related  to  him  a  history  of  his  life,  and  generously  gave  him  the  piece  of 
land  on  which  he  dwelt ;  but  there  being  some  little  difficulty  about  the  title,  Alder  did  not 
contest,  and  so  lost  it. 

When  the  settlers  first  made  their  appearance  on  Darby,  Alder  could  scarcely  speak  a 
word  of  English.  He  was  then  about  24  years  of  age,  15  of  which  had  been  passed  with  the 
Indians.  Two  of  the  settlers  kindly  taught  him  to  converse  in  English.  He  had  taken  up 
with  a  squaw  for  a  wife  some  time  previous,  and  now  began  to  farm  like  the  whites.  He 
kept  hogs,  cows  and  horses,  sold  milk  and  butter  to  the  Indians,  horses  and  pork  to  the 
whites,  and  accumulated  property.  He  soon  was  able  to  hire  white  laborers,  and  being 
dissatisfied  with  his  squaw — a  cross,  peevish  woman — wished  to  put  her  aside,  get  a  wife 
from  among  the  settlers,  and  five  like  them.  Thoughts  too,  of  his  mother  and  brothers,  be- 
gan to  obtrude,  and  the  more  he  reflected,  his  desire  strengthened  to  know  if  they  were 
living,  and  to  see  them  once  more.  He  made  inquiries  for  them,  but  was  at  a  loss  to  know 
how  to  begin,  being  ignorant  of  the  name  of  even  the  state  in  which  they  were.  When 
talking  one  day  with  John  Moore,  a  companion  of  his,  the  latter  questioned  him  where  he 
was  from.  Alder  replied  that  he  was  taken  prisoner  somewhere  near  a  place  called  Green- 
briar,  and  that  his  people  lived  by  a  lead  mine,  to  which  he  used  frequently  to  go  to  see  the 
hands  dig  ore.  Moore  then  asked  him  if  he  could  recollect  the  names  of  any  of  his  neigh- 
bors. After  a  little  reflection,  he  replied,  "  Yes !  a  family  of  Gulions  that  lived  close  by 
us."  Upon  this,  Moore  dropped  his  head,  as  if  lost  in  thought,  and  muttered  to  himself, 
"  Gulion  !  Gulion  !"  and  then  raising  up,  replied,  "  My  father  and  myself  were  out  in  that 
country,  and  we  stopped  at  their  house  over  one  night,  and  if  your  people  are  living,  I  can 
find  them." 

Mr.  Moore  after  this  went  to  Wythe  county,  and  inquired  for  the  family  of  Alder ;  but 
without  success,  as  they  had  removed  from  their  former  residence.  He  put  up  advertise- 
ments in  various  places,  stating  the  facts,  and  where  Alder  was  to  be  found,  and  then  re- 
turned. Alder  now  abandoned  all  hopes  of  finding  his  family,  supposing  them  to  be  dead. 
Some  time  after,  he  and  Moore  were  at  Franklinton,  when  he  was  informed  there  was  a 
letter  for  him  in  the  post  office.  It  was  from  his  brother  Paul,  stating  that  one  of  the  adver- 
tisements was  put  up  within  six  miles  of  him,  and  that  he  got  it  the  next  day.  It  contained 
the  joyful  news,  that  his  mother  and  brothers  were  alive. 

Alder,  in  making  preparations  to  start  for  Virginia,  agreed  to  separate  from  his  Indian 
wife,  divide  the  property  equally,  and  take  and  leave  her  with  her  own  people  at  Sandusky. 
But  some  difficulty  occurred  in  satisfying  her.  He  gave  her  all  the  cows,  14  in  number, 
worth  $20  each,  7  horses,  and  much  other  property,  reserving  to  himself  only  2  horses  and 
the  swine.  Besides  these,  was  a  small  box,  about  6  inches  long,  4  wide  and  4  deep,  filled 
with  silver,  amounting  probably  to  about  $200,  which  he  intended  to  take,  to  make  an  equal 
division.  But  to  this  she  objected,  saying  the  box  was  hers  before  marriage,  and  she  would 
not  only  have  it,  but  all  it  contained.  Alder  says,  "  I  saw  I  could  not  get  it  without  making 
a  fuss,  and  probably  having  a  fight,  and  told  her  ttat  if  she  would  promise  never  to  trouble 
nor  come  back  to  me,  she  might  have  it ;  to  whicl  she  agreed." 

Moore  accompanied  him  to  his  brother's  house,  as  he  was  unaccustomed  to  travel  among 
the  whites.  They  arrived  there  on  norseback,  at  noon,  the  Sunday  after  new  years.  They 
walked  up  to  the  house  and  requested  to  have  their  horses  fed,  and  pretending  they  were 
entire  strangers,  inquired  who  lived  there.  "  I  had  concluded,"  says  Alder,  "  not  to  make 
myself  known  for  some  time,  and  eyed  my  brother  very  close,  but  did  not  recollect  his  fea- 


336  MADISON    COUNTY. 

tures.  I  had  always  thought  I  should  have  recognized  my  mother,  by  a  mole  on  her  face. 
In  the  corner  sat  an  old  lady,  who  I  supposed  was  her,  although  I  could  not  tell,  for  when  I 
was  taken  by  the  Indians  her  head  was  as  black  as  a  crow,  and  now  it  was  almost  perfectly 
white.  Two  young  women  were  present,  who  eyed  me  very  close,  and  I  heard  one  of  them 
whisper  to  the  other,  "  he  looks  very  much  like  Mark,"  (my  brother.)  I  saw  they  were 
about  to  discover  me,  and  accordingly  turned  my  chair  around  to  my  brother,  and  said, 
"  You  say  your  name  is  Alder  1"  "  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  my  name  is  Paul  Alder."  "  Well," 
I  rejoined,  "  my  name  is  Alder  too."  Now  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  describe  our  feelings  at 
that  time  ;  but  they  were  very  different  from  those  I  had  when  I  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
saw  the  Indian  coming  with  my  brother's  scalp  in  his  hand,  shaking  off  the  blood. 

"  When  I  told  my  brother  that  my  name  was  Alder,  he  rose  to  shake  hands  with  me,  so 
overjoyed  that  he  could  scarcely  utter  a  word,  and  my  old  mother  ran,  threw  her  arms 
around  me,  while  tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks.  The  first  words  she  spoke,  after  she  grasped 
me  in  her  arms,  were,  "  How  you  have  grown !"  and  then  she  told  me  of  a  dream  she  had. 
Says  she,  "  I  dreamed  that  you  had  come  to  see  me,  and  that  you  was  a  little  onorary  [meanj 
looking  fellow,  and  I  would  not  own  you  for  my  son  ;  but  now  I  find  I  was  mistaken,  that 
it  is  entirely  the  reverse,  and  I  am  proud  to  own  you  for  my  son."  I  told  her  I  could  remind 
her  of  a  few  circumstances  that  she  would  recollect,  that  took  place  before  I  was  made  cap- 
tive. I  then  related  various  things,  among  which  was  that  the  negroes,  on  passing  our 
house  on  Saturday  evenings,  to  spend  Sundays  with  their  wives,  would  beg  pumpkins  of 
her,  and  get  her  to  roast  them  for  them  against  their  return  on  Monday  morning.  She  re- 
collected these  circumstances,  and  said  she  had  now  no  doubt  of  my  being  her  son.  We  passed 
the  balance  of  the  day  in  agreeable  conversation,  and  I  related  to  them  the  history  of  my 
captivity,  my  fears  and  doubts,  of  my  grief  and  misery  the  first  year  after  I  was  taken.  My 
brothers  at  this  time  were  all  married,  and  Mark  and  John  had  moved  from  there.  They 
were  sent  for,  and  came  to  see  me  ;  but  my  half  brother  John  had  moved  so  far,  that  I  never 
got  to  see  him  at  all." 

This  county  was  first  settled  by  the  whites  in  1796.  In  the  fall 
of  1795,  Benjamin  Springer  came  from  Kentucky,  selected  some 
land  about  a  mile  north  of  Amity,  on  the  west  bank  of  Big  Darby, 
which  stream  was  named  by  the  Indians,  from  a  Wyandot  chief 
named  Darby,  who  for  a  long  time  resided  upon  it,  near  the  line  of 
this  and  Union  counties.  Springer  having  made  a  clearing  and  built 
a  cabin,  moved  his  family  to  the  place  in  the  spring  of  1796.  The 
next  year,  William  Lapin,  Joshua  and  James  Ewing  settled  in  the 
same  neighborhood.     The  last  named  is  now  living. 

Springer  settled  near  Alder,  and  taught  him  the  English  language, 
which  much  endeared  the  latter  to  him.  He  reciprocated  this  benefit, 
by  not  only  supplying  him  with  meat,  but  others  of  the  early  settlers, 
who,  had  it  not  been  for  him,  would  have  been  in  danger  of  starva- 
tion. He  also,  on  different  occasions,  saved  some  of  the  settlers  from 
being  killed  by  the  Indians. 

In  1800,  Mr.  Joshua  Ewing  brought  four  sheep  to  his  place,  which 
were  strange  animals  to  the  Indians.  One  day  an  Indian  was  pass- 
ing by,  when  the  dog  of  the  latter  caught  one  of  the  sheep,  and  Ewing 
shot  him.  The  Indian  would  have  shot  Ewing  in  retaliation,  had 
not  Alder,  who  was  present,  with  much  difficulty  prevailed  upon  him 
to  refrain. 

On  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  in  1812,  the  Indian  chiefs  held  a 
council,  and  sent  a  deputation  to  Alder,  to  learn  which  side  to  es- 
pouse, saying  that  the  British  wished  them  to  go  and  fight  for  them, 
holding  out  the  promise  that  in  such  case  they  would  support  their 
families.  He  advised  them  to  remain  at  first  neutral,  and  told  them 
they  need  not  be  afraid  of  the  Americans  harming  their  women  and 


MAHONING    COUNTY. 


337 


children.  They  followed  the  advice,  for  a  while  remained  neutral, 
and  eventually  became  warm  friends  of  the  Americans. 

Deer  Creek,  in  this  county,  was  so  called  by  the  Indians,  because 
of  the  many  deer  that  used  to  frequent  it  to  eat  the  moss  that  grew 
plentifully  upon  its  banks.  It  was  considered  by  the  Indians  the  best 
hunting  ground  for  deer  in  this  whole  region  of  country. 

The  first  court  in  this  county  was  held  in  a  cabin,  Judge  Thomp- 
son, of  Chillicothe,  presiding.  The  grand  jury  retired  to  deliberate 
to  an  oak  and  hazle  thicket  that  stood  near.  The  principal  business, 
for  the  first  year  or  two,  was  to  try  men  for  fighting. 


View  in  London. 

London,  the  county  seat,  is  25  miles  westerly  from  Columbus.  It 
was  laid  off  in  1810  or  '11,  as  seat  of  justice,  by  Patrick  M'Lene, 
by  order  of  the  commissioners ;  and  by  the  autumn  of  1812  had  six 
or  eight  families.  The  view  shows  on  the  left  the  court  house,  and 
in  the  distance  the  academy.  London  contains  1  Presbyterian  and 
1  Methodist  church,  a  classical  academy,  1  newspaper  printing  office, 
8  stores,  and  about  400  inhabitants.  By  the  census  of  1840,  its  pop- 
ulation was  297. 

West  Jefferson,  on  the  national  road,  14  miles  w.  of  Columbus, 
and  10  from  London,  has  a  Baptist  church,  an  academy,  3  stores,  and 
about  45  dwellings.  At  an  early  day,  a  fort  or  block  house  was 
built  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Little  Darby,  about  20  rods  south  of 
where  the  national  road  crosses  the  creek,  near  the  village. 

Lafayette,  7  miles  w.  of  Jefferson,  on  the  national  road,  has  about 
30  dwellings.  Mount  Sterling,  Midway,  Solon  and  Summerford, 
are  small  places. 


MAHONING. 


Mahoning  was  formed  from  Trumbull  and  Columbiana,  March 
1st,  1846.  It  derived  its  name  from  Mahoning  river.  The  name 
Mahoning  is,  according  to  Heckwelder,  derived  from  either  the  In- 
dian word  Mahoni,  signifying  "  a  lick,"  or  Mahonink,  "at  the  lick." 

43 


338  MAHONING    COUNTY. 

The  surface  is  rolling  and  the  soil  finely  adapted  to  wheat  and  corn, 
Large  quantities  of  the  finer  qualities  of  wool  are  raised.  The  val- 
ley of  the  Mahoning  abounds  in  excellent  bituminous  coal,  which 
is  well  adapted  to  the  smelting  of  iron  ore.  Excellent  iron  ore  is 
obtained  in  the  Mahoning  valley,  and  it  is  believed  to  be  abundant. 
There  are  fifteen  townships  in  the  county  ;  the  five  southernmost,  viz  : 
Smith,  Goshen,  Greene,  Beaver  and  Springfield,  originally  formed 
part  of  Columbiana,  and  the  others,  the  southern  part  of  Trumbull, 
the  last  of  which  are  within  the  Western  Reserve.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  townships,  with  their  population,  in  1840. 

Austintown,    1245         Coitsville,      1016         Milton,  1277 

Beaver,  1973         Ellsworth,        988         Poland,  1561 

Berlin,  1284         Goshen,  1397         Smith,  2029 

Board  man,        933         Green,  3212         Springfield,    1994 

Canfield,  1280         Jackson,         1124         Youngstown,  999 

Total  population  in  1840,  within  the  present  limits  of  Mahoning, 
21,712,  or  51  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  following  sketch  from  a  resident  of  the  county,  not  only  de- 
scribes interesting  incidents  in  the  life  of  one  of  the  first  settlers  on 
the  Reserve,  but  gives  facts  of  importance  connected  with  the  his- 
tory of  this  region. 

Col.  James  Hillman,  of  Youngstown,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  west,  and  rendered 
essential  service  to  the  early  settlers  of  the  Western  Reserve.  He  is  still  living,  and  at  the 
age  of  84  enjoys  good  health  and  spirits,  and  walks  with  as  much  elasticity  of  step  as  most 
men  30  years  younger.  He  was  born  in  Northampton,  Pa.,  and  in  1784,  was  a  soldier  un- 
der Gen.  Harmar,  and  was  discharged  at  Fort  M'Intosh,  at  Beaver  town,  on  the  Ohio,  in 
August,  1785,  after  the  treaty  with  the  Indians. 

His  acquaintance  with  the  country,  now  known  as  the  Western  Reserve,  commenced  in 
the  spring  of  1786,  at  which  time  he  entered  into  the  service  of  Duncan  &  Wilson,  of 
Pittsburgh.  They  were  engaged  in  forwarding  goods  and  provisions,  upon  pack-horses, 
across  the  country  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga,  (now  Cleveland,)  thence  to  be  shipped 
on  the  schooner  Mackinaw,  to  Detroit.  During  the  summer  of  1786,  he  made  six  trips, — 
the  caravan  consisting  of  ten  men  and  ninety  horses.  They  usually  crossed  the  Big  Beaver, 
4  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Shenango,  thence  up  the  left  bank  of  the  Mahoning,  cross- 
ing it  about  three  miles  above  the  village  of  Youngstown,  thence  by  way  of  the  Salt 
Springs,  in  the  township  of  Weathersfield,  through  Milton  and  Ravenna,  crossing  the 
Cuyahoga  at  the  mouth  of  Breakneck,  and  again  at  the  mouth  of  Tinker's  creek,  in  Bed- 
ford, and  thence  down  the  river  to  its  mouth,  where  they  erected  a  log  hut  for  the  safe 
keeping  of  their  goods,  which  was  the  first  house  built  in  Cleveland.  At  the  mouth  of 
Tinker's  creek  were  a  few  houses  built  by  the  Moravian  missionaries.  They  were  then 
vacant,  the  Indians  having  occupied  them  one  year  only,  previous  to  their  removal  to  the 
Tuscarawas  river.  These,  and  three  or  four  cabins  at  the  Salt  Springs,  were  the  only 
buildings  erected  by  the  whites  between  the  Ohio  river  and  Lake  Erie.  Those  at  the  Salt 
Spiings  were  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  persons  sent  there  to  make  salt,  and  the 
tenants  were  dispossessed  during  the  summer  of  1785,  by  order  of  Gen.  Harmar.  During 
this  year,  1786,  Kribs,  who  was  left  in  one  of  the  cabins  to  take  care  of  goods  belonging 
to  Duncan  &  Wilson,  was  murdered  by  the  Indians,  and  his  body  was  found  by  Hillman's 
party,  shockingly  mangled  by  the  wolves.  During  the  same  season,  James  Morrow  and 
Sam  Simerson,  returning  from  Sandusky,  were  killed  by  the  Indians,  at  Eagle  creek,  west 
of  Cleveland.  Mr.  Hillman  was  married  in  1786 — and  in  1788,  settled  at  Beaver  town, 
where  Duncan  &  Wilson  had  a  store  for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  the  Indians. 

From  1788  to  1796,  Mr.  Hillman  resided  in  Pittsburgh,  and  traded  with  the  Indians  in 
Ohio,  principally  on  the  Reserve,  bringing  his  goods  in  canoes  up  the  Mahoning.  His  in- 
tercourse with  the  Indians  during  these  eight  years  and  before,  afforded  him  the  opportu- 
nity of  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  their  language,  and  gaining  their  confidence,  both  of 
which  he  obtained,  and  by  means  of  which,  he  was  enabled  afterwards  to  be  of  great  ser- 
vice to  the  early  settlers  of  the  Reserve. 


MAHONING    COUNTY.  339 

In  1796,  when  returning  from  one  of  his  trading  expeditions,  alone  in  his  canoe,  down 
the  Mahoning  river,  he  discovered  a  smoke  on  the  bank,  near  the  present  site  of  the  village 
of  Youngstown,  and  on  proceeding  to  the  spot,  he  found  Mr.  Young,  (the  proprietor  of  the 
township,)  who,  with  Mr.  Wolcott,  had  just  arrived  to  make  a  survey  of  his  lands.  The 
cargo  of  Mr.  Hillman  was  not  entirely  disposed  of,  there  remaining  among  other  things 
some  whiskey,  the  price  of  which  was  to  the  Indians,  $1,00  a  quart,  in  the  currency  of  the 
country,  a  deer  skin  being  a  legal  tender  for  one  dollar,  and  a  doe  skin  half  a  dollar.  Mr. 
Young  proposed  purchasing  a  quart,  and  having  a  frolic  on  its  contents  during  the  evening, 
and  insisted  upon  paying  Hillman  his  customary  price  for  it.  Hillman  urged  that  inasmuch 
as  they  were  strangers  in  the  country,  and  just  arrived  upon  his  territory,  civility  required 
him  to  furnish  the  means  of  the  entertainment.  He  however  yielded  to  Mr.  Young,  who 
immediately  took  the  deer  skin  he  had  spread  for  his  bed,  (the  only  one  he  had,)  and  paid 
for  his  quart  of  whiskey.  His  descendants  in  the  state  of  New  York,  in  relating  the  hard- 
ships of  their  ancestors,  have  not  forgotten  that  Judge  Young  exchanged  his  bed  for  a  quart 
of  whiskey. 

Mr.  Hillman  remained  with  them  a  few  days,  when  they  accompanied  him  to  Beaver 
town,  to  celebrate  the  4th  of  July,  and  Mr.  H.  was  induced  to  return  and  commence  the 
settlement  of  the  town,  by  building  a  house.  This  was  about  the  first  settlement  made 
on  the  Western  Reserve.  In  the  fall  of  1797,  Mr.  Brown  and  another  person  came  on. 
It  was  during  this  season  that  Uriah  Holmes,  of  Litchfield  county,  Ct.,  and  Titus  Hayes, 
arrived  in  Youngstown  the  same  day,  both  having  started  from  Connecticut  on  the  same  day, 
the  one  taking  the  route  through  the  state  of  New  York,  via  Buffalo,  and  the  other  through 
Pennsylvania. 

The  settlement  of  the  country  proceeded  prosperously  until  the  murder  of  the  two  In- 
dians, Capt.  George  and  Spotted  John,  at  the  Salt  Springs,  by  M'Mahon  and  Story. 
This  affair  had  nearly  proved  fatal  to  the  settlements,  and  probably  would  but  for  the  efforts 
of  Mr.  Hillman.  The  next  day  after  the  murder,  for  such  it  undoubtedly  was,  Col.  Hill- 
man, with  Mr.  Young  and  the  late  Judge  Pease,  of  Warren,  who  had  just  arrived,  went  to 
the  Salt  Springs,  with  a  view  of  pacifying  the  Indians  ;  but  they  had  gone,  not  however 
without  having  buried  the  bodies  of  their  murdered  companions.  Col.  Hillman  and  others 
expected  trouble,  and  in  order  to  show  the  Indians  that  the  whites  did  not  sanction  the  act, 
judged  it  advisable  to  take  M'Mahon  and  Story  prisoners ;  which  they  accordingly  did  the 
same  day,  at  Warren.  Col.  H.  had  M'Mahon  in  custody,  but  Story,  who  was  guarded  by 
John  Lane,  escaped  during  the  night.  On  the  next  day,  M'Mahon  was  brought  to  Youngs- 
town, the  settlers  resolving  to  send  him  to  Pittsburgh,  to  be  kept  in  confinement  until  he 
could  be  tried.  The  affairs  of  the  settlement,  were  at  that  time  in  a  critical  and  alarming 
state,  so  much  so,  that  all  of  the  inhabitants,  both  of  Youngstown  and  Warren,  packed  up 
their  goods,  and  were  upon  the  point  of  removing  from  the  country,  as  they  had  every  rea- 
son to  apprehend  that  the  Indians  would  take  speedy  vengeance.  It  was  at  this  juncture, 
that  the  firmness  and  good  sense  of  Col.  Hillman  was  the  means  of  saving  the  infant  set- 
tlement from  destruction.  He  advised  sending  a  deputation  to  the  Indians  then  encamped 
on  the  Mahoning,  near  where  Judge  Price's  mills  now  stand,  and  endeavor  to  avert  the 
threatened  danger.  It  was  an  undertaking  imminently  hazardous.  Few  men  would  have 
dared  to  go,  and  it  is  quite  certain  no  other  man  in  the  settlement  would  have  had  any 
chance  of  success.  He  was  acquainted  with  their  language,  and  knew  their  principal  men, 
and  was  aware  that  in  his  trading  intercourse  with  them,  he  had  acquired  their  confidence,  and 
therefore  felt  no  fear.  Although  urged  to  do  so,  he  would  not  take  any  weapon  of  defence, 
bat  accompanied  with  one  Randall,  started  very  early  the  next  morning,  on  his  hazardous 
enterprize,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  Indians  before  sunrise.  The  Indians,  seventeen  in 
number,  were  asleep,  each  with  his  gun  and  powder  horn  resting  upon  a  forked  stick  at  his 
head.  Being  in  advance  of  Randall,  he  came  within  three  rods  of  them  before  he  was 
discovered.  A  squaw  was  the  only  one  awake;  she  immediately  gave  the  alarm,  which 
started  every  warrior  to  his  feet  with  gun  in  hand.  But  seeing  Col.  H.  and  his  companion 
riding  into  their  encampment  without  arms,  and  unsuspicious  of  treachery  or  harm,  they  , 
dropped  their  guns  and  immediately  gathered  around  their  visitors. 

Onondaga  George,  the  principal  man  or  chief,  knew  Hillman,  and  the  late  murder  be- 
came the  subject  of  a  very  earnest  conversation  ;  the  chief  exhibiting  much  feeling  while 
talking  about  it.  Hillman  told  him  frankly  the  object  of  his  visit,  and  talked  freely  of  the 
affair,  condemning  M'Mahon,  and  assured  him  that  M'Mahon  was  then  on  his  way  to 
Pittsburg,  and  should  stand  a  trial  for  the  murder  he  had  committed.  Nothing  could  be 
done,  however,  until  Capt.  Peters  should  arrive  with  his  braves.  They  were  then  en- 
camped farther  up  the  river,  near  the  present  site  of  Deerfield,  and  were  expected  to  ar- 
rive that  day,  a  message  having  been  sent  for  that  purpose. 


340  MAHONING  COUNTY. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  they  came,  the  countenance  of  Capt.  Peters,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
a  white  man  present,  scowled  with  hatred,  revenge  and  defiance.  Hillman  endeavored  to 
pacify  him,  but  with  little  effect.  During  the  interview,  a  conversation  was  had  between 
Captains  George  and  Peters,  in  the  Seneca  language,  in  which  Capt.  George  endeavored 
to  persuade  the  other,  that  they  ought  to  kill  Hillman  and  Randall,  and  before  the  whites 
could  unite  in  defence,  dispatch  them  in  detail.  But  Capt.  George  would  not  agree  to  it, 
unwilling  that  Hillman,  to  whom  he  had  conceived  a  liking,  should  be  killed.  It  was  not 
known  to  either  that  Hillman  was  acquainted  with  the  Seneca  language,  in  which  this 
conversation  was  held  ;  he  was,  however — and  it  may  be  conceived  with  what  interest  he 
listened  to  it.  Hillman  succeeded,  after  several  attempts,  in  drawing  Capt.  Peters  aside, 
and  offered  him  a  considerable  sum,  if  he  would  go  to  Cuyahoga  on  some  business  for  the 
whites.  This  bribe,  it  seems,  had  its  desired  effect.  The  Indians  retired  a  short  distance 
and  held  a  consultation,  during  which  Randall  became  so  much  alarmed,  that  he  proposed 
that  each  should  take  his  horse  and  endeavor  to  make  his  escape.  Hillman  would  not  go, 
but  observing  that  the  Indians  had  left  their  guns  leaning  upon  two  trees  near  by,  told 
Randall  to  station  himself,  and  if  on  their  return,  one  of  their  number  should  be  painted 
black,  (which  Hillman  knew  was  their  custom  when  one  was  to  be  killed,)  then  each  should 
seize  upon  the  guns,  and  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  possible. 

After  a  long  time,  however,  they  returned,  Capt.  Peters  holding  up  a  wampum  belt  with 
three  strings,  and  saying  that  they  had  agreed  to  hold  a  council  with  the  whites,  on  con- 
dition that  three  things  should  be  done,  as  their  wampum  indicated.  1st.  That  George 
Foulk  should  act  as  interpreter  ;  2d,  that  the  council  should  be  held  within  six  days  ;  and 
3d,  that  M'Mahon  should  be  kept  until  the  council.  These  things  being  agreed  to,  Hill- 
man and  Randall  returned  the  same  day  to  Youngstown,  where  they  found  all  the  inhabi- 
tants assembled,  waiting  in  anxious  suspense  to  iearn  the  result  of  the  expedition,  and 
every  preparation  made  for  a  sudden  flight,  in  case  it  should  have  proved  unsuccessful. 
Great  was  their  joy  on  seeing  Hillman  and  his  companion  arrive  in  safety,  and  telling  what 
had  been  done. 

The  inhabitants  immediately  set  themselves  about  making  the  necessary  preparations 
for  the  council.  On  the  day  appointed,  two  Indians  made  their  appearance,  and  were 
conducted  by  Mr.  Hillman  to  the  place  prepared  to  hold  their  council.  After  the  cere- 
mony of  smoking,  commenced  the  speeches,  and  it  was  generally  conceded  that  Captain 
Peters  had  the  best  of  the  argument,  and  throughout  the  whole  of  the  consultation,  showed 
a  decided  superiority  over  the  whites  opposed  to  him,  in  adroitness  and  force  of  argument, 
although  our  people  had  appointed  three  of  their  best  men  for  that  purpose,  (the  late  Judge 
Pease,  of  Warren,  and  Gov.  Huntington  being  of  the  number,)  all  of  whom  had  pre- 
pared themselves  for  this  encounter  with  Indian  shrewdness.  The  result  of  the  council 
was  satisfactory  to  both  parties  ;  that  M'Mahon  should  be  tried  by  a  jury  of  his  own  color, 
according  to  the  laws  of  his  own  country.  There  were  about  three  hundred  people  present 
at  the  council,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Hudson,  of  Portage  county,  and  Mr.  Ely,  of  Deerfield. 
Thus  was  tranquillity  restored  mainly  through  the  instrumentality  of  Mr.  Hillman,  a  ser- 
vice which  was  so  highly  appreciated  by  Ephraim  Root,  the  agent  of  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company,  that  he  agreed  on  the  part  of  the  company,  that  he  would  give  him  100  acres  of 
land  ;  the  promise  however  was  never  redeemed. 

Soon  after,  M'Mahon  was  sent  out  by  order  of  Gov.  St.  Clair,  under  a  strong  guard, 
to  abide  his  trial  at  a  special  court  ordered  for  that  purpose,  to  be  held  in  Youngstown  by 
the  Judges,  Return  J.  Meigs  and  Benjamin  Ives.  Oilman,  Backus  &  Tod  were  attornies 
for  the  people  ;  and  Mr.  Simple,  John  S.  Edwards  and  Benjamin  Tappan  for  the  prisoner. 
The  court  was  attended  by  persons  from  a  great  distance,  and  it  was  generally  believed, 
ihat  many  had  come  with  a  determination  to  rescue  M'Mahon,  in  case  he  should  be  found 
guilty.  He  was,  however,  acquitted,  principally  upon  the  testimony  of  or.e  Knox,  who  swore 
that  M'Mahon  retreated  a  step  or  two  before  he  fired,  which  probably  was  not  true,  and 
was  not  believed  by  those  who  visited  the  spot  on  the  day  after  the  affair.  Capt.  Peters 
was  upon  the  bench  during  the  whole  trial,  and  was  satisfied  that  he  had  received  a  fair 
trial,  and  should,  according  to  the  laws  of  the  whites,  have  been  acquitted.  As  soon  as 
Knox  swore  that  M'Mahon  retreated  before  he  fired,  Capt.  Peters  gave  a  characteristic 
"  ugh,"  and  whispered  to  Judge  Meigs  that  the  jury  would  acquit,  the  prisoner. 

Thus  terminated  this  critical  affair,  after  which  the  settlement  increased  with  great  ra- 
pidity, and  Col.  Hillman  from  that  time  has  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  fel- 
low citizens,  twice  expressed  in  electing  him  sheriff,  under  the  territorial  government,  and 
in  various  other  ways,  and  still  lives  respected  and  beloved  by  all. 

Canfield,  the  county  seat,  is  166  miles  ne.  of  Columbus  and  16  s. 


MAHONING    COUNTY. 


341 


of  Warren.  It  is  on  the  main  stage  road  from  Cleveland  to  Pitts- 
burgh, on  a  gentle  elevation.  It  is  a  neat,  pleasant  village,  embow- 
ered in  trees  and  shrubbery,  among  which  the  Lombardy  poplar 
stands  conspicuous.  It  contained  in  1846,  3  stores,  a  newspaper 
printing  office,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Epis.  1  Met.  1  Congregational  and  1 
Lutheran  church,  and  about  300  people.  Since  then  the  county 
buildings  have  been  erected,  and  from  being  made  the  county  seat, 
it  will  probably,  by  the  time  this  reaches  the  eye  of  the  reader,  have 
nearly  doubled  in  population  and  business  importance. 


Youngslown. 

Youngstown  is  the  largest  and  most  flourishing  town  in  Mahoning 
county,  beautifully  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Mahoning 
river,  65  miles  from  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  9  miles  from  Canfield,  the 
seat  of  justice,  for  the  county  of  Mahoning,  14  from  Warren,  the 
county  seat  of  Trumbull  county,  30  from  Ravenna,  Portage  county, 
and  27  from  New  Lisbon,  Columbiana  county.  It  contains  about 
1200  inhabitants,  has  12  mercantile  stores,  3  warehouses  for  receiv- 
ing and  forwarding  goods  and  produce  on  the  canal,  4  churches,  1 
Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal  Methodist,  1  Protestant  Methodist  and  1 
Disciples.  The  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  canal  passes  through  the  vil- 
lage, and  the  products  of  the  surrounding  country  are  sent  here  for 
shipment.  Few  places  in  Ohio  are  more  beautifully  situated  ; 
few  have  greater  facilities  for  manufacturing,  or  bid  fairer  to  be- 
come places  of  wealth  and  importance.  Bituminous  coal  and  iron 
ore  abound  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  village,  and  along  the 
line  of  the  canal,  adequate,  it  is  believed,  to  the  wants  of  a  large 
manufacturing  place.  Several  of  the  coal  banks  are  already  opened 
and  successfully  and  profitably  worked.  The  mines  of  the  Hon. 
David  Tod,  furnish  about  one  hundred  tons  of  coal  per  day,  and 
those  of  Crawford,  Camp  &  Co.,  about  sixty  ;  all  of  which  have 
hitherto  found  a  ready  market  at  Cleveland  for  steamboat  fuel.  It 
has  recently  been  ascertained  that  the  coal  in  the  valley  of  the 


342  MAHONING    COUNTY. 

Mahoning,  is  well  adapted,  in  its  raw  state,  to  the  smelting  of  iron 
ore,  and  three  furnaces  similar  to  the  English  and  Scotch  furnaces, 
each  capable  of  producing  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  tons  of  pig 
metal  per  week,  have  been  erected  in  the  township,  and  near  to  the 
village.  A  large  rolling  mill  has  been  erected  in  the  village,  at 
which  is  made  the  various  sizes  of  bar,  rod  and  hoop  iron,  also  sheet 
iron,  nails  and  spikes.  The  "  Youngstown  Iron  Company,"  and  the 
"  Eagle  Iron  and  Steel  Company,"  contemplate  the  erection  of  ma- 
chinery for  the  purpose  of  making  the  T  and  H  rails  ;  and  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  the  various  rail  roads  now  projected  in 
Ohio  and  the  adjoining  states,  will  be  supplied  with  rails  from  this 
point.  In  addition  to  the  above,  there  is  quite  a  number  of  small 
manufacturing  establishments  for  making  tin-ware,  cloth,  axes, 
wagons,  buggies,  &c,  &c.  The  amount  of  capital  invested  in  the 
manufacturing  of  iron,  is  probably  $200,000. 

The  view  given  was  taken  from  the  southeast,  a  few  hundred 
yards  to  the  left  of  the  road  leading  to  Pittsburgh,  and  near  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Homer  Hine,  shown  on  the  right.  In  front  ap- 
pears the  canal  and  Mahoning  river :  on  the  left  the  rolling  mill  of 
the  Youngstown  iron  company.  In  the  distance  a  part  of  the  town 
is  shown :  the  spires  seen  are  respectively,  commencing  on  the 
right,  those  of  the  Presbyterian,  Disciples  and  Episcopal  Methodist 
churches  ;  near,  on  the  left  of  the  last  named,  appears  the  Protestant 
Methodist  church. 

Poland  is  8  miles  from  Canfield,  on  Yellow  creek,  a  branch  of  the 
Mahoning.  It  is  one  of  the  neatest  villages  in  the  state.  The  dwell- 
ings are  usually  painted  white,  and  have  an  air  of  comfort.  Conside- 
rable business  centers  here  from  the  surrounding  country,  which  is 
fertile.  In  the  vicinity  is  coal  and  iron  ore  of  an  excellent  quality. 
Limestone  of  a  superior  kind  abounds  in  the  township  :  it  is  burnt 
and  largely  exported  for  building  purposes  and  manure.  Poland 
contains  5  stores,  1  Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  church,  an  acad- 
emy, an  iron  foundery,  1  grist,  1  saw,  1  oil  and  1  clothing  mill,  and 
about  100  dwellings. 

In  a  tamarack  and  cranberry  swamp  in  this  vicinity,  "  are  found  large  numbers  of  a  small 
black,  or  very  dark  brown,  rattle-snake,  about  12  or  14  inches  in  length,  and  of  a  propor- 
tionate thickness.  They  have  usually  three  or  four  rattles.  This  species  seem  to  be  con- 
fined to  the  tamarack  swamps,  and  are  found  no  where  else  but  in  their  vicinities,  wander- 
ing in  the  summer  months  a  short  distance  only  from  their  borders.  When  lying  basking  in 
the  sun,  they  resemble  a  short,  dirty,  broken  stick  or  twig,  being  generally  discolored  with 
mud,  over  which  they  are  frequently  moving.  Their  bite  is  not  very  venomous,  yet  they  are 
much  dreaded  by  the  neighboring  people.  Their  habitations  are  retired  and  unfrequented, 
so  that  few  persons  are  ever  bitten.     The  Indian  name  for  this  snake  is  Massasauga." 

At  Lowell,  4  miles  e.  from  Poland,  on  the  canal  and  Mahoning 
river,  is  the  extensive  furnace  of  Wilkinson,  Wilkes  &  Co. ;  2  miles 
northerly,  on  the  same  stream,  is  a  furnace  of  the  Great  Western 
Iron  Company.  Ellsworth,  5  miles  vv.  of  Canfield,  has  2  stores,  2 
churches,  about  35  dwellings  and  an  excellent  academy,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Methodists.  Austintown  and  Fredericksburg  are 
small  places  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county.     The  following  are 


MAEION    COUNTT.  343 

villages  formerly  within  Columbiana  county.  To  some  of  them  is 
attached  their  population,  as  in  the  census  of  1840  :  Petersburg  187, 
Lima  129,  N.  Middletown  118,  Green  Village  351,  Lewistown  79, 
N.  Springfield  89,  New  Albany  52,  Birmingham  and  Princeton. 


Big  Island, 

554 

Grand  Prairie, 

,    716 

Bowling  Green. 

324 

Green  Camp, 

361 

Canaan, 

1027 

Marion, 

1638 

Claridon, 

1084 

Montgomery, 

552 

Gilead, 

1150 

Morven, 

976 

Grand, 

605 

Pleasant, 

1414 

MARION. 

Marion  was  organized  March  1st,  1824,  and  named  from  General 
Francis  Marion,  of  South  Carolina,  a  partisan  officer  of  the  revolu- 
tion. The  surface  is  level,  except  on  the  extreme  east.  The  San- 
dusky plains,  which  is  prairie  land,  covers  that  part  of  the  county 
north  of  Marion  and  west  of  the  Whetstone,  and  is  well  adapted  to 
grazing :  the  remaining  part,  comprising  about  two-thirds  of  the 
surface,  is  best  adapted  to  wheat.  The  soil  is  fertile.  The  prin- 
cipal farm-crops  are  corn,  wheat  and  grass,  a  large  proportion  of 
the  prairie  land  being  appropriated  to  grazing :  much  live  stock  and 
wool  is  produced  in  the  county :  some  of  the  flocks  of  sheep  con- 
tain about  5000  head.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Richland,  1138 
Salt  Creek.  607 
Scott,  854 

Tully,  870 

Washington,    880 

The  population  of  Marion,  in  1830,  was  6558,  and  in  1840, 18,352, 
or  35  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

By  the  treaty  concluded  at  the  foot  of  the  Maumee  rapids,  Sept. 
29th,  1817,  Lewis  Cass  and  Duncan  M'Arthur  being  commissioners 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  there  was  granted  to  the  Delaware 
Indians  a  reservation  of  three  miles  square,  on  or  near  the  northern 
boundary  of  this  county,  and  adjoining  the  Wyandot  reservation  of 
twelve  miles  square.  This  reservation  was  to  be  equally  divided 
among  the  following  persons :  Captain  Pipe,  Zeshauau  or  James 
Armstrong,  Mahautoo  or  John  Armstrong,  Sanoudoyeasquaw  or 
Silas  Armstrong,  Teorow  or  Black  Raccoon,  Hawdorouwatistie  or 
Billy  Montour,  Buck  Wheat,  William  Dondee,  Thomas  Lyons, 
Johnny  Cake,  Captain  Wolf,  Isaac  and  John  Hill,  Tishatahoones  or 
widow  Armstrong,  Ayenucere,  Hoomaurou  or  John  Ming,  and 
Youdorast.  Some  of  these  Indians  had  lived  at  Jeromeville,  in 
Ashland,  and  Greentown,  in  Richland  county,  which  last  village 
was  burnt  by  the  whites  early  in  the  late  war.  By  the  treaty  con- 
cluded at  Little  Sandusky,  August  3d,  1829,  John  M'Elvain  being 
United  States  commissioner,  the  Delawares  ceded  this  reservation 
to  the  United  States  for  $3000,  and  removed  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

Marion,  the  county  seat,  is  44  miles  north  of  Columbus.     It  was 


344 


MEDINA    COUNTY. 


laid  out  in  1821,  by  Eber  Baker  and  Alexander  Holmes,  who  were 
proprietors  of  the  soil.  It  is  compactly  built ;  the  view,  taken  in 
front  of  the  Marion  hotel,  shows  one  of  the  principal  streets :  the 
court-house  appears  on  the  left,  the  Mirror  office  on  the  right,  and 


View  in  Marion. 

Berry's  hill  in  the  distance.  General  Harrison  passed  through  this 
region  in  the  late  war,  and  encamped  with  his  troops  just  south  of 
the  site  of  the  village,  on  the  edge  of  the  prairie,  at  a  place  known 
as  "  Jacob's  well."  The  town  is  improving  steadily,  and  has  some 
fine  brick  buildings :  it  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and  1 
German  church,  an  academy,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  15  dry 
goods,  1  drug  and  5  grocery  stores,  1  saw,  1  fulling,  oil  and  carding 
mill,  and  about  800  inhabitants :  in  1840  it  had  a  population  of  570. 
Mount  Gilead,  18  miles  se.  of  Marion,  is  a  flourishing  village,  con- 
taining 2  churches,  several  stores,  2  or  3  mills,  and  about  400  inhab- 
itants. Iberia,  Caledonia,  Cardington,  Le  Timbreville,  Denmark, 
Big  Island,  Claridon  and  Holmesville,  are  small  villages. 


MEDINA. 


Medina  was  formed  February  18th,  1812,  "from  that  part  of  the 
Reserve  west  of  the  11th  range,  south  of  the  numbers  5,  and  east 
of  the  20th  range,  and  attached  to  Portage  county,  until  organized." 
It  was  organized  in  April,  1818.  The  county  was  settled  princi- 
pally from  Connecticut,  though  within  the  last  few  years  there  has 
been  a  considerable  accession  of  Germans.  The  surface  is  generally 
rolling,  with  much  bottom  land  of  easy  tillage :  the  soil  is  princi- 
pally clay  and  gravelly  loam — the  clayey  portion  scantily  watered, 
the  gravelly  abundantly.  The  soil  is  better  adapted  to  grass  than 
grain.     The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  hay,  wool,  corn,  oats, 


MEDINA    COUNTT,  345 

barley,  butter  and  cheese.     The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships 
in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Brunswick,      1110         Homer,  660         Sharon,  1314 

Chatham,  555         Lafayette,       938         Spencer,  551 

Granger,  954         Litchfield,       787         Wadsworth,  1481 

Guilford,  1402         Liverpool,     1502         Westfield,      1031 

Harrisville,      1256         Medina,         1435         York,  782 

Hinckley,        1287         Montville,       915 

The  population  of  Medina,  in  1820,  was  3090 ;  in  1830,  7560,  and 
in  1840,  18,360,  or  43  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  first  regular  settlement  in  the  county,  was  made  at  Harris- 
ville, on  the  14th  of  February,  1811,  by  Joseph  Harris,  Esq.,  who 
removed  from  Randolph,  Portage  county,  with  his  family,  consisting 
of  his  wife  and  one  child.  The  nearest  white  people  were  at  Woos* 
ter,  17  miles  distant. 

The  first  trail  made  through  the  county  north,  toward  the  lake, 
was  from  Wooster,  a  short  time  after  the  declaration  of  war  with 
Great  Britain.  The  party  consisted  of  George  Poe,  (son  of  Adam, 
see  page  106,)  Joseph  II.  Larvvill  and  Roswell  M.  Mason.  They 
carried  their  provision  in  packs,  and  laid  out  the  first  night  on  their 
blankets,  in  the  open  air,  on  the  south  side  of  "  the  big  swamp."  It 
was  amusing,  as  they  lay,  to  listen  to  the  howling  of  the  wolves,  and 
hear  the  raccoons  catch  frogs  and  devour  them,  making,  in  their 
mastication,  a  peculiar  and  inimitable  noise,  which  sounded  loud  in 
the  stillness  of  the  night.  In  the  course  of  the  evening,  they  heard 
bells  of  cattle  north  of  them,  and  in  the  morning,  discovered  the  set- 
tlement of  Mr.  Harris.  From  thence  they  proceeded  down  to  the 
falls  of  Black  river,  at  what  is  now  Elyria,  and  at  the  mouth  of  the 
stream  found  a  settler,  named  Read,  whose  habitation,  excepting 
that  of  Mr.  Harris,  was  the  only  one  between  there  and  Wooster. 

In  the  June  following  Mr.  Harris's  arrival,  he  was  joined  by  Rus- 
sel  Burr  and  George  Burr  and  family,  direct  from  Litchfield,  Conn. 
In  the  summer  after,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  Messrs.  Harris 
and  Burr  removed  their  families,  for  a  few  months,  to  Portage  county, 
from  fear  of  the  Indians,  and  returned  themselves  in  October,  to 
Harrisville.  The  following  winter,  provision  was  carried  from  the 
Middlebury  mills,  by  the  residence  of  Judge  Harris,  to  Fort  Ste- 
phenson, his  cabin  being  the  last  on  the  route.  The  season  is  ad- 
verted to  by  the  old  settlers  as  "  the  cold  winter."  Snow  lay  to  the 
depth  of  18  inches,  from  the  1st  of  January  to  the  27th  of  February, 
during  which  the  air  was  so  cold  that  it  did  not  diminish  an  inch  in 
depth,  during  the  whole  time. 

An  Indian  trail  from  Sandusky  to  the  Tuscarawas,  passed  by  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Harris.  It  was  a  narrow,  hard-trodden  bridle- 
path. In  the  fall,  the  Indians  came  upon  it  from  the  west,  to  this 
region,  remained  through  the  winter  to  hunt,  and  returned  in  the 
spring,  their  horses  laden  with  furs,  jerked  venison  and  bear's  oil, 
.he  last  an  extensive  article  of  trade.  The  horses  were  loose,  and 
followed  each  other  in  single  file.     It  was  not  uncommon  to  see  a 

44 


846  MEDINA   COUNTY. 

single  hunter  returning  with  as  many  as  twenty  horses  laden  with 
his  winter's  work,  and  usually  accompanied  by  his  squaw  and 
pappooses,  all  mounted.  The  Indians  often  built  their  wigwams  in 
this  vicinity,  near  water,  frequently  a  dozen  within  a  few  rods. 
They  were  usually  made  of  split  logs  or  poles,  covered  with  bark. 
Some  of  the  chiefs  had  theirs  made  of  flags,  which  they  rolled  up 
and  carried  with  them.  The  Indians  were  generally  very  friendly 
with  the  settlers,  and  it  was  rare  to  find  one  deficient  in  mental 
acuteness. 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  that  Mr.  Harris  settled  at  Harrisville, 
William  Litey,  a  native  of  Ireland,  with  his  family,  settled  in  Bath 
township,  on  or  near  the  border  of  Portage  county.  In  the  winter 
of  1815,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  the  settlements  began  to  increase. 
Among  the  early  settlers,  are  recollected  the  names  of  Esquire  Van 
Heinen,  Zenas  Hamilton,  Rufus  Ferris,  James  Moore,  the  Ingersoll's, 
Jones's,  Sibley's,  Frieze's,  Root's,  Deming's,  Warner,  Hoyt,  Dean 
and  Durham. 

It  was  not  uncommon  for  the  early  settlers  on  the  Reserve,  to 
collect  from  several  townships,  in  numbers  from  two  to  five  hundred, 
and  engage  in  "  a  grand  hunt.''''  But  so  many  accidents  happened 
— one  man  being  killed  and  others  wounded,  by  shooting  across  the 
corners — arising  from  the  want  of  discipline,  and  the  difficulty  of 
restraining  the  men  in  their  eagerness — that  the  custom  fell  into  dis- 
repute. We  annex  a  description  of  the  method  of  conducting  these 
hunts,  from  a  sketch  of  Tallmadge,  by  Charles  Whittlesey,  Esq. 

A  large  tract  of  wild  land,  the  half  or  fourth  of  a  township,  was  surrounded  by  lines  of 
men,  with  such  intervals  that  each  person  could  see  or  hear  those  next  him,  right  and  left. 
The  whole  acted  under  the  command  of  a  captain,  and  at  least  four  subordinates,  who 
were  generally  mounted.  At  a  signal  of  tin  horns  or  trumpets,  every  man  advanced  in  line 
towards  the  center,  preserving  an  equal  distance  from  those  on  either  hand,  and  making  aa 
much  noise  as  practicable.  From  the  middle  of  each  side  of  the  exterior  line,  a  blazed  line 
of  trees  was  previously  marked  to  the  center  as  a  guide,  and  one  of  the  sub-officers  pro- 
ceeded along  each  as  the  march  progressed.  About  a  half  or  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from 
the  central  point,  a  ring  of  blazed  trees  was  made,  and  a  similar  one  at  the  ground  of 
meeting,  with  a  diameter  at  least  equal  to  the  greatest  rifle  range.  On  arriving  at  the  first 
ring,  the  advancing  lines  halted  till  the  commandant  made  a  circuit,  and  saw  the  men 
equally  distributed  and  all  gaps  closed.  By  this  time,  a  herd  of  deer  might  be  occasionally 
seen  driving  in  affright  from  one  line  to  another.  At  the  signal,  the  ranks  move  forward 
to  the  second  ring,  which  is  drawn  around  the  foot  of  an  eminence,  or  the  margin  of  an 
open  swamp  or  lake.  Here,  if  the  drive  has  been  a  successful  one,  great  numbers  of  tur- 
keys may  be  seen  flying  among  the  trees  away  from  the  spot.  Deer,  in  flocks,  sweeping 
around  the  ring,  under  an  incessant  fire,  panting  and  exhausted.  When  thus  pressed,  it  i3 
difficult  to  detain  them  long  in  the  ring.  They  become  desperate,  and  make  for  the  line  a ". 
ii\\  speed.  If  the  men  are  too  numerous  and  resolute  to  give  way,  they  leap  over  their 
heads,  and  all  the  sticks,  pitch-forks  and  guns  raised  to  oppose  them.  By  a  concert  of  the 
regular  hunters,  gaps  are  sometimes  made  purposely  to  allow  them  to  escape.  The  wolf 
is  now  seen  skulking  through  the  bushes,  hoping  to  escape  observation  by  concealment.  Jf 
Dears  are  driven  in,  they  dash  through  the  brush  in  a  rage  from  one  part  of  the  field  to 
another,  regardless  of  the  shower  of  bullets  playing  upon  them.  After  the  game  appears 
to  be  mostly  killed,  a  few  good  marksmen  and  dogs  scour  the  ground  within  the  circle,  to 
stir  up  what  may  be  concealed  or  wounded.  This  over,  they  advance  again  to  the  center 
with  a  shout,  dragging  along  the  carcasses  which  have  fallen,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
count.  It  was  at  the  hunt  in  Portage,  that  the  bears  were  either  exterminated  or  driven 
away  from  this  vicinity.  It  embraced  the  "  Perkins'  Swamp"  and  several  smaller  ones, 
rendered  passable  by  ice.  At  the  close*  of  this  "  drive,"  twenty-six  were  brought  to  the 
center  ground,  and  others  reported. 


MEDINA    COUNTY.  34'* 

Medina,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  stage  road  from  Cleveland  to 
Columbus,  28  miles  from  the  first  and  117  from  the  latter.  It  was 
originally  called  Mecca — and  is  so  marked  on  the  early  maps  of 
Ohio — from  the  Arabian  city  famous  as  the  birth-place  of  Mahomet . 


The  Public  Square,  Medina. 

n  was  afterwards  changed  to  its  present  name,  being  the  seventh 
place  on  the  globe  of  that  name.  The  others  are  Medina,  a  town  of 
Arabia  Deserta,  celebrated  as  the  burial-place  of  Mahomet ;  Medina, 
the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Woolly,  West  Africa ;  Medina,  a 
town  and  fort  on  the  island  of  Bahrein,  near  the  Arabian  shore  of 
the  Persian  gulf;  Medina,  a  town  in  Estremadura,  Spain;  Medina, 
Orleans  county,  N.  Y.,  and  Medina,  Lenawee  county,  Michigan. 

On  the  organization  of  the  county,  in  1818,  the  first  court  was 
held  in  a  barn,  now  standing  half  a  mile  north  of  the  court  house. 
The  village  was  laid  out  that  year,  and  the  next  season  a  few  settlers 
moved  in.  The  township  had  been  previously  partially  settled. 
In  1813,  Zenas  Hamilton  moved  into  the  central  part,  with  his  fam- 
ily, from  Danbury,  Conn.  His  nearest  neighbor  was  some  eight  or 
ten  miles  distant.  Shortly  after  came  the  families  of  Rufus  Ferris, 
Timothy  Doane,  Lathrop  Seymour,  James  Moore,  Isaac  Barnes, 
Joseph  Northrop,  Friend  Ives,  Abijah  Mann,  James  Palmer,  William 
Painter,  Frederick  Appleton,  etc.  etc. 

Rev.  Roger  Searle,  an  Episcopalian,  was  the  first  clergyman, 
and  the  first  church  was  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  where 
was  then  the  most  population.     It  was  a  log  structure,  erected  in 

1817.  One  morning  all  the  materials  were  standing,  forming  a  part 
of  the  forest,  and  in  the  afternoon,  Rev.  Mr.  Searle  preached  a  ser- 
mon in  the  finished  church.  From  an  early  day,  religious  worship 
in  some  form  was  held  in  the  township  on  the  Sabbath.  The  men 
brought  their  families  tu  "  meeting"  in  ox-teams,  in  which  they  gen- 
erally had  an  axe  and  an  augur,  to  mend  their  carts  in  case  of  acci- 
dents, the  roads  being  very  bad.     The  first  wedding  was  in  March, 

1818,  at  which  the  whole  settlement  were  present.  When  the  cer- 
emony and  rejoicings  were  ove~,  each  man  lighted  his  flambeau  of 


348  MEIGS  COUNTY. 

hickory  bark,  and  made  his  way  home  through  the  forest.  The 
early  settlers  got  their  meal  ground  at  a  log  mill  at  Middlebury  ; 
although  but  about  20  miles  distant,  the  journey  there  and  back  oc- 
cupied five  days.  They  had  only  ox-teams,  and  the  rough  roads 
they  cut  through  the  woods,  after  being  passed  over  a  few  times, 
became  impassable  from  mud,  compelling  them  to  continually  open 
new  ones. 

Owing  to  the  want  of  a  market,  the  products  of  agriculture  were 
very  low.  Thousands  of  bushels  of  wheat  could  at  one  time  be 
bought  for  less  than  25  cents  per  bushel,  and  cases  occurred  where 
10  bushels  were  offered  for  a  single  pound  of  tea,  and  refused.  As 
an  example :  Mr.  Joel  Blakeslee,  of  Medina,  about  the  year  1822, 
sowed  55  acres  in  wheat,  which  he  only  could  sell  by  bartering  with 
his  neighbors.  He  fed  out  most  of  it  in  bundles  to  his  cattle  and 
swine.  All  that  he  managed  to  dispose  of  for  cash,  was  a  smal 
quantity  sold  to  a  traveller,  at  12^  cents  per  bushel,  as  feed  for  his 
horse.  Other  products  were  in  proportion.  One  man  brought  an 
ox-wagon  rilled  with  corn  from  Granger,  eight  miles  distant,  which 
he  gladly  exchanged  for  three  yards  of  satinet  for  a  pair  of  panta- 
loons. It  was  not  until  the  opening  of  the  Erie  canal,  that  the  set- 
tlers had  a  market.  From  that  time,  the  course  of  prosperity  has 
been  onward.  The  early  settlers,  after  wearing  out  their  woollen 
pantaloons,  were  obliged  to  have  them  seated  and  kneed  with  buck- 
skin, in  which  attire  they  attended  church.  It  was  almost  impos- 
sible to  raise  wool,  in  consequence  of  the  abundance  of  wolves,  who 
destroyed  the  sheep. 

The  view  given  on  the  annexed  page  of  the  public  square  in  Me- 
dina, was  taken  from  the  steps  of  the  new  court  house  :  the  old  court 
house  and  the  Bap.  ch.  are  seen  on  the  right.  The  village  contains  1 
Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal,  1  Baptist,  1  Free  Will  Baptist,  1  Meth- 
odist and  1  Universalist  church,  7  dry  goods,  5  grocery,  1  book  and 
2  apothecary  stores,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  1  woollen  and  1 
axe  factory,  1  flouring  mill,  1  furnace,  and  had  in  1840,  655  inhab- 
itants, since  which  it  has  increased. 

Seville,  9  miles  s.  of  Medina,  has  4  stores,  1  woollen  factory,  3 
churches,  and  about  300  inhabitants.  There  are  other  small  villages 
in  the  county,  containing  more  or  less  stores  and  churches,  and  from 
30  to  50  dwellings  each :  they  are,  Harrisville,  Brunswick,  Litch- 
field and  Wadsworth,  at  the  last  of  which  is  a  fine  academy  for  both 
sexes. 


MEIGS. 


Meigs,  named  from  Return  J.  Meigs,  elected  governor  of  Ohio  in 
1810,  was  formed  from  Gallia  and  Athens,  April  1st,  1819,  and  the 
courts  were  directed  "  to  be  temporarily  held  at  the  meeting-house 
in  Salisbury  township."     The  surface  is  broken  and  hilly.     In  the 


MEIGS    COUNTY.  349 

west,  a  portion  of  the  soil  is  a  dark,  sandy  loam,  but  the  general 
character  of  the  soil  is  clayey.  Considerable  quantities  of  corn, 
oats,  wheat,  hay  and  potatoes  are  raised  and  exported.  Excepting 
Morgan  and  Athens,  more  salt  is  made  in  this  than  in  any  other 
county  in  Ohio  :  in  1840,  47,000  bushels  were  produced.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Bedford,  566         Letart,  640         Salem,  940 

Chester,  1479         Olive,  746         Salisbury,        1507 

Columbia  674         Orange,         836         Scipio,  941 

Lebanon,  621         Rutland,       1412         Sutton,  1099 

The  population  of  Meigs,  in  1820,  was  4,480,  in  1830,  6,159,  and 
in  1840,  11,455;  or  25  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  mouth  of  Shade  river,  which  empties  into  the  Ohio,  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  county,  is  a  gloomy,  rocky  place,  formerly  called 
"  the  Devil's  hole."  The  Indians,  returning  from  their  murderous 
incursions  into  western  Virginia,  were  accustomed  to  cross  the  Ohio 
at  that  point  with  their  prisoners  and  plunder,  follow  up  the  valley 
of  Shade  river  on  their  way  to  their  towns  on  the  Scioto. 

The  first  settlers  of  the  county  were  principally  of  New  England 
origin,  and  emigrated  from  Washington  county,  which  lies  above. 
From  one  of  these,  now  residing  in  the  county,  we  have  received  a 
communication  illustrating  pioneer  life. 

People  who  have  spent  their  lives  in  an  old  settled  country,  can  form  but  a  faint  idea  of 
the  privations  and  hardships  endured  by  the  pioneers  of  our  now  flourishing  and  prospe- 
rous state.  When  I  look  on  Ohio  as  it  is,  and  think  what  it  was  in  1802,  when  I  first 
settled  here,  I  am  struck  with  astonishment,  and  can  hardly  credit  my  own  senses.  When 
I  emigrated,  I  was  a  young  man,  without  any  property,  trade  or  profession,  entirely  de- 
pendent on  my  own  industry  for  a  living.  I  purchased  60  acres  of  new  laud  on  credit,  21 
miles  from  any  house  or  road,  and  built  a  camp  of  poles  7  by  4  feet,  and  5  high,  with  three 
sides,  and  a  fire  in  front.  I  furnished  myself  with  a  loaf  of  bread,  a  piece  of  pickled  pork, 
some  potatoes,  borrowed  a  frying-pan  and  commenced  housekeeping.  I  was  not  hindered 
from  my  work  by  company  ;  for  the  first  week,  I  did  not  see  a  living  soul,  but,  to  make  amends 
for  the  want  of  it,  I  had  every  night  a  most  glorious  concert  of  wolves  and  owls.  I  soon 
(like  Adam)  saw  the  necessity  of  a  help-mate,  and  persuaded  a  young  woman  to  tie  her 
destiny  to  mine.  I  built  a  log-house,  2U  feet  square — quite  aristocratic  in  those  days — and 
moved  into  it.  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  possess  a  jack-knife  ;  with  that  I  made  a  wooden 
knife  and  two  wooden  forks,  which  answered  admirably  for  us  to  eat  with.  A  bedstead 
was  wanted  ;  I  took  two  round  poles  for  the  posts,  inserted  a  pole  in  them  for  a  side  rail, 
two  other  poles  were  inserted  for  the  end  pieces,  the  ends  of  which  were  put  in  the  logs  of 
the  house — some  puncheons  were  then  split  and  laid  from  the  side  rail  to  the  crevice  be- 
tween the  logs  of  the  house,  which  formed  a  substantial  bed-cord,  on  which  we  laid  our 
straw  bed — the  only  bed  we  had — on  which  we  slept  as  soundly  and  woke  as  happy  as 
Albert  and  Victoria. 

In  process  of  time,  a  yard  and  a  half  of  calico  was  wanted  ;  I  started  on  foot  through 
the  woods  ten  miles,  to  Marietta,  to  procure  it  ;  but,  alas  !  when  I  arrived  there  I  found  that, 
in  the  absence  of  both  money  and  credit,  the  calico  was  not  to  be  obtained.  The  dilemma 
was  a  serious  one,  and  how  to  escape  I  could  not  devise ;  but  I  had  no  sooner  informed  my 
wife  of  my  failure,  than  she  suggested  that  I  had  a  pair  of  thin  pantaloons,  which  I  coutd 
very  well  spare,  that  would  make  quite  a  decent  frock  :  the  pants  were  cut  up,  the  frock 
made,  and  in  due  time  the  child  was  dressed. 

The  long  winter  evenings  were  rather  tedious,  and  in  order  to  make  them  pass  more 
smoothly,  by  great  exertion,  I  purchased  a  share  in  the  Belpre  library,  6  miles  distant. 
From  this  I  promised  myself  much  entertainment,  but  another  obstacle  presented  itself — I 
had  no  candles ;  however,  the  woods  afforded  plenty  of  pine  knots — with  these  I  made 
torches,  by  which  I  could  read,  though  I  nearly  spoiled  my  eyes.  Many  a  night  have  I 
passed  in  this  manner  till  12  or  1  o'clock  reading  to  my  wife,  while  she  was  hatchelling, 


350  MEIGS    COUNTY. 

carding  or  spinning.  Time  rolled  on,  the  payments  for  my  land  became  due,  and  money, 
at  that  time,  in  Ohio,  was  a  cash  article :  however,  I  did  not  despair.  1  bought  a  few 
steers:  some  I  bartered  for,  and  others  I  got  on  credit — my  credit  having  somewhat  im- 
proved since  the  calico  expedition — slung  a  knapsack  on  my  back,  and  started  alone  with 
my  cattle  for  Romney,  on  the  Potomac,  where  I  sold  them,  then  travelled  on  to  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  paid  for  my  land,  and  had  just  $1  left  to  bear  my  expenses  home,  600  miles 
distant.  Before  I  returned,  I  worked  and  procured  50  cents  in  cash  ;  with  this  and  my 
dollar  I  commenced  my  journey  homeward.  I  laid  out  my  dollar  for  cheap  haircombs,  and 
these,  with  a  little  Yankee  pleasantry,  kept  me  very  comfortably  at  the  private  houses 
where  I  stopped  till  I  got  to  Owego,  on  the  Susquehanna,  where  I  had  a  power  of  attorney 
to  collect  some  money  for  a  neighbor  in  Ohio. 

I  might  proceed  and  enumerate  scenes  without  number  similar  to  the  above,  which  have 
passed  under  my  own  observation,  or  have  been  related  to  me  by  those  whose  veracity  I 
have  no  reason  to  doubt ;  but  from  what  I  have  written,  you  will  be  able  to  perceive  that 
the  path  of  the  pioneer  is  not  strewed  with  roses,  and  that  the  comforts  which  many  of  our 
inhabitants  now  enjoy  have  not  been  obtained  without  persevering  exertions,  industry  and 
economy.  What,  let  me  ask,  would  the  young  people  of  the  present  day  think  of  their 
future  prospects,  were  they  now  to  be  placed  in  a  similar  situation  to  mine  in  1803  ?  How 
would  the  young  miss,  taken  from  the  fashionable,  modern  parlor,  covered  with  Brussels 
carpets,  and  ornamented  with  pianos,  mirrors,  &c,  &c,  manage  her  spinning  wheel,  in  a 
log-cabin,  on  a  puncheon  floor,  with  no  furniture  except,  perhaps,  a  bake-oven  and  a  splint 
broom  ? 

Pomeroy,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Ohio  river,  76  miles  in  a  direct 
line  se.  of  Columbus,  80  below  Marietta,  and  234  above  Cincinnati. 
It  is  situated  on  a  narrow  strip  of  ground  from  20  to  30  rods  wide, 
under  a  lofty  and  steep  hill,  in  the  midst  of  wild  and  romantic 
scenery.  It  contains  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  1  German  Lutheran 
and  1  Presbyterian  church;  a  newspaper  printing  office,  1  flouring  and 
2  saw  mills,  2  founderies,  2  carding  machines,  1  machine  shop,  10 
mercantile  stores,  and  about  1600  inhabitants.  It  is  a  very  flourish- 
ing town,  deriving  its  importance  principally  from  the  coal  mines 
situated  here.  We  give  below,  in  the  language  of  a  correspondent, 
an  historical  sketch  of  the  village,  with  some  notice  of  the  coal 
mines. 

The  first  settler  within  the  limits  of  Pomeroy  was  Mr.  Nathaniel  Clark,  who  came 
about  the  year  1816.  The  first  coal  bank  opened  in  Pomeroy  was  in  1819,  by  David 
Bradshaw.  Bentley  took  1200  bushels  of  coal  to  Louisville,  and  sold  it  for  25  cents  a 
bushel,  which  was  the  first  coal  exported  from  Pomeroy.  As  early  as  1805  or  6,  there  had 
been  an  attempt  at  exporting  coal  from  Coalport,  by  Hoover  and  Cashell,  but  it  proved 
unprofitable,  and  was  abandoned  after  sending  off  one  small  load.  About  1820,  John 
Knight  rented  a  large  quantity  of  coal  land  from  Gen.  Putnam,  at  $20  a  year,  and  com- 
menced working  the  mines.  On  the  15th  of  July,  1825,  Samuel  Grant  entered  80  acres, 
and  Josiah  Dill,  160  acres  of  Congress  land,  which  lies  in  the  upper  part  of  Pomeroy.  Sub- 
sequently, Mr.  Dill  laid  out  a  few  town  lots  on  his  land,  but  it  did  not  improve  to  any  extent 
until  the  Pomeroy  improvement  commenced,  in  1833.  In  1827,  a  post  office  was  estab- 
lished here,  called  Nyesville,  and  Nial  Nye  appointed  postmaster.  In  1840,  the  town  was 
incorporated,  and  in  June,  1841,  made  the  county  seat. 

In  the  spring  of  1804,  Samuel  W.  Pomeroy,  an  enterprizing  merchant  of  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, purchased  of  Elbridge  Gerry,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  in  the  Ohio  company, 
a  full  share  of  land  in  said  company's  purchase,  the  fraction  of  said  share  (262  acres)  lying 
in  the  now  town  of  Pomeroy.  In  1832,  Mr.  Pomeroy  put  1000  bushels  of  coal  into  boxes 
and  shipped  them  on  a  flat  boat  for  New  Orleans,  to  be  sent  round  to  Boston  ;  but  the  boat 
foundered  before  it  left  Coalport,  and  the  expedition  failed.  In  1833,  Mr.  Pomeroy  having 
purchased  most  of  the  coal  land  on  the  river  for  four  miles,  formed  a  company,  consist- 
ing of  himself,  his  two  sons,  Samuel  W.  Pomeroy,  jr.,  and  C.  R.  Pomeroy,  and  his  sons-in- 
law,  N.  B.  Horton  and  C.  W.  Dabney,  under  the  firm  of  Pomeroy,  Sons  &  Co.,  and  began 
mining  on  a  large  scale.  They  built  a  steam  saw-mill,  and  commenced  building  houses 
(or  themselves  and  their  workmen.     In  1834,  they  moved  on,  at  which  time  there  were  12 


MEIGS    COUNTY.  351 

families  in  the  town.  In  1835,  they  built  the  steam  tow-boat  Condor,  which  could  tow 
from  four  to  six  loaded  boats  or  barges,  and  will  tow  back  from  8  to  12  empty  boats  at  a 
trip.  It  takes  a  week  to  perform  a  trip  to  Cincinnati  and  back,  and  she  consumes  2000 
bushels  of  coal  each  trip.  The  company  employ  about  25  boats  or  barges,  that  carry  from 
2000  to  11000  bushels  of  coal,  each  averaging,  perhaps,  4000  bushels.  The  number  of 
hands  employed  is  about  200,  and  the  number  of  bushels  dug  yearly  about  two  millions ;  in 
addition  to  this,  several  individuals  are  engaged  in  the  coal  business,  on  a  small  scale.  Five 
steamboats  have  been  built  in  this  place  by  the  Pomeroy  company. 

The  mining  of  coal  is  mostly  done  at  Coalport,  one  mile  below  the  corporation  line.  Here 
the  company  have  laid  out  a  town,  and  been  at  great  expense  to  prepare  every  thing  neces- 
sary for  mining  and  exporting  coal ;  the  railways  are  so  constructed,  that  the  loaded  car 
descending  to  the  river  draws  up  the  empty  one. 

Immediately  below  Coalport  is  the  town  of  Middleport,  lately  laid  out  by  Philip  Jones, 
which  already  contains  several  stores,  and  is  building  up  fast.  Adjoining  Middleport  is 
Sheffield,  a  pleasant  town,  which  bids  fair  to  become  a  place  of  business.  In  all  probability, 
the  time  is  not  distant  when  the  towns  of  Pomeroy,  Coalport,  Middleport  and  Sheffield  will 
be  one  continuous  village. 

About  the  year  1791  or  2,  Capt.  Hamilton  Carr,  a  noted  spy  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  in  his  excursions  through  these  parts,  discovered  an  enormous  sycamore  tree  below 
the  mouth  of  Carr's  run,  near  where  Murdock  &  Nyes's  mill  now  stands,  which  was  sub- 
sequently occupied  as  a  dwelling  house.  Capt.  Whitlock,  of  Coalport,  informs  me,  that  he 
himself  measured  that  tree,  and  found  the  hollow  to  be  18  feet  in  diameter.  Capt.  Whit- 
lock further  states,  that  as  late  as  1821,  he  took  dinner  from  the  top  of  a  sugar-tree  stump, 
in  a  log-house  near  where  the  court-house  now  stands,  the  only  table  the  people  had  in  the 
house. 

The  view  shown  in  the  engraving  was  taken  at  the  mines  at  Coal- 
port, nearly  two  miles  below  the  main  village  of  Pomeroy.  Here 
horizontal  shafts  are  run  into  the  hill,  at  an  elevation  of  more  than 
100  feet  above  the  river  bed.  The  coal  is  carried  out  in  cars  on 
railways,  and  successively  emptied  from  the  cars  on  one  grade  to 
that  below,  and  so  on  until  the  last  cars  in  turn  empty  into  the  boats 
on  the  river,  by  which  it  is  carried  to  market.  The  mining  is  con- 
ducted in  a  systematic  manner,  and  most  of  those  employed  are  na- 
tives of  Wales,  familiar  with  mining  from  youth. 

w  The  coal  strata  dips  to  the  north  two  or  three  feet  in  a  hundred 
yards,  requiring  drains  to  free  them  from  the  water  when  opened  on 
the  south  side  of  the  hill.  Above  the  coal  is  a  deposit  of  shale  and 
ash-colored  marly  clay,  of  eight  or  ten  feet  in  thickness,  which  forms 
the  roof  of  the  mines — superincumbent  on  which  is  a  deposit  of 
stratified  sand  rock,  rather  coarse-grained,  of  nearly  100  feet  in 
thickness.  The  shale  abounds  in  fine  fossil  plants.  In  mining  the 
coal,  gunpowder  is  extensively  used  ;  a  small  charge  throwing  out 
large  masses  of  coal.  This  coal,  being  of  the  black  slaty  structure, 
abounds  in  bituminous  matter  and  burns  very  freely  ;  its  specific 
gravity  is  T27.  Twenty  grains  of  the  coarse  powder  decompose 
100  grains  of  nitrate  of  potash,  which  will  give  to  this  coal  nearly 
60  per  cent,  of  charcoal.  It  must,  therefore,  be  valuable  for  the 
manufacture  of  coke,  an  article  that  must  ultimately  be  brought  into 
use  in  the  numerous  furnaces  along  the  great  iron  deposit,  a  few 
miles  south  and  west  of  this  place.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  that  the  coal 
deposits  are  very  thin  and  rare  near  the  Ohio  river,  from  Pipe's 
creek,  15  miles  below  Wheeling,  to  Carr's  run,  in  this  county.  As 
the  main  coal  dips  under  the  Ohio  at  both  these  places,  the  inference 
is,  that  the  coal  lies  below  the  surface,  and  could  readily  be  reached 


352 


MERCER    COUNTY. 


by  a  shaft,  first  ascertaining  its  distance  from  the  surface  by  the 
operation  of  boring."* 


Pomeroy  Coal  Mines. 

Chester,  8  miles  ne.  of  Pomeroy,  on  Shade  river,  was  formerly 
the  county  seat :  in  1840,  it  had  273  inhabitants.  Rutland,  6  miles 
w.  of  Pomeroy,  on  Leading  creek,  is  also  a  small  village. 


MERCER. 

Mercer,  named  from  Gen.  Hugh  Mercer,  a  Virginia  officer  who 
fell  at  Princeton,  Jan.  3d,  1777,  was  formed  from  old  Indian  terri- 
tory, April  1st,  1820.     The  land  is  flat,  and  much  of  it,  while  in  the 

*  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  the  29th  volume  of  Silliman's  Journal. 


Butter, 

178 

Center, 

1059 

Dublin, 

705 

German, 

1499 

MERCER    COUNTY.  353 

forest  state,  wet,  but  when  cleared,  very  fertile,  and  well  adapted  to 
grass,  small  grain  and  Indian  corn,  which  last  is  the  principal  pro- 
duction. The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 

Black  Creek,  340         Granville,  339  St.  Mary's,  1515 

Jefferson,  368  Union,  566 

Marion,  1141  Washington,  214 

Recovery,  298  Wayne,  377 

Salem,  579 

The  population  of  Mercer,  in  1830,  was  1737,  and  in  1840,  8277; 
or  16  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Celina,  the  county  seat,  is  in  the  heart  of  the  county,  on  Wabash 
river.  It  is  a  new  place,  and  does  not  contain  at  present  over  100 
dwellings.  St.  Mary's,  formerly  the  county  seat,  is  10  miles  e.  and 
105  nw.  of  Columbus.  It  lies  on  St.  Mary's  river  and  on  the  Miami 
extension  canal,  67  miles  n.  of  Dayton,  and  had,  in  1840,570  inhabi- 
tants. Each  of  these,  with  the  improvement  of  the  country,  will 
probably  be  towns  of  importance. 

St.  Clair's  battle  was  fought  on  the  line  of  this  and  Darke  county. 
The  trace  of  Wayne  is  yet  discernable  through  the  county  leading 
from  Fort  Recovery  to  Fort  Adams,  which  last  stood  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  St.  Mary's,  in  the  north  part  of  the  county,  and  about  12 
miles  east  of  the  Indiana  line. 

In  September,  1818,  Hon.  Lewis  Cass  and  Hon.  Duncan  M' Arthur, 
commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  made  a  treaty  at  St. 
Mary's  with  the  Wyandots,  Shawnees  and  Ottawas.  In  the  follow- 
ing month,  Messrs.  Jennings,  Cass  and  Parke,  acting  for  the  United 
States,  made  treaties  at  the  same  place  with  the  Weas,  Potawat- 
omies,  Delawares  and  Miamis. 

The  notorious  Simon  Girty  at  one  time  lived  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  St.  Mary's,  within  the  limits  of  the  town  of  that  name,  between 
the  river  and  canal.  The  spot  on  which  his  cabin  is  said  to  have 
stood,  is  marked  by  a  depression.  The  old  fort,  St.  Mary's,  built  by 
Wayne,  stood  in  the  village  of  St.  Mary's,  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
river,  on  the  lot  now  owned  by  Christian  Benner,  about  80  rods  se. 
of  Rickley's  tavern. 

The  last  commander  of  Fort  St.  Mary's  was  Captain  John  Whistler.  He  was  a  soldier 
from  his  youth,  came  to  America  in  Burgoyne's  army,  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Saratoga. 
He  remained  afterwards  in  the  United  States,  entered  the  western  army  under  St.  Clair, 
and  survived  the  disastrous  defeat  of  Nov.  1791,  at  which  time  he  acted  as  Serjeant.  In 
1793,  an  order  came  from  the  war  office,  purporting  that  any  non-commissioned  officer 
who  should  raise  25  recruits,  would  receive  the  commission  of  an  ensign.  He  succeeded  in 
this  way  in  obtaining  the  office,  from  which  he  rose  to  a  captaincy,  and  commanded  in 
succession  Forts  St.  Mary's,  Wayne  and  Dearborn,  at  Chicago.  He  built  the  latter  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  horse  or  ox:  the  timber  and  materials  were  all  hauled  by  the  labor  of  the 
soldiers,  their  commander  always  at  their  head  assisting.  He  could  recruit  more  men  and 
perform  more  labor  than  any  other  officer  in  the  army.  Age  and  hard  service  at  length 
broke  him  down.  He  retired  from  the  line  of  the  army  and  received  the  appointment  of 
military  storekeeper  at  St.  Louis,  where  he  died  about  20  years  since.* 

*  Col.  John  Johnston. 
45 


351 


MERCER    COUNTY. 


The  largest  artificial  lake,  it  is  said,  on  the  globe,  is  formed  by  the 
reservoir  supplying  the  St.  Mary's  feeder  of  the  Miami  extension 
canal,  from  which  it  is  situated  three  miles  west.  The  reservoir  is 
about  nine  miles  long  and  from  two  to  four  broad.  It  is  on  the  sum- 
mit, between  the  Ohio  and  the  lakes.     About  one  half,  in  its  natural 


Artificial  Lake. 

state,  was  a  prairie,  and  the  remainder  a  forest.  It  was  formed  by 
raising  two  walls  of  earth,  from  ten  to  twenty-five  feet  high,  called 
respectively  the  east  and  west  embankment,  the  first  of  which  is 
about  two  miles,  and  the  last  near  four  in  length.  These  wTalls,  with 
the  elevation  of  the  ground  to  the  north  and  south,  form  a  huge  basin 
to  retain  the  water.  The  reservoir  was  commenced  in  1837,  and 
completed  in  1845,  at  an  expense  of  several  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
The  west  embankment  was  completed  in  1843.  The  water  filled  in 
at  the  upper  end  to  the  depth  of  several  feet,  but  as  the  ground  rose 
gradually  to  the  east,  it  overflowed  for  several  miles  to  the  depth  of 
a  few  inches  only.  This  vast  body  of  water,  thus  exposed  to  the 
powerful  rays  of  the  sun,  would,  if  allowed  to  have  remained,  have 
bred  pestilence  through  the  adjacent  country.  Moreover,  whole 
farms  that  belonged  to  individuals,  yet  unpaid  for  by  the  state,  were 
completely  submerged.  Under  these  circumstances,  about  150  resi- 
dents of  the  county  turned  out  with  spades  and  shovels,  and  by 
two  days  of  industry,  tore  a  passage  for  the  water  through  the  em- 
bankment. It  cost  several  thousand  dollars  to  repair  the  damage. 
Among  those  concerned  in  this  affair  were  persons  high  in  official 
station  and  respectability,  some  of  whom  here,  for  the  first  time, 
blistered  their  hands  at  manual  labor.  They  were  all  liable  to  the 
state  law  making  the  despoiling  of  public  works  a  penitentiary  of- 


MERCER    COUNTY. 


355 


fence ;  but  a  grand  jury  could  not  be  found  in  Mercer  to  find  a  bill 
of  indictment. 

The  legislature,  by  a  joint  resolution,  passed  in  1837,  resolved  that 
no  reservoir  should  be  made  for  the  public  canals  without  the  timber 
being  first  cleared  :  it  was  unheeded  by  officers  in  charge  of  this 
work.  The  trees  were  only  girdled,  and  thus  thousands  of  acres  of 
most  valuable  timber,  that  would  have  been  of  great  value  to  the 
commonwealth  in  building  of  bridges  and  other  constructions  on  the 
public  works,  wantonly  wasted. 

The  view  of  the  reservoir  was  taken  from  the  east  embankment, 
and  presents  a  singular  scene.  In  front  are  dead  trees  and  stumps 
scattered  about,  and  the  roofs  of  deserted  cabins  rising  from  the 


Emlen  Institute. 

water.  Beyond,  a  cluster  of  green  prairie  grass  waves  in  the  rip- 
pling waters,  while  to  the  right  and  left,  thousands  of  acres  of  dead 
forest  trees,  with  no  sign  of  life  but  a  few  scattered  willows  bending 
in  the  water,  combine  to  give  an  air  of  wintry  desolation  to  the  scene. 
The  reservoir  abounds  in  fish  and  wild  fowl,  while  innumerable 
frogs  make  the  air  vocal  with  their  bellowings.  The  water  is  only 
a  few  feet  deep,  and,  in  storms,  the  waves  dash  up  6  or  8  feet,  and 
foam  like  an  ocean  in  miniature.  A  few  years  since,  a  steamer,  25 
feet  in  length,  called  "  the  Seventy-six,"  with  a  boiler  of  seventy  gal- 
lons capacity,  a  pipe  4  feet  in  height,  and  commanded  by  Captain 
Gustavus  Darnold,  plied  on  its  waters. 

In  the  southern  part  of  this  county  is  a  colony  of  colored  people, 
amounting  to  several  hundred  persons.  They  live  principally  by 
agriculture,  and  own  extensive  tracts  of  land  in  the  townships  of 
Granville,  Franklin  and  Mercer.  They  bear  a  good  reputation  for 
morality,  and  manifest  a  laudable  desire  for  mental  improvement. 
This  settlement  was  founded  by  the  exertions  of  Mr.  Augustus 
Wattles,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  who,  instead  of  merely  theorizing 


356  MIAMI    COUNTY. 

upon  the  evils  which  prevent  the  moral  and  mental  advancement  of 
the  colored  race,  has  acted  in  their  behalf  with  a  philanthropic, 
Christian-like  zeal,  that  evinces  he  has  their  real  good  at  heart.  The 
history  of  this  settlement  is  given  in  the  annexed  extract  of  a  letter 
from  him. 

My  early  education,  as  you  well  know,  would  naturally  lead  me  to  look  upon  learning 
and  good  morals  as  of  infinite  importance  in  a  land  of  liberty.  In  the  winter  of  1833—4, 
I  providentially  became  acquainted  with  the  colored  population  of  Cincinnati,  and  found 
about  4,000  totally  ignorant  of  every  thing  calculated  to  make  good  citizens.  Most  of  them 
had  been  slaves,  shut  out  from  every  avenue  of  moral  and  mental  improvement.  I  started 
a  school  for  them,  and  kept  it  up  with  200  pupils  for  two  years.  I  then  proposed  to  the 
colored  people  to  move  into  the  country  and  purchase  land,  and  remove  from  those  con- 
taminating influences  which  had  so  long  crushed  them  in  our  cities  and  villages.  They 
promised  to  do  so,  provided  I  would  accompany  them  and  teach  school.  I  travelled  through 
Canada,  Michigan  and  Indiana,  looking  for  a  suitable  location,  and  finally  settled  here, 
thinking  this  place  contained  more  natural  advantages  than  any  other  unoccupied  country 
within  my  knowledge.  In  1835,  I  made  the  first  purchase  for  colored  people  in  this  county. 
In  about  three  years,  they  owned  not  far  from  30,000  acres.  I  had  travelled  into  almost 
every  neighborhood  of  colored  people  in  the  state,  and  laid  before  them  the  benefits  of  a 
permanent  home  for  themselves  and  of  education  for  their  children.  In  my  first  journey 
through  the  state,  I  established,  by  the  assistance  and  co-operation  of  abolitionists,  25  schools 
for  colored  children.  I  collected  of  the  colored  people  such  money  as  they  had  to  spare, 
and  entered  land  for  them.  Many,  who  had  no  money,  afterwards  succeeded  in  raising 
some,  and  brought  it  to  me.     With  this  I  bought  land  for  them. 

I  purchased  for  myself  190  acres  of  land,  to  establish  a  manual  labor  school  for  colored 
boys.  I  had  sustained  a  school  on  it,  at  my  own  expense,  till  the  11th  of  November,  1842. 
Being  in  Philadelphia  the  winter  before,  I  became  acquainted  with  the  trustees  of  the  late 
Samuel  Emlen,  of  New  Jersey,  a  Friend.  He  left  by  his  will  $20,000,  for  the  "  support 
and  education  in  school  learning  and  the  mechanic  arts  and  agriculture,  such  colored  boys, 
of  African  and  Indian  descent,  whose  parents  would  give  them  up  to  the  institute."  We 
united  our  means  and  they  purchased  my  farm,  and  appointed  me  the  superintendent  of  the 
establishment,  which  they  call  the  Emlen  Institute. 

In  1846,  Judge  Leigh,  of  Virginia,  purchased  3,200  acres  of  land 
in  this  settlement,  for  the  freed  slaves  of  John  Randolph,  of  Roanoke. 
These  arrived  in  the  summer  of  1846,  to  the  number  of  about  400, 
but  were  forcibly  prevented  from  making  a  settlement  by  a  portion 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  county.  Since  then,  acts  of  hostility  have 
been  commenced  against  the  people  of  this  settlement,  and  threats  of 
greater  held  out,  if  they  do  not  abandon  their  lands  and  homes. 


MIAMI. 


Miami  was  formed  from  Montgomery,  January  16th,  1807,  and 
Staunton  made  the  temporary  seat  of  justice.  The  word  Miami, 
in  the  Ottawa  language,  is  said  to  signify  mother.  The  name  Miami, 
was  originally  the  designation  of  the  tribe  who  anciently  bore  the 
.name  of  "  Tewightewee."  This  tribe  were  the  original  inhabitants 
of  the  Miami  valley,  and  affirmed  they  were  created  in  it.  East 
of  the  Miami,  the  surface  is  gently  rolling,  and  a  large  proportion 
of  it  a  rich  alluvial  soil :  west  of  the  Miami,  the  surface  is  generally 
level,  the  soil  a  clay  loam,  and  better  adapted  to  small  grain  and 
grass  than  corn.     The  county  abounds  in  excellent  limestone,  and 


MIAMI    COUNTY.  357 

has  a  large  amount  of  water  power.  In  agricultural  resources,  this 
is  one  of  the  richest  counties  in  the  state.  The  principal  produc- 
tions are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  hay,  pork  and  flax-seed.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Bethel,  1586         Lost  Creek,  1304         Spring  Creek,  1501 

Brown,         1230         Monroe,         1409         Staunton,  1231 

Concord,      2408         Newburg,      1632         Union,  2221 

Elizabeth,     1398         Newton,         1242         Washington,     2642 
The  population  of  Miami,  in   1820,  was  8851  ;  in  1830,  12,807; 
and  in  1840,  19,804,  or  44  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Prior  to  the  settlement  of  Ohio,  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke  led 
an  expedition  from  Kentucky,  against  the  Indians  in  this  region,  an 
account  of  which  follows,  from  the  reminiscences  of  Abraham 
Thomas,  originally  published  in  the  Troy  Times.  This  Mr.  Thomas, 
it  is  said,  cut  the  first  sapling  on  the  site  of  Cincinnati :  he  died  only 
a  few  years  since. 

In  the  year  1782,  after  corn  planting,  I  again  volunteered  in  an  expedition  under  General 
Clarke,  with  the  object  of  destroying  some  Indian  villages  about  Piqua,  on  the  Great  Miami 
river.  On  this  occasion,  nearly  1000  men  marched  out  of  Kentucky,  by  the  route  of  Lick- 
ing river.  We  crossed  the  Ohio  at  the  present  site  of  Cincinnati,  where  our  last  year's 
stockade  had  been  kept  up,  and  a  few  people  then  resided  in  log  cabins.  We  proceeded 
immediately  onward  through  the  woods,  without  regard  to  our  former  trail,  and  crossed 
Mad  river,  not  far  from  the  present  site  of  Dayion  ;  we  kept  up  the  east  side  of  the  Miami, 
and  crossed  it  about  four  miles  below  the  Piqua  towns.  Shortly  after  gaining  the  bottom, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  a  party  of  Indians  on  horseback,  with  their  squaws,  came  out 
of  a  trace  that  led  to  some  Indian  villages  near  the  present  site  of  Granville.  They  were 
going  on  a  frolic,  or  pow-wow,  to  be  held  at  Piqua,  and  had  with  them  a  Mrs.  M'Fall,  who 
was  some  time  before  taken  prisoner  from  Kentucky  ;  the  Indians  escaped  into  the  woods, 
leaving  their  women,  with  Mrs.  M'Fall,  to  the  mercy  of  our  company.  We  took  those 
along  with  us  to  Piqua,  and  Mrs.  M'Fall  returned  to  Kentucky.  On  arriving  at  Piqua,  we 
found  that  the  Indians  had  fled  from  the  villages,  leaving  most  of  their  effects  behind. 
During  the  following  night,  I  joined  a  party  to  break  up  an  encampment  of  Indians,  said  to 
be  lying  about  what  was  called  the  French  store.  We  soon  caught  a  Frenchman,  tied  him 
on  horseback,  for  our  guide,  and  arrived  at  the  place  in  the  night.  The  Indians  had  taken 
alarm  and  cleared  out ;  we,  however,  broke  up  and  burned  the  Frenchman's  store,  [Lo- 
rime's  store,  see  Shelby  county,]  which  had  for  a  long  time  been  a  place  of  outfit  for  In- 
dian marauders,  and  returned  to  the  main  body  early  in  the  morning,  many  of  our  men 
well  stocked  with  plunder.  After  burning  and  otherwise  destroying  every  thing  about  upper 
and  lower  Piqua  towns,  we  commenced  our  return  march. 

In  this  attack,  five  Indians  were  killed  during  the  night  the  expedition  lay  at  Piqua  ;  the 
Indians  lurked  around  the  camp,  firing  random  shots  from  the  hazel  thickets,  without  doing 
us  any  injury ;  but  two  men,  who  were  in  search  of  their  stray  horses,  were  fired  upon  and 
severely  wounded :  one  of  these  died  shortly  after,  and  was  buried  at  what  is  now  called 
"  Coe's  Ford,"  where  we  re-crossed  the  Miami,  on  our  return.  The  other,  Capt.  M'Cracken, 
lived  until  we  reached  the  site  of  Cincinnati,  where  he  was  buried.  On  this  expedition, 
we  had  with  us  Capt.  Barbee,  afterwards  Judge  Barbee,  one  of  my  primitive  neighbors  in 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  a  most  worthy  and  brave  man,  with  whom  I  have  hunted,  marched 
and  watched  through  many  a  long  day,  and  finally  removed  with  him  to  Ohio. 

From  the  "Miami  County  Traditions,"  also  published  in  the  Troy 
Times,  a  few  years  since,  we  annex  some  reminiscences  of  the  set- 
tlement of  the  county  and  its  early  settlers. 

Among  the  first  settlers  who  established  themselves  in  Miami  county,  was  John  Knoop. 
He  removed  from  Cumberland  county,  Penn.,  in  1797.  In  the  spring  of  that  year,  he 
came  down  the  Ohio  to  Cincinnati,  and  cropped  the  first  season  on  Zeigler's  stone  house 
farm,  four  miles  above  Cincinnati,  then  belonging  to  John  Smith.  During  the  summer,  he 
made  two  excursions  into  the  Indian  country,  with  surveying  parties,  and  at  that  time 


358  MIAMI    COUNTY. 

selected  the  land  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  The  forest  was  then  full  of  Indians,  princi- 
pally Shawnees,  but  there  were  small  bands  of  Mingoes,  Delawares,  Miamis  and  Pota- 
watomies,  peacefully  hunting  through  the  country.  Early  the  next  spring,  in  1798,  Mr. 
Knoop  removed  to  near  the  present  site  of  Staunton  village,  and  in  connection  with  Ben- 
jamin Knoop,  Henry  Garard,  Benjamin  Hamlet  and  John  Tildus,  established  there  a  sta- 
tion for  the  security  of  their  families.  Mrs.  Knoop,  now  living,  there  planted  the  first 
apple  tree  introduced  into  Miami  county,  and  one  is  now  standing  in  the  yard  of  their 
house,  raised  from  seed  then  planted,  that  measures  little  short  of  nine  feet  around  it.    *    * 

The  inmates  of  a  station  in  the  county,  called  the  Dutch  station,  remained  within  it  for 
two  years,  during  which  time  they  were  occupied  in  clearing  and  building  on  their  respec- 
tive farms.  Here  was  born,  in  1798,  Jacob  Knoop,  the  son  of  John  Knoop,  the  first  civil- 
ized native  of  Miami  county.  At  this  time,  there  were  three  young  single  men  living  at 
the  mouth  of  Stone y  creek,  and  cropping  on  what  was  afterwards  called  Freeman's  prairie  ; 
one  of  these  was  D.  H.  Morris,  a  present  resident  of  Bethel  township  ;  at  the  same  time 
there  resided  at  Piqua,  Samuel  Hilliard,  Job  Garard,  Shadrac  Hudson,  Jonah  Rollins,  Daniel 

Cox,  Thomas  Rich  and Hunter;  these  last  named  had  removed  to  Piqua  in  1797, 

and  together  with  our  company  at  the  Dutch  station,  comprised  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Miami  county,  from  1797  to  1799.  In  the  latter  year,  John,  afterwards  Judge  Garard, 
Nathaniel  and  Abner  Garard,  and  the  year  following,  Uriah  Blue,  Joseph  Coe  and  Abra- 
ham Hathaway  joined  us  with  their  families.  From  that  time,  all  parts  of  the  county  began 
to  receive  numerous  immigrants.  For  many  years,  the  citizens  lived  together  on  footings 
of  the  most  social  and  harmonious  intercourse — we  were  all  neighbors  to  each  other,  in  the 
Samaritan  sense  of  the  term — there  were  some  speculators  and  property-hunters  among 
us,  to  be  sure,  but  not  enough  to  disturb  our  tranquillity  and  general  confidence.  For  many 
miles  around  we  knew  who  was  sick,  and  what  ailed  them,  for  we  took  a  humane  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  all.  Many  times  were  we  called  from  six  to  eight  miles  to  assist  at  a  roll- 
ing or  raising,  and  cheerfully  lent  our  assistance  to  the  task.  For  our  accommodation, 
we  sought  the  mill  of  Owen  Davis,  afterwards  Smith's  mill,  on  Beaver  creek,  a  tributary 
of  the  Little  Miami,  some  27  miles  distant.  Our  track  lay  through  the  woods,  and  two 
days  were  consumed  in  the  trip,  when  we  usually  took  two  horse-loads.  Owen  was  a 
kind  man,  considerate  of  his  distant  customers,  and  would  set  up  all  night  to  oblige  them, 
and  his  conduct  materially  abridged  our  mill  duties. 

With  the  Indians,  we  lived  on  peaceable  terms ;  sometimes,  however,  panics  would 
spread  among  the  women,  which  disturbed  us  a  little,  and  occasionally  we  would  have  a 
horse  or  so  stolen.  But  one  man  only  was  killed  out  of  the  settlement,  from  1797  to  1811. 
This  person  was  one  Boyier,  who  was  shot  by  a  straggling  party  of  Indians,  supposed 
through  mistake.  No  one,  however,  liked  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  or  have  any  thing  to 
do  with  them,  beyond  the  offices  of  charity. 

The  country  all  around  the  settlement  presented  the  most  lovely  appearance,  the  earth 
was  like  an  ash-heap,  and  nothing  could  exceed  the  luxuriance  of  primitive  vegetation  ; 
indeed,  our  cattle  often  died  from  excess  of  feeding,  and  it  was  somewhat  difficult  to  rear 
them  on  that  account.  The  white-weed  or  bee-harvest,  as  it  is  called,  so  profusely  spread 
over  our  bottom  and  wood  lands,  was  not  then  seen  among  us  ;  the  sweet  annis,  nettles, 
wild  rye  and  pea-vine,  now  so  scarce,  every  where  abounded :  they  were  almost  the  entire 
herbage  of  our  bottoms  ;  the  two  last  gave  subsistence  to  our  cattle,  and  the  first,  with  our 
nutritious  roots,  were  eaten  by  our  swine  with  the  greatest  avidity.  In  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer months,  a  drove  of  hogs  could  be  scented  at  a  considerable  distance,  from  their  flavor 
of  the  annis  root.  Our  winteis  were  as  cold,  but  more  steady  than  at  present.  Snow 
generally  covered  the  ground,  and  drove  our  stock  to  the  barn-yard,  for  three  months,  and 
this  was  all  the  trouble  we  had  with  them.  Buffalo  signs  were  frequently  met  with;  but 
the  animals  had  entirely  disappeared  before  the  first  white  inhabitant  came  into  the  country  ; 
but  other  game  was  abundant.  As  many  as  thirty  deer  have  been  counted  at  one  time, 
around  the  bayous  and  ponds  near  Staunton.  The  hunter  had  his  full  measures  of  sport, 
when  he  chose  to  indulge  in  the  chase  ;  but  ours  was  essentially  an  agricultural  settlement. 
From  the  coon  to  the  buck-skin  embraced  our  circulating  medium.  Our  imported  com- 
modities were  first  purchased  at  Cincinnati,  then  at  Dayton,  and  finally,  Peter  Felix  es- 
tablished an  Indian  merchandizing  store  at  Staunton,  and  this  was  our  first  attempt  in  that 
way  of  traffick.  For  many  years  we  had  no  exports  but  skins  ;  yet  wheat  was  steady  at  50 
cents,  and  corn  at  25  cents  per  bushel  ;  the  latter,  however,  has  since  fallen  as  low  as  12£ 
cents,  and  a  dull  market. 

For  some  time,  the  most  popular  milling  was  at  Patterson's,  below  Dayton,  and  with 
Owen  Davis,  on  Beaver ;  but  the  first  mill  in  Miami  county  is  thought  to  have  been  erected 
by  John  Manning,  on  Piqua  bend.    Nearly  the  same  time,  Henry  Garard  erected  on  Spring 


MIAMI  COUNTY 


359 


creek,  a  corn  and  saw  mill,  on  land  now  included  within  the  farm  of  Col.  Winans.  It  is 
narrated  by  the  Colonel,  and  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  on  the  first  establishment  of 
these  mills,  they  would  run  ten  months  in  a  year,  and  sometimes  longer,  by  heads.  The 
creek  would  not  now  turn  one  pair  of  stones  two  months  in  a  year,  and  then  only  on  the 
recurrence  of  freshets.  It  is  thought  this  remark  is  applicable  to  all  streams  of  the  upper 
Miami  valley,  showing  there  is  less  spring  drainage  from  the  country,  since  it  has  become 
cleared  of  its  timber,  and  consolidated  by  cultivation.  *  *  *  » 


View  in  Troy. 

_  Troy,  the  county  seat,  is  a  beautiful  and  flourishing  village,  in  a 
highly  cultivated  and  fertile  country,  upon  the  west  bank  of  the 
Great  Miami,  70  miles  north  of  Cincinnati  and  68  west  of  Columbus. 
It  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1808,  as  the  county  seat,  which  was 
first  at  Staunton,  a  mile  east,  and  now  containing  but  a  few  houses. 
Troy  is  regularly  laid  off  into  broad  and  straight  streets,  crossing 
each  other  at  right  angles,  and  contains  about  550  dwellings.  The 
view  was  taken  in  the  principal  street  of  the  town,  and  shows,  on  the 
right,  the  court  house  and  town  hall,  between  which,  in  the  distance, 
appear  the  spires  of  the  New  School  Presbyterian  and  Episcopal 
churches.  It  contains  2  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal  Methodist,  1 
Wesleyan  do.,  1  Episcopal  and  1  Baptist  church,  a  market,  a  branch 
of  the  state  bank,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  town  and  1  ma- 
sonic hall,  1  academy,  3  flouring  and  5  saw  mills,  1  foundery,  1  ma- 
chine shop,  1  shingle  and  1  plow  factory,  and  a  large  number  of 
stores  and  mechanic  shops.  Its  population  in  1840,  was  1351  ;  it 
has  since  more  than  doubled,  and  is  constantly  increasing.  It  is  con- 
nected with  Cincinnati,  Urbana  and  Greenville,  by  turnpikes. 

The  line  of  the  Miami  canal,  from  Cincinnati,  passes  through  the 
town  from  south  to  north;  on  it  are  six  large  and  commodious 
warehouses,  for  receiving  and  forwarding  produce  and  merchandize, 
and  three  more,  still  larger,  are  in  progress  of  erection,  and  four 
smaller,  for  supplying  boats  with  provisions  and  other  necessaries. 
The  business  done  during  the  current  year,  ending  June  1st,  1847, 
in  thirty  of  the  principal  business  houses,  in  the  purchase  of  goods, 


360 


MIAMI    COUNTY. 


produce  and  manufactures,  amounts  to  $523,238,  and  the  sales  to 
$674,307.  The  articles  bought  and  sold,  are  as  follows:  174,000 
bushels  of  wheat,  290,000  bushels  of  corn,  100,000  bushels  of  rye, 
barley  and  oats,  17,000  bbls.  whiskey,  17,000  bbls.  flour,  1,300  bbls. 
pork,  5,000  hogs,  31,000  lbs.  butter,  2,000  bushels  clover  seed,  600 
bbls.  fish,  3,000  bbls.  salt,  30,000  bushels  flax  seed,  304,000  lbs.  bulk 
pork,  136,000  lbs.  lard,  1,440  thousand  feet  of  sawed  lumber,  &c. 
The  shipments  to  and  from  the  place,  are  about  20,000  tons. 

There  is  an  extensive  hydraulic  power  here,  not  yet  brought  into 
use,  which  has  recently  been  purchased  by  one  of  the  most  wealthy 
and  enterprising  citizens  of  the  place,  who  is  now  maturing  arrange- 
ments to  bring  it  into  immediate  and  extensive  use,  for  manufacturing 
purposes. 


View  of  Piqua. 

Piqua  is  another  beautiful  and  thriving  town,  8  miles  above  Troy, 
and  also  on  the  river  and  canal.  It  was  laid  out  in  1809,  by  Messrs. 
Brandon  and  Manning,  under  the  name  of  Washington,  which  it  bore 
for  many  years.  The  town  plot  contains  an  area  of  more  than  a  mile 
square,  laid  out  in  uniform  blocks,  with  broad  and  regular  streets. 
On  the  north  and  east,  and  opposite  the  town,  are  the  villages  of  Ross- 
ville  and  Huntersville,  connected  with  it  by  bridges  across  the  Miami. 

It  contains  1  New  and  1  Old  School  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist 
Episcopal,  1  Methodist  Wesleyan,  1  Episcopal,  1  Baptist,  1  Asso- 
ciate Reformed,  1  Lutheran,  1  Catholic  and  1  Disciples  church ;  1 
high  school,  a  town  hall,  and  a  branch  of  the  state  bank.  The  man- 
ufacturing facilities  in  it  and  vicinity  are  extensive.  The  Miami 
furnishes  power  for  1  wool  carding  and  fulling  factory,  3  saw-mills, 
1  grist  mill  adjacent  to  the  town,  and  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  with  an 
oil  mill,  below  the  town.  The  water  of  the  canal  propels  a  saw  mill, 
a  clothing  and  fulling  factory,  with  a  grist  mill.     A  steam  saw  mill, 

steam  grist  mill  and  tannery,  with  2  steam  iron  turning  and  ma- 


MIAMI    COUNTY.  861 

chine  establishments,  constitute,  with  the  rest,  the  amount  of  steam 
and  hydraulic  power  used.  With  these,  are  over  100  mechanical 
and  manufacturing  establishments  in  the  town,  among  which  are  25 
coopers'  shops — that  business  being  very  extensively  carried  on. 
There  are  also  15  grocery  and  variety  stores,  12  dry  goods,  3  leather, 
1  book  and  3  hardware  stores,  a  printing  office,  4  forwarding  and  3 
pork  houses ;  and  the  exports  and  imports,  by  the  canal,  are  very 
heavy.  South  of  the  town  are  seven  valuable  quarries  of  blue  lime- 
stone, at  which  are  employed  a  large  number  of  hands,  and  adjacent 
to  the  town  is  a  large  boat  yard. 

In  the  town  are  600  dwellings,  many  of  which  are  of  brick,  and 
have  fine  gardens  attached.  Along  the  canal,  has  lately  been  erected 
a  number  of  3  story  brick  buildings  for  business  purposes,  and  the 
number  of  business  houses  is  98.  During  the  year  1846,  eighty 
buildings  were  erected,  and  the  value  of  real  estate  at  that  time  was 
$476,000. 

The  population  of  Piqua,  in  1830,  was  less  than  500;  in  1840, 
1480;  and  in  1847,  3100. 

The  Miami  river  curves  beautifully  around  the  town,  leaving  be- 
tween it  and  the  village  a  broad  and  level  plateau,  while  the  oppo- 
site bank  rises  abruptly  into  a  hill,  called  "  Cedar  Bluff,"  affording 
fine  walks,  and  a  commanding  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  In 
its  vicinity  are  some  ancient  works.  From  near  its  base,  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  river,  the  view  was  taken.  The  church  spires  shown, 
commencing  on  the  right,  are  respectively,  the  Episcopal,  Catholic, 
New  School  Presbyterian,  Wesleyan  Methodist,  Old  School  Presby- 
terian and  Baptist ;  the  town  hall  is  seen  on  the  left.  From  the 
Miami  county  traditions,  we  annex  some  facts  respecting  the  history 
of  Piqua. 

Jonathan  Rollins  was  among  the  first  white  inhabitants  of  Miami  county.  In  connec- 
tion with  nine  others,  he  contracted  with  Judge  Symmes,  for  a  certain  compensation  in  lots 
and  land,  to  become  a  pioneer  in  laying  out  a  proposed  town  in  the  Indian  country,  at  the 
lower  Piqua  village,  where  is  situated  the  pleasant  and  flourishing  town  under  that  name. 
The  party  left  Ludlow  station,  on  Mill  Creek,  in  the  spring  of  1797,  and  proceeded  without 
difficulty  to  the  proposed  site.  They  there  erected  cabins,  and  enclosed  grounds  for  fields 
and  gardens.  But  the  judge  failing  in  some  of  his  calculations,  was  unable  to  fulfill  his  part 
of  the  contract ;  and  the  other  parties  to  it  gradually  withdrew  from  the  association,  and 
squatted  around  on  public  land,  as  best  pleased  themselves.  It  was  some  years  after  this, 
when  land  could  be  regularly  entered  in  the  public  offices  ;  surveying  parties  had  been  run- 
ning out  the  county,  but  time  was  required  to  organize  the  newly  introduced  section  system, 
which  has  since  proved  so  highly  beneficial  to  the  western  states,  and  so  fatal  to  professional 
cupidity. 

Some  of  these  hardy  adventurers  settled  in  and  about  Piqua,  where  they  have  left  many 
worthy  descendants.  Mr.  Rollins  finally  took  up  land  on  Spring  Creek,  where  he  laid  out 
the  farm  he  now  occupies.  While  this  party  resided  at  Piqua,  and  for  years  after,  the  In- 
dians were  constant  visitors  and  sojourners  among  them.  This  place  appears  to  have  been, 
to  that  unfortunate  race,  a  most  favorite  residence,  around  which  their  attachments  and  re- 
grets lingered  to  the  last.  They  would  come  here  to  visit  the  graves  of  their  kindred,  and 
weep  over  the  sod  that  entombed  the  bones  of  their  fathers.  They  would  sit  in  melancholy 
groups,  surveying  the  surrounding  objects  of  their  earliest  attachments  and  childhood  sports — 
the  winding  river,  which  witnessed  their  first  feeble  essays  with  the  gig  and  the  paddle — 
the  trees  where  first  they  triumphed  with  their  tiny  bow,  in  their  boastful  craft  of  the  hunter — 
the  coppice  of  their  nut  gatherings — the  lawns  of  their  boyhood  sports,  and  haunts  of  their 

46 


362 


MIAMI    COUNTY. 


early  loves,  would  call  forth  bitter  sighs  and  reproaches  on  that  civilization,  which,  in  its 
rudest  features,  was  uprooting  them  from  their  happy  home. 

The  Indians  at  Piqua  soon  found,  in  the  few  whites  among  them,  stern  and  inflexible 
masters,  rather  than  associates  and  equals.  Upon  the  slightest  provocation,  the  discipline  of 
the  fist  and  club,  so  humbling  to  the  spirits  of  an  Indian,  was  freely  used  upon  them.  One 
day,  an  exceedingly  large  Indian  had  been  made  drunk,  and  for  some  past  offense  took  it 
in  his  head  to  kill  one  of  his  wives.  He  was  following  her  with  a  knife  and  tomahawk, 
around  their  cabin,  with  a  posse  of  clamorous  squaws  and  pappooses  at  his  heels,  who  were 
striving  to  check  his  violence.  They  had  succeeded  in  wresting  from  him  his  arms,  and 
he  was  standing  against  the  cabin,  when  several  of  the  white  men,  attracted  by  the  outcry, 
approached  the  group.  One  of  them,  small  in  stature,  but  big  in  resolution,  made  through 
the  Indian  crowd  to  the  offender,  struck  him  in  the  face,  and  felled  him  to  the  ground,  while 
the  surrounding  Indians  looked  on  in  fixed  amazement. 

"  The  word  Piqua  is  the  name  of  one  of  the  Shawanoese  tribes,  and 
signifies,  "  a  man  formed  out  of  the  ashes."  The  tradition  is,  that  the 
whole  Shawanoese  tribe,  a  long  time  ago,  were  assembled  at  their 
annual  feast  and  thanksgiving.     They  were  all  seated  around  a  larLre 


View  at   Upper  Piqua. 

fire,  which  having  burnt  down,  a  great  puffing  was  observed  in  the 
ashes,  when  behold  !  a  full  formed  man  came  up  out  of  the  coals  and 
ashes ;  and  this  was  the  first  man  of  the  Piqua  tribe.  After  the 
peace  of  1763,  the  Miamis  having  removed  from  the  Big  Miami  river 
a  body  of  Shawanoes  established  themselves  at  lower  and  upper 
Piqua,  which  became  their  great  head  quarters  in  Ohio.  Here  they 
remained,  until  driven  off  by  the  Kentuckians,  when  they  crossed 
over  to  St.  Mary's  and  to  Wapaghkonetta.  The  Upper  Piqua  is  said 
to  have  contained,  at  one  period,  near  4000  Shawanoese.  The  Shaw- 
anoese were  formerly  a  numerous  people,  and  very  warlike.  We 
can  trace  their  history  to  the  time  of  their  residence  on  the  tide  wa- 
ters of  Florida,  and  as  well  as  the  Delawares,  they  aver  that  they 
originally  came  from  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Black  Hoof,  who  died 
at  Wapaghkonetta,  at  the  advanced  age  of  105  years,  told  me  that 
he  remembered,  when  a  boy,  bathing  in  the  salt  waters  of  Florida : 
that  his  people  firmly  believed  white  or  civilized  people  had  been  in 
the  country  before  them — having  found,  in  many  instances,  the  marks 


MIAMI    COUNTY.  363 

of  iron  tools,  axes  upon  trees  and  stumps,  over  which  the  sand  had 
blown.  Shawanoese  means  "  the  south,"  or  "  people  from  the 
south."* 

Upper  Piqua,  three  miles  n.  of  Piqua,  on  the  canal  and  Miami 
river,  is  a  locality  of  much  historic  interest.  It  is,  at  present,  the 
residence  of  Col.  John  Johnston — shown  in  the  view — and  was  once 
a  favorite  dwelling  place  of  the  Piqua  tribe  of  the  Shawanoese.  Col. 
Johnston,  now  at  an  advanced  age,  has  for  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  resided  at  the  west,  as  an  agent  of  the  U.  S.  government  over 
the  Indians.  His  mild  and  parental  care  of  their  interests,  gave  him 
great  influence  over  them,  winning  their  strongest  affections,  and 
causing  them  to  regard  him  in  the  light  of  a  father.  To  him  we  are 
indebted  for  many  valuable  facts,  scattered  through  this  volume,  as 
well  as  those  which  follow  respecting  this  place. 

In  the  French  war,  which  ended  with  the  peace  of  17G3,  a  bloody  battle  was  fought  on 
the  present  farm  of  Col.  Johnston,  at  Upper  Piqua.  At  that  time,  the  Miamia  had  their 
towns  here,  which  are  marked  on  ancient  maps,  "  Tewightewee  towns."  The  Miamis, 
Wyandots,  Ottowas,  and  other  northern  tribes,  adhered  to  the  French,  made  a  stand  here, 
and  fortified — the  Canadian  traders  and  French  assisting.  The  Delawares,  Shawanoes, 
Munseys,  part  of  the  Senecas  residing  in  Pennsylvania,  Cherokees,  Catawbas,  &c,  adher- 
ing to  the  English  interest,  with  the  English  traders,  attacked  the  French  and  Indians.  The 
siege  continued  for  more  than  a  week  ;  the  fort  stood  out,  and  could  not  be  taken.  Many 
were  slain,  the  assailants  suffering  most  severely.  The  besieged  lost  a  number,  and  all  their 
exposed  property  was  burnt  and  destroyed.  The  Shawanoese  chief,  Blackhoof,  one  of  the 
besiegers,  informed  Col.  Johnston  that  the  ground  around  was  strewed  with  bullets,  so  that 
baskets  full  could  have  been  gathered. 

Soon  after  this  contest,  the  Miamis  and  their  allies  left  this  part  of  the  country,  and  re- 
tired to  the  Miami  of  the  Lake,  at  and  near  Fort  Wayne,  and  never  returned.  The  Shaw- 
anoese took  their  place,  and  gave  names  to  towns  in  this  vicinity.  Col.  Johnston's  place, 
"  and  the  now  large  and  flourishing  town  of  Piqua,  was  called  Chillicothe,  after  the  tribe  of 
that  name  ;  the  site  of  his  farm,  after  the  Piqua  tribe." 

Fort  Piqua,  erected  prior  to  the  settlement  of  the  country,  stood  at  Upper  Piqua,  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  river,  near  where  the  figure  is  seen  in  the  distance,  on  the  right  of  the  en- 
graving. It  was  designed  as  a  place  of  deposit  for  stores  for  the  army  of  Wayne.  The 
portage  from  here  to  Fort  Loramie,  14  miles,  thence  to  St.  Mary's,  12  miles,  was  all  the 
land  carriage  from  the  Ohio  to  Lake  Erie.  Loaded  boats  frequently  ascended  to  Fort  Lo- 
ramie, the  loading  taken  out  and  hauled  to  St.  Mary's,  the  boats  also  moved  across  on 
wheels,  again  loaded,  and  launched  for  Fort  Wayne,  Defiance  and  the  lake.  Sometimes, 
in  very  high  water,  loaded  boats  from  the  Ohio  approached  within  six  miles  of  St.  Mary's. 
Before  the  settlement  of  the  country,  a  large  proportion  of  the  army  supplies  were  conveyed 
up  this  river.  When  mill  dams  were  erected,  the  navigation  was  destroyed,  and  boating 
ceased. 

In  1794,  Capt.  J.  N.  Vischer,  the  last  commandant  of  Fort  Piqua,  was  stationed  here. 
During  that  year,  two  freighted  boats,  guarded  by  an  officer  and  23  men,  were  attacked  by 
the  Indians  near  the  fort,  and  the  men  all  massacred.  Capt.  Vischer  heard  the  firing,  but 
from  the  weakness  of  his  command,  could  render  no  assistance.  The  plan  of  the  Indians 
doubtless  was,  to  make  the  attack  in  hearing  of  the  fort,  and  thereby  induce  them  to  sally 
out  in  aid  of  their  countrymen,  defeat  all,  and  take  the  fort.  The  commander  was  a  dis- 
creet officer,  and  aware  of  the  subtleness  of  the  enemy,  had  the  firmness  to  save  the  fort. 

The  family  of  Col.  Johnston  settled  at  Upper  Piqua  in  1811,  the  previous  11  years  having 
been  spent  at  Fort  Wayne.  Years  after  the  destruction  of  the  boats  and  party  on  the  river, 
fragments  of  muskets,  bayonets,  and  other  remains  of  that  disaster,  were  found  at  low  wa- 
ter, imbedded  in  the  sand.  The  track  of  the  pickets,  the  form  of  the  river  bastion,  the  foun- 
dation of  chimneys  in  the  block-houses,  still  mark  the  site  of  Fort  Piqua.  The  plow  has 
levelled  the  graves  of  the  brave  men — for  many  sleep  here — who  fell  in  the  service.  At 
this  place,  Fort  Loramie,  St.  Mary's,  and  Fort  Wayne,  large  numbers  of  the  regulars  and 
militia  volunteers  were  buried,  in  the  wars  of  Wayne,  as  well  as  in  the  last  war. 

*  Col.  John  Johnston. 


364  MIAMI    COUNTY. 

In  the  late  war,  the  far  greater  number  of  Indians  who  remained  friendly,  and  claimed 
and  received  protection  from  the  United  States,  were  placed  under  the  care  of  Col. 
Johnston,  at  Piqua.  These  were  the  Shavvanoes,  Delawares,  Wyandots  in  part,  Ottowas 
in  part,  pan  of  the  Senecas,  all  the  Munseys,  and  Mohicans ;  a  small  number  remained  at 
Zanesfield,  and  some  at  Upper  Sandusky,  under  Maj.  B.  F.  Stickney,  now  of  Toledo.  The 
number  here  amounted,  at  one  period,  to  six  thousand,  and  were  doubtless  the  best  pro- 
tection to  the  frontier.  With  a  view  of  detaching  the  Indians  here  from  the  American  inte- 
rest, and  taking  them  off  to  the  enemy,  and  knowing  that  so  long  as  Col.  Johnston  lived  thia 
could  not  be  accomplished,  several  plots  were  contrived  to  assassinate  him.  His  life  was  in 
the  utmost  danger.  He  arose  many  mornings,  with  but  little  hope  of  living  until  night,  and 
the  friendly  chiefs  often  warned  him  of  his  danger  ;  but  he  was  planted  at  the  post ;  duty, 
honor,  and  the  safety  of  the  frontier,  forbade  his  abandoning  it.  His  faithful  wife  staid  by 
him  ;  the  rest  of  his  family,  papers  and  valuable  effects,  were  removed  to  a  place  of  greater 
security.     On  one  occasion,  his  escape  seemed  miraculous. 

Near  the  house,  at  the  road  side,  by  which  he  daily  several  times  passed  in  visiting  the 
Indian  camp,  was  a  cluster  of  wild  plum  bushes.  No  one  would  have  suspected  hostile  In- 
dians to  secrete  themselves  there  ;  yet  there  the  intended  assassins  waited  to  murder  him, 
which  they  must  have  soon  accomplished,  had  they  not  been  discovered  by  some  Delaware 
women,  who  gave  the  alarm.  The  Indians — three  in  number — fled  ;  a  party  pursued,  but 
lost  the  trail.  It  afterwards  appeared  that  they  went  up  the  river  some  distance,  crossed  to 
the  east  side,  and  passing  down  nearly  opposite  his  residence,  determined,  in  being  foiled  of 
their  chief  prize,  not  to  return  empty  handed.  They  killed  Mr.  Dilbone  and  his  wife,  who 
were  in  a  held,  pulling  flax  :  their  children,  who  were  with  them,  escaped  by  secreting  them- 
selves in  the  weeds.  From  thence,  the  Indians  went  lower  down,  three  miles,  to  Loss 
Creek,  where  they  killed  David  Garrard,  who  was  at  work  a  short  distance  from  his  house. 
The  leader  of  the  party,  Pash-e-towa,  was  noted  for  his  cold-blooded  cruelty,  and  a  short 
time  previous,  was  the  chief  actor  in  destroying  upwards  of  20  persons — mostly  women  and 
children — at  a  place  called  Pigeon  Roost,  Indiana.  He  was  killed,  after  the  war,  by  one  of 
his  own  people,  in  satisfaction  for  the  numerous  cruelties  he  had  committed  on  unoffending 
persons.* 

In  the  war  of  1812,  nothing  was  more  embarrassing  to  the  public  agents,  than  the  man- 
agement of  the  Indians  on  the  frontier.  President  Madison,  from  a  noble  principle,  which 
does  his  memory  high  honor,  positively  refused  to  employ  them  in  the  war,  and  this  was  a 
cause  of  all  the  losses  in  the  country  adjacent  to  the  upper  lakes.  Having  their  families  in  pos- 
session, the  agents  could  have  placed  implicit  confidence  in  the  fidelity  of  the  warriors.  As  if 
was,  they  had  to  manage  them  as  they  best  could.  Col.  Johnston  frequently  furnished  them 
with  white  flags,  with  suitable  mottoes,  to  enable  them  to  pass  out-posts  and  scouts  in  safety. 
On  one  occasion,  the  militia  basely  fired  on  one  of  .these  parties,  bearing  a  flag  hoisted  in 
full  view.  They  killed  two  Indians,  wounded  a  third,  took  the  survivors  prisoners,  and 
after  robbing  them  of  all  they  possessed,  conveyed  them  to  the  garrison  at  Greenville,  to 
which  post  the  party  belonged.  On  reflection,  they  were  convinced  they  had  committed  an 
unjustifiable  act,  and  became  alarmed  for  the  consequences.  They  brought  the  prisoners  to 
Upper  Piqua,  and  delivered  them  to  Col.  Johnston.  He  took  them,  wishing  to  do  the  best 
in  his  power  for  the  Indians,  and  on  deliberation,  decided  to  conduct  them  back  to  Green- 
ville, and  restore  them,  with  their  property,  to  their  people.  Application  was  made  by  Col. 
Johnston,  to  the  officer  commanding  at  Piqua,  for  a  guard  on  the  journey.  These  were 
Ohio  militia,  of  whom  not  a  man  or  officer  dared  to  go.  He  then  told  the  commander,  if 
he  would  accompany  him,  he  would  go  at  all  hazards,  the  distance  being  25  miles,  the  road 
entirely  uninhabited,  and  known  to  be  infested  with  Indians,  who  had  recently  killed  two 
girls  near  Greenville.  But  he  alike  refused.  All  his  appeals  to  the  pride  and  patriotism  of 
officers  and  men  proving  unavailing,  he  decided  to  go  alone,  it  being  a  case  that  required 
the  promptest  action,  to  prevent  evil  impressions  spreading  among  the  Indians.     He  got  hia 

*  Although  Col.  Johnston  escaped  death  by  the  calamities  of  war,  his  immediate  relations 
have  been  sufferers.  His  brother  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  and  his  scalp  sold  to  M'Kee, 
Girty,  or  some  other  of  the  American  renegadoes,  who  allied  with  the  British  and  Indiana 
against  their  own  country.  By  a  newspaper  received  this  day,  we  also  learn  that  his  son, 
Capt.  Abm.  R.  Johnston,  of  the  1st  regiment  U.  S.  dragoons,  and  aid  to  Gen.  Kearney,  was 
killed  at  the  recent  battle  of  San  Pasqual,  in  California,  while  gallantly  leading  a  furious 
charge  against  the  enemy.  This  gentleman  was  born  at  Piqua,  May  23d,  1815,  graduated 
first  at  Miami  University,  and  afterwards  at  West  Point ;  entered  the  army,  and  was  pro- 
moted to  a  captaincy,  June  30,  1846,  and  was  killed  on  the  6th  of  December  following. 
He  was  a  ripe  scholar,  and  possessed  noble  qualities  of  character. 


MONROE    COUNTY.  365 

horse  ready,  bade  farewell  to  his  wife,  scarcely  ever  expecting  to  see  her  again,  and  reached 
Greenville  in  safety  ;  procured  nearly  all  the  articles  taken  from  the  Indians,  and  delivered 
them  back,  made  them  a  speech,  dismissed  them,  and  then  springing  on  his  horse,  started 
back  alone,  and  reached  his  home  in  safety,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  particularly  the  militia, 
who,  dastardly  fellows,  scarce  expected  to  see  him  alive,  and  made  many  apologies  for  their 
cowardice. 

During  the  war,  Col.  Johnston  had  many  proofs  of  the  fidelity  of  some  of  the  friendly  Indians. 
After  the  surrender  of  Detroit,  the  frontier  of  Ohio  was  thrown  into  the  greatest  terror  and 
confusion.  A  large  body  of  Indians  still  resided  within  its  limits,  accessible  to  the  British. 
In  the  garrison  of  Fort  Wayne,  which  was  threatened,  were  many  women  and  children, 
who,  in  case  of  attack,  would  have  been  detrimental  to  its  defence,  and  it  therefore  became 
necessary  to  have  them  speedily  removed.  Col.  Johnston  assembled  the  Shawanee  chie  s, 
and  stating  the  case,  requested  volunteers  to  bring  the  women  and  children  at  Fort  Wayne 
to  Piqua.  Logan  (see  p.  303)  immediately  arose  and  offered  his  services,  and  soon  started 
with  a  party  of  mounted  Indians,  all  volunteers.  They  reached  the  post,  received  their  in- 
teresting and  helpless  charge,  and  safely  brought  them  to  the  settlements,  through  a  country 
infested  with  marauding  bands  of  hostile  savages.  The  women  spoke  in  the  highest  terms 
of  the  vigilance,  care  and  delicacy  of  their  faithful  conductors. 

Covington,  6  miles  westerly  from  Piqua,  is  a  flourishing  town,  on 
Stillwater  creek,  which  winds  through  a  beautiful  and  fertile  coun- 
try. It  contains  2  churches,  6  stores,  and  had,  in  1840,  331  inhab- 
itants. Milton,  a  flourishing  village,  10  miles  sw.  of  Troy,  on  Still- 
water creek,  at  which  point  there  is  much  hydraulic  power,  contains 
1  or  2  churches,  4  stores,  several  mills  and  factories,  and  had,  in 
1840,  232  inhabitants.  Fletcher,  West  Charleston,  Cass,  Hyatts- 
ville,  and  Tippecanoe,  are  small  villages. 


MONROE. 

Monroe  was  named  from  James  Monroe,  president  of  the  United 
States  from  1817  to  1825;  was  formed,  January  29th,  1813,  from 
Belmont,  Washington  and  Gurnsey.  The  south  and  east  part  is 
very  hilly  and  rough  ;  the  north  and  west  moderately  hilly.  Some 
of  the  western  portion  and  the  valleys  are  fertile.  Coal  of  an  ex- 
cellent quality  abounds  in  the  western  part,  and  iron  ore  is  found. 
The  staples  are  wheat,  corn,  pork  and  tobacco ;  of  which  last  there 
is,  with  two  exceptions,  more  raised  than  in  any  other  county  in 
Ohio.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships,  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 


Adams, 

897 

Jackson, 

800 

Sunbury, 

1358 

Bethel, 

545 

Malaga, 

1443 

Switzerland, 

983 

Elk, 

535 

Ohio, 

907 

Union, 

1351 

Enoch, 

1135 

Perry, 

980 

Washington, 

533 

Franklin, 

1144 

Salem, 

910 

Wayne, 

684 

Green, 

938 

Seneca, 

1349 

The  population  of  Monroe  in  1820,  was  4645 ;  in  1830,  8770,  and 
in  1840,  18,544,  or  33  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  principal  portion  of  the  population  originated  from  western 
Pennsylvania,  with  some  western  Virginians  and  a  few  New  Eng- 
enders ;  one  township  is  settled  by  Swiss,  among  whom  are  some, 
highly  educated  men.     The  inhabitants  are  moral  and  industrioust 


366  MONROE    COUNTY. 

and,  to  the  honor  of  the  county,  a  capital  crime  has  never  been  com- 
mitted within  it. 

The  valleys  of  the  streams  are  narrow  and  are  bounded  by  lofty 
and  rough  hills.  In  many  of  the  little  ravines  putting  into  the  val- 
leys, the  scenery  is  in  all  the  wildness  of  untamed  nature.  In  places, 
they  are  precipitous  and  scarcely  accessible  to  the  footsteps  of  man, 
and  often  for  many  hundred  yards  the  rocks  bounding  these  gorges 
hang  over  some  30  or  40  feet,  forming  natural  grottoes,  of  sufficient 
capacity  to  shelter  many  hundreds  of  persons,  and  enhancing  the 
gloomy,  forbidding  character  of  the  scenery. 

The  annexed  historical  sketch  of  the  county,  is  from  Daniel  H. 
Wire,  Esq.,  of  Woodsfield. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  county  was  near  the  mouth  of  Sunfish,  about  the  year  1799. 
This  settlement  consisted  of  a  few  families  whose  chief  aim  was  to  locate  on  the  best  hunt- 
ing ground.  A  few  years  after,  three  other  small  settlements  were  made.  The  first  was 
near  where  the  town  of  Beallsville  now  stands;  the  second  on  the  Clear  fork  of  Little 
Muskingum,  consisting  of  Martin  Crow,  Fred.  Crow,  and  two  or  three  other  families;  and 
the  third  was  on  the  east  fork  of  Duck  creek,  where  some  three  or  four  families  of  the 
name  of  Archer  settled.  Not  long  after  this,  the  settlements  began  to  spread,  and  the  pio- 
neers were  forced  to  see  the  bear  and  the  wolf  leave,  and  make  way  for  at  least  more 
friendly  neighbors,  though  perhaps  less  welcome.  The  approach  of  new  comers  was  al- 
ways looked  upon  with  suspicion,  as  this  was  the  signal  for  the  game  to  leave.  A  neighbor 
at  the  distance  of  ten  miles  was  considered  near  enough  for  all  social  purposes.  The 
first  object  of  a  new  comer  after  selecting  a  location,  and  putting  the  "hoppers"  on  the 
horse, — if  he  had  any, — was  to  cut  some  poles  or  logs,  and  build  a  cabin  of  suitable  di- 
mensions for  the  size  of  his  family  ;  for  as  yet,  rank  and  condition  had  not  disturbed  the 
simple  order  of  society. 

The  windows  of  the  cabin  were  made,  by  sawing  out  about  three  feet  of  one  of  the  logs, 
and  putting  in  a  few  upright  pieces ;  and  in  the  place  of  glass,  they  took  paper  and  oiled 
it  with  bear's  oil,  or  hog's  fat,  and  pasted  it  on  the  upright  pieces.  This  would  give  con- 
siderable light  and  resist  the  rain  tolerably  well.  After  the  cabin  was  completed,  the  next 
thing  in  order  was  to  clear  out  a  piece  of  ground  for  a  corn  patch.  They  plowed  their 
ground  generally  with  a  shovel  plow,  as  this  was  most  convenient  among  the  roots.  Their 
harness  consisted  mostly  of  leather-wood  bark,  except  the  collar,  which  was  made  of  husks 
of  corn  platted  and  sewed  together.  They  ground  their  corn  in  a  hand-mill  or  pounded 
it  in  a  mortar,  or  hommony  block,  as  it  was  called,  which  was  made  by  burning  a  hole  into 
the  end  of  a  block  of  wood.  They  pounded  the  corn  in  these  mortars  with  a  pestle,  which 
they  made  by  driving  an  iron  wedge  into  a  stick  of  suitable  size.  After  the  corn  was  suffi- 
ciently pounded,  they  sieved  it,  and  took  the  finer  portion  for  meal  to  make  bread  and 
mush  of,  and  the  coarser  they  boiled  for  hommony.  Their  meat  was  bear,  venison  and 
wild-turkey,  as  it  was  very  difficult  to  raise  hogs  or  sheep  on  account  of  the  wolves  and 
bear  ;  and  hence  pork  and  woollen  clothes  were  very  scarce. 

The  mischievous  depredations  of  the  wolves,  rendered  their  scalps  a  matter  of  some  im- 
portance. They  were  worth  from  four  to  six  dollars  a  piece.  This  made  wolf-hunting 
rather  of  a  lucrative  business,  and  of  course  called  into  action  the  best  inventive  talent  in 
the  country  ;  consequently  many  expedients  and  inventions  were  adopted,  one  of  which 
I  will  give.  The  hunter  took  the  ovary  of  a  slut — at  a  particular  time — and  rubbed  it  on 
the  soles  of  his  shoes,  then  circling  through  the  forest  where  the  wolves  were  most  plenty, 
the  male  wolves  would  follow  his  track ;  as  they  approached  he  would  secrete  himself  in  a 
suitable  place,  and  as  soon  as  the  wolf  came  in  reach  of  the  rifle,  he  received  its  contents. 
This  plan  was  positively  practiced,  and  was  one  of  the  most  effectual  modes  of  hunting 
the  wolf.  A  Mr.  Terrel,  formerly  of  this  place,  was  hunting  wolves  in  this  way,  not  far 
from  where  Woodsfield  stands.  He  found  himself  closely  pursued  by  a  number  of  wolves, 
and  soon  discovered  from  their  angry  manner,  that  they  intended  to  attack  him.  He  got 
up  into  the  top  of  a  leaning  tree,  and  shot  four  of  them  before  they  would  leave  him.  This 
is  the  only  instance  of  the  wolves  attacking  any  person  in  this  section  of  country.  Hunt- 
ers, the  better  to  elude,  especially  the  ever-watchful  eye  of  the  deer  and  turkey,  had  their 
hunting  shirts  colored  to  suit  the  season.  In  the  fall  of  the  year,  they  wore  the  color  most 
resembling  the  fallen  leaves  ;  in  the  winter  they  used  a  brown,  as  near  as  possible  the  color 


MONROE    COUNTY.  3G7 

of  the  bark  of  trees.  If  there  was  snow  on  the  ground,  they  frequently  drew  a  white  shirt 
over  their  other  clothes.     In  the  summer  they  colored  their  clothes  green. 

In  addition  to  what  has  already  been  said,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  give  a  few  things 
in  relation  to  the  social  intercourse  of  the  early  settlers.  And  first,  I  would  remark  on 
good  authority,  that  a  more  generous,  warm-hearted  anil  benevolent  people,  seldom  have 
existed  in  any  country.  Although  they  were  unwilling  to  see  the  game  driven  off  by  the 
rapid  influx  of  emigrants  ;  still  the  stranger,  when  he  arrived  among  the  hardy  pioneers, 
found  among  them  a  cordiality,  and  a  generous  friendship,  that  is  not  found  among  those 
who  compose,  what  is  erroneously  called,  the  better  class  of  society,  or  the  higher  circle. 
There  was  no  distinction  in  society,  no  aristocratic  lines  drawn  between  the  upper  and 
lower  clashes.  Their  social  amusements  proceeded  from  matters  of  necessity.  A  log 
rolling,  or  the  raising  of  a  log  cabin,  was  generally  accompanied  with  a  quilting,  or  some- 
thing of  the  sort,  and  this  brought  together  a  whole  neighborhood  of  both  sexes,  and  after 
the  labors  of  the  day  were  ended,  they  spent  the  larger  portion  of  the  night  in  dancing 
and  other  innocent  amusements.  If  they  had  no  fiddler,  (which  was  not  very  uncommon,) 
some  one  of  the  company  would  supply  the  deficiency  by  singing.  A  wedding  frequently 
called  together  all  the  young  folks  for  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  around.  These  occasions  were 
truly  convivial ;  the  parties  assembled  on  the  wedding  day  at  the  house  of  the  bride,  and 
after  the  nuptials  were  celebrated,  they  enjoyed  all  manner  of  rural  hilarity,  and  most  gen- 
erally dancing  formed  a  part,  unless  the  old  folks  had  religious  scruples  as  to  its  propriety. 
About  10  o*clock  the  bride  was  allowed  to  retire  by  her  attendants  ;  and  if  the  groom  could 
steal  off  from  his  attendants  and  retire  also,  without  their  knowledge,  they  became  the 
objects  of  sport  for  all  the  company,  and  were  not  a  little  quizzed.  The  next  day  the  party 
repaired  to  the  house  of  the  groom  to  enjoy  the  infair.  When  arrived  within  a  mile  or 
two  of  the  house,  a  part  of  the  company  would  run  for  the  bottle,  and  whoever  had  the 
fleetest  horse,  succeeded  in  getting  the  bottle,  which  was  alway  ready  at  the  house  of  the 
groom.  The  successful  racer  carried  back  the  liquor,  and  met  the  rest  of  the  company 
and  treated  them,  always  taking  good  care  to  treat  the  bride  and  groom  first  ;  he  then  be- 
came the  hero  of  that  occasion,  at  least. 

There  are  but  few  incidents  relative  to  the  Indian  war  which  took  place  in  this  county, 
worthy  of  notice.  When  Martin  Whetzel  was  a  prisoner  among  the  Indians,  they  brought 
him  about  twenty  miles  (as  he  supposed)  up  Sunfish  creek.  This  would  be  some  place 
near  Wcodsfield.  Whetzel  says  they  stopped  under  a  large  ledge  of  rocks,  and  left  a  guard 
with  him,  and  went  off;  and  after  having  been  gone  about  an  hour,  they  returned  with 
a  large  quantity  of  lead,  and  moulded  a  great  number  of  bullets.  They  fused  the  lead  in 
a  large  wooden  ladle,  which  they  had  hid  in  the  rocks.  They  put  the  metal  in  the  ladle, 
and  by  burning  live  coals  on  it,  succeeded  in  fusing  it.  After  Whetzel  escaped  from  the 
Indians  and  returned  home,  he  visited  the  place  in  search  of  the  lead,  but  could  never  find 
it.     In  fact,  he  was  not  certain  that  he  had  found  the  right  rock. 

At  the  battle  of  Captina,  (see  page  55,)  John  Baker  was  killed.  He  had  borrowed 
Jack  Bean's  gun,  which  the  Indians  had  taken.  This  gun  was  recaptured  on  the  waters  of 
Wills  creek,  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles  west  of  Woodsfield,  and  still  remains  in  the 
possession  of  some  of  the  friends  of  the  notorious  Bean  and  the  lamented  Baker,  in  this 
county,  as  a  memorial  of  those  brave  Indian  fighters.  Henry  Johnson,  (see  page  269,) 
who  had  the  fight  with  the  Indians,  when  a  boy,  is  now  living  in  the  county. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century,  the  celebrated  French  trav- 
eller, Volney,  travelled  through  Virginia,  and  crossed  the  Ohio  into 
this  county  from  Sistersville.  He  was  under  the  guidance  of  two  Vir- 
ginia bear  hunters  through  the  wilderness.  The  weather  was  very 
cold  and  severe.  In  crossing  the  dry  ridge,  on  the  Virginia  side, 
the  learned  infidel  became  weak  with  cold  and  fatigue.  He  was  in 
the  midst  of  an  almost  boundless  wilderness,  deep  snows  were  under 
his  feet,  and  both  rain  and  snow  falling  upon  his  head  ;  he  frequently 
insisted  on  giving  over  the  enterprize  and  dying  where  he  was,  but 
his  comrades,  more  accustomed  to  backwoods  fare,  urged  him  on, 
until  he  at  length  gave  out,  exclaiming,  "Oh,  wretched  and  foolish 
man  that  I  am,  to  leave  my  comfortable  home  and  fireside,  and  come 
to  this  unfrequented  place,  where  the  lion  and  tiger  refuse  to  dwell, 
and  the  rain  hurries  off!     Go  on  mv  friends  !  better  that  one  man 


368 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 


should  perish  than  three."  They  then  stopped,  struck  a  fire,  built  a 
camp  of  bark  and  limbs,  shot  a  buck,  broiled  the  ham,  which,  with 
the  salt,  bread  and  other  necessaries  they  had,  made  a  very  good 
supper,  and  every  thing  being  soon  comfortable  and  cheery,  the 
learned  Frenchman  was  dilating  largely  and  eloquently  upon  the 
ingenuity  of  man. 


View  in  Woodsfield. 

Woodsfield,  the  county  seat,  118  miles  easterly  from  Columbus, 
and  18  from  the  Ohio  river,  was  founded  in  1815,  by  Archibald 
Woods,  of  Wheeling,  George  Paul,  Benj.  Ruggles  and  Levi  Barber. 
It  contains  1  Episcopal  Methodist  and  1  Protestant  Methodist  church, 
a  classical  academy,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  6  stoz*es,  and  had 
in  1830,  157  inhabitants,  and  in  1840,  2G2 ;  estimated  population  in 
1847,  450.  The  view  was  taken  in  the  principal  street  of  the  vil- 
lage, on  the  left  of  which  is  seen  the  court  house.  At  the  foot  of  the 
street,  on  the  left,  but  not  shown  in  the  view,  is  a  natural  mound, 
circular  at  the  base  and  rising  to  the  height  of  60  feet. 

Beallsville,  9  miles  ne.  of  Woodsfield,  contains  1  Methodist,  1 
Presbyterian  and  1  Disciples  church.  It  had  in  1840,  194  inhabi- 
tants;  estimated  population  in  1847,  350.  Mr.  Beall  and  John 
Lynn,  were  the  original  proprietors.  Clarington,  at  the  mouth  of 
Sunfish,  was  laid  out  by  Daniel  Person,  and  contains  1  Disciples 
church,  and  about  300  inhabitants.  Malaga,  Milton,  Calais,  Sum- 
merfield,  Carlisle,  Graysville  and  Antioch,  are  smaller  places. 


MONTGOMERY. 

Montgomery  was  named  from  Gen.  Richard  Montgomery,  of  the 
American  revolutionary  army  ;  he  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1737,  and 
was  killed  in  the  assault  upon  Quebec,  Dec.  31st,  1775.  This  county 
was  created,  May  1st,  1803,  from  Hamilton  and  Ross,  and  the  tem- 
porary seat  of  justice  appointed  at  the  house  of  George  Newcom,  in 
Dayton.     About  one-half  of  the  county  is  rolling  and  the  rest  level  : 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY.  369 

the  soil  of  an  excellent  quality,  clay  predominating.  East  of  the 
Miami,  are  many  excellent  limestone  quarries,  of  a  greyish  white 
hue.  Large  quantities  are  exported  to  Cincinnati,  where  it  is  used 
in  constructing  the  most  elegant  edifices ;  nearly  all  the  canal  locks 
from  Cincinnati  to  Toledo  are  built  with  it.  This,  excepting  Ham- 
ilton, is  the  greatest  manufacturing  county  in  Ohio,  and  abundance 
of  water  power  is  furnished  by  its  various  streams.  Montgomery 
has  more  turnpike  macadamized  roads,  than  any  other  county  in  the 
state,  and  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  densely  populated.  The 
principal  products  are  corn,  wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley,  flaxseed,  pota- 
toes, pork,  wool  and  tobacco.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  town- 
ships in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Butler,         1897         Jackson,         1688         Perry,  1883 

Clay,  1633         Jefferson,       1895         Randolph,         1774 

Dayton,     10334         Madison,        1594         Washington,     2259 
German,     2629         Miami,  3249         Wayne,  1045 

The  population  of  Montgomery  in  1820,  was  16,061 ;  in  1830, 
24,374,  and  in  1840,  31,879,  or  79  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  thriving  city  of  Dayton  is  in  this  county.  This  is  a  beautiful 
town.  It  is  regularly  laid  out,  the  streets  are  of  an  unusual  width, 
and  much  taste  is  displayed  in  the  private  residences  :  many  of  them 
are  large  and  are  ornamented  by  fine  gardens  and  shrubbery.  The 
following  sketch  is  from  a  resident.* 

Dayton,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Great 
Miami,  at  the  mouth  of  Mad  river,  and  1  mile  below  the  southwest 
branch.  It  is  67  miles  westerly  from  Columbus,  52  from  Cincinnati 
and  110  from  Indianapolis.  The  point  at  which  Dayton  stands  was 
selected,  in  1788,  by  some  gentlemen,  who  designed  laying  out  a 
town  by  the  name  of  Venice.  They  agreed  with  John  Cleves 
Symmes,  whose  contract  with  congress  then  covered  the  site  of  the 
place,  for  the  purchase  of  the  lands.  But  the  Indian  wars  which  en- 
sued, prevented  the  extension  of  settlements  from  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  Cincinnati,  for  some  years :  and  the  project  was 
abandoned  by  the  purchasers.  Soon  after  Wayne's  treaty,  in  1795, 
a  new  company,  composed  of  Generals  Jonathan  Dayton,  Arthur 
St.  Clair,  James  Wilkinson  and  Col.  Israel  Ludlow,  purchased  the 
lands  between  the  Miamis,  around  the  mouth  of  Mad  river,  of  Judge 
Symmes,  and  on  the  4th  of  November,  laid  out  the  town.  Ar- 
rangements were  made  for  its  settlement  in  the  ensuing  spring,  and 
donations  of  lots  were  offered,  with  other  privileges,  to  actual  set- 
tlers. Forty-six  persons  entered  into  engagements  to  remove  from 
Cincinnati  to  Dayton,  but  during  the  winter  most  of  them  scattered 
in  different  directions,  and  only  19  fulfilled  their  engagements 
The  first  families  who  made  a  permanent  residence  in  the  place,  ar- 
rived on  the  1st  day  of  April,  1796.  The  first  19  settlers  of  Dayton, 
were  Wm.  Gahagan,  Samuel  Thomson,  Benj.  Van  Cleve,  Wm.  Van 
Cleve,  Solomon  Goss,  Thomas  Davis,  John  Davis,  James  M'Clure, 

*  J.  W.  Van  Cleve,  Esq. 
47 


370 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 


John  M'Clure,  Daniel  Ferrell,  William  Hamer,  Solomon  Hamer, 
Thomas  Hamer,  Abraham  Glassmire,  John  Dorough,  William 
Chenoweth,  James  Morris,  William  Newcom  and  George  Newcom, 
the  last  of  whom  is  still  a  resident  of  the  place,  and  the  only  survivor 
of  the  whole  number. 


View  in  Dayton. 
[The  above  view  was  taken  near  the  corner  of  First  and  Ludlow  streets.     In  front  is 
shown  the  elegant  residence  of  J.  D.  Phillips,  Esq.,  and  the  First  Presbyterian  church ;  on 
the  left,  the  cupola  of  the  new  court  house  and  the  spires  of  the  German  Reformed  and 
Second  Presbyterian  churches  appear.] 

Judge  Symmes  was  unable  to  complete  his  payments  for  all  the 
lands  he  had  agreed  to  purchase  of  the  government,  and  those  lying 
about  Dayton  reverted  to  the  United  States,  by  which  the  settlers 
were  left  "without  titles  to  their  lots.  Congress,  however,  passed  a 
pre-emption  law,  under  which  those  who  had  contracted  for  lands 
with  Symmes  and  his  associates,  had  a  right  to  enter  the  same  lots 
or  lands  at  government  price.  Some  of  the  settlers  entered  theii 
lots,  and  obtained  titles  directly  from  the  United  States ;  and  others 
made  an  arrangement  with  Daniel  C.  Cooper,  to  receive  their  deeds 
from  him,  and  he  entered  the  residue  of  the  town  lands.  He  had  been 
a  surveyor  and  agent  for  the  first  company  of  proprietors,  and  they 
assigned  him  certain  of  their  rights  of  pre-emption,  by  which  he  be- 
came the  titular  proprietor  of  the  town.  He  died  in  1818,  leaving 
two  sons,  who  have  both  since  died  without  children. 

In  1803,  on  the  organization  of  the  state  government,  Montgom- 
ery county  was  established.  Dayton  was  made  the  seat  of  justice, 
at  which  time  only  five  families  resided  in  the  town,  the  other  set- 
tlers having  gone  on  to  farms  in  the  vicinity,  or  removed  to  other 
parts  of  the  country.  The  increase  of  the  town  was  gradual,  until 
the  war  of  1812,  which  made  a  thoroughfare  for  the  troops  and 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY.  371 

stores  on  their  way  to  the  frontier.  Its  progress  was  then  more 
rapid  until  1820,  when  the  depression  of  business  put  an  almost 
total  check  to  its  increase.  The  commencement  of  the  Miami  canal, 
in  1827,  renewed  its  prosperity,  and  its  increase  has  been  steady 
nnd  rapid  ever  since.  By  the  assessment  of  1846,  it  is  the  second 
city  in  the  state  in  the  amount  of  taxable  property,  as  the  county 
also  stands  second. 


The  Cooper  Female  Academy. 
[The  Cooper  Female  Academy  in  Dayton,  is  a  highly  flourishing  institution  in  excellent 
repute.     Mr.  E.  E.  Barney  is  the  principal,  under  whom  are  7  assistants  and  174  pupils] 

The  first  canal  boat  from  Cincinnati  arrived  at  Dayton  on  the 
25th  of  January,  1829,  and  the  first  one  from  Lake  Erie  on  the  24th 
of  June,  1845.  In  1825,  a  weekly  line  of  mail  stages  was  estab- 
lished through  Dayton  from  Cincinnati  to  Columbus.  Two  days, 
were  occupied  in  coming  from  Cincinnati  to  this  place.  There  are 
now  three  daily  lines  between  the  two  places,  and  the  trip  only 
takes  an  afternoon. 

The  first  newspaper  printed  in  Dayton,  was  the  Dayton  Reper- 
tory, issued  by  William  M'Clure  and  George  Smith,  on  the  18th  of 
September,  1808,  on  a  foolscap  sheet.  The  newspapers  now  pub- 
lished here  are  the  "  Dayton  Journal,"  daily  and  weekly  ;  the  "Day- 
ton Transcript,"  twice  a  week  ;  and  the  "  Western  Empire,"  weekly. 

The  population  of  Dayton  was  383  in  1810;  1139  in  1820; 
2954  in  1830  ;  0067  in  1840,  and  9792  in  1845.  There  are  15 
churches,  of  which  the  Presbyterians,  Methodists  and  Lutherans  each 
have  two,  and  the  Episcopalians,  Catholics,  Baptists,  Disciples,  New- 
lights,  German  Reformed,  Albrights,  Dunkers  and  African  Baptists, 
have  each  one.  There  is  a  large  water  power  within  the  bounds  of 
the  city,  besides  a  great  deal  more  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  A 
portion  of  that  introduced  in  the  city  by  a  new  hydraulic  canal,  is 
not  yet  in  use ;  but  there  are  now  in  operation  within  the  corporate 
limits,  2  flouring  mills,  4  saw  mills,  2  oil  mills,  3  cotton  mills,  2  wool- 
len factories,  2  paper  mills,  5  machine  shops,  1   scythe  factory,  2 


372  MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 

flooring  machines,  1  last  and  peg  factory,  1  gun-barrel  factory  and 
3  iron  founderies.  The  public  buildings  are  2  market  houses,  one 
of  which  has  a  city  hall  over  it,  an  academy,  a  female  academy,  3 
common-school  houses  and  a  jail  of  stone.  There  are  2  banks. 
A  court  house  is  now  building  of  cut  stone,  the  estimated  cost  of 
which  is  $63,000.  The  architect,  by  whom  it  was  designed,  is  Mr. 
Henry  Daniels,  now  of  Cincinnati,  and  the  one  superintending  its 
construction,  is  Mr.  Daniel  Waymire.  There  are  nine  turnpike 
roads  leading  out  of  Dayton,  and  connecting  it  with  the  country 
around,  in  every  direction.  The  Miami  canal,  from  Cincinnati  to 
Lake  Erie,  runs  through  it. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Montgomery  county  was  Col.  Robert 
Patterson.  He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1753,  and  emigrated 
to  Kentucky  in  1775.  In  1804,  he  removed  from  Kentucky  and 
settled  about  a  mile  below  Dayton.  He  was  the  original  proprietor 
of  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  one-third  owner  of  Cincinnati,  when  it  was 
laid  out.  He  was  with  Col.  George  Rogers  Clarke  in  1778,  in  his 
celebrated  Illinois  campaign  ;  in  the  following  year  he  was  in  Bow- 
man's expedition  against  old  Chillicothe  ;*  in  August,  1780,  he  was 
a  captain  under  Clarke,  in  his  expedition  against  the  Shawnees,  on 
the  Little  Miami  and  Mad  river  ;  was  second  in  command  to  Col. 
Boone,  August  19th,  1782,  at  the  battle  of  the  Lower  Blue  Licks  ; 
was  colonel  on  the  second  expedition  of  Gen.  Clarke,  in  the  follow- 
ing September,  into  the  Miami  country ;  held  the  same  office  in 
1786,  under  Col.  Logan,  in  his  expedition  against  the  Shawnees. 
He  died,  August  5th,  1827.  His  early  life  was  full  of  incidents,  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  of  which  we  give  in  his  own  language,  as 
originally  published  in  the  Ohio  National  Journal. 

In  the  fall  of  1776,  I  started  from  M'Clellan's  station,  (now  Georgetown,  Ky.,)  in  com- 
pany with  Jos.  M'Nutt,  David  Perry,  James  Wernock,  James  Templeton,  Edward  Mitch- 
ell and  Isaac  Greer,  to  go  to  Pittsburgh.  We  procured  provision  for  our  journey  at  the 
Blue  Licks,  from  the  well-known  stone  house,  the  Buffalo.  At  Limestone,  we  procured  a 
canoe,  and  started  up  the  Ohio  river  by  water.  Nothing  material  transpired  during  sev- 
eral of  the  first  days  of  our  journey.  We  landed  at  Point  Pleasant,  where  was  a  fort  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Arbuckle.  After  remaining  there  a  short  time,  and  receiving  dispatches 
.from  Capt.  Arbuckle  to  the  commandant  at  Wheeling,  we  again  proceeded.  Aware  that 
Indians  were  lurking  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  we  travelled  with  the  utmost  caution. 
We  usually  landed  an  hour  before  sunset,  cooked  and  eat  our  supper,  and  went  on  until 
after  dark.  At  night  we  lay  without  fire,  as  convenient  to  our  canoe  as  possible,  and 
started  again  in  the  morning  at  day  break.  We  had  all  agreed  that  if  any  disaster  should 
befall  us  by  day  or  by  night,  that  we  would  stand  by  each  other,  as  long  as  any  help  could 
'be  afforded.  At  length  the  memorable  12th  of  October  arrived.  During  the  day  we 
passed  several  new  improvements,  which  occasioned  us  to  be  less  watchful  and  careful  than 
we  had  been  before.  Late  in  the  evening  we  landed  opposite  the  island,  [on  the  Ohio  side 
•  of  the  river,  in  what  is  now  Athens  county,]  then  called  the  Hockhocking,  and  were  beginning 
ito  flatter  ourselves  that  we  should  reach  some  inhabitants  the  next  day.  Having  eaten 
nothing  that  day,  contrary  to  our  usual  practice,  we  kindled  a  fire  and  cooked  supper. 
After  we  had  eaten  and  made  the  last  of  our  flour  into  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  put  it  into  an 
old  brass  kettle  to  bake,  so  that  we  might  be  ready  to  start  again  in  the  morning  at  day- 
'break,  we  lay  down  to  rest,  keeping  the  same  clothes  on  at  night  that  we  wore  during  the 

*  The  Notes  on  Kentucky  gives  the  number  of  men  under  Bowman,  on  this  occasion,  as 
'160  ;  but  the  memoranda  of  Col.  Patterson  puts  it  at  400. — /.  W.  Van  Cleve,in  the  Am. 
Pioneer. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY.  373 

day.  For  the  want  of  a  better,  I  had  on  a  hunting  shirt  and  britch  clout,  (so  called,)  and 
flannel  leggins.  I  had  my  powder  horn  and  shot  pouch  on  my  side,  and  placed  the  butt 
of  my  gun  under  my  head.  Five  of  our  company  lay  on  the  east  side  of  the  fire,  and 
James  Templeton  and  myself  on  the  west ;  we  were  lying  on  our  left  sides,  myself  in  front, 
with  my  right  hand  hold  of  my  gun.  Templeton  was  lying  close  behind  me.  This  was 
our  position,  and  asleep,  when  we  were  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians.  Immediatey  aftet 
the  fire  they  rushed  upon  us  with  tomahawks,  as  if  determined  to  finish  the  work  of  death 
they  had  begun.  It  appeared  that  one  Indian  had  shot  on  my  side  of  the  fire.  I  saw  the 
flash  of  the  gun  and  felt  the  ball  pass  through  me,  but  where  I  could  not  tell,  nor  was  it 
at  first  painful.  I  sprang  to  take  up  gun,  but  my  right  shoulder  came  to  the  ground.  I 
made  another  effort,  and  was  half  bent  in  getting  up,  when  an  Indian  sprang  past  the  fire 
with  savage  fierceness,  and  struck  me  with  his  tomahawk.  From  the  position  I  was  in, 
it  went  between  two  ribs,  just  behind  the  back  bone  a  little  below  the  kidney,  and  penetra- 
ted the  cavity  of  the  body.  He  then  immediately  turned  to  Templeton,  (who  by  this  time 
had  got  to  his  feet  with  his  gun  in  hand,)  and  seized  his  gun.  A  desperate  scuffle  ensued, 
but  Templeton  held  on,  and  finally  bore  off  the  gun.  In  the  meantime,  I  made  from  the 
fight,  and  in  my  attempt  to  get  out  of  sight,  I  was  delayed  for  a  moment  by  getting  my 
right  arm  fast  between  a  tree  and  a  sapling,  but  having  got  clear  and  away  from  the  light 
of  the  fire,  and  finding  that  I  had  lost  the  use  of  my  right  arm,  I  made  a  shift  to  keep  it 
up  by  drawing  it  through  the  straps  of  my  shot  pouch.  I  could  see  the  crowd  about  the 
fire,  but  the  firing  had  ceased  and  the  strife  seemed  to  be  over.  I  had  reason  to  believe  that 
the  others  were  all  shot  and  tomahawked.  Hearing  no  one  coming  towards  me,  I  re- 
solved to  go  to  the  river,  and  if  possible  to  get  into  the  canoe  and  float  down,  thinking  by 
that  means  I  might  possibly  reach  Point  Pleasant,  supposed  to  be  about  100  miles  distant. 
Just  as  I  got  on  the  beach  a  little  below  the  canoe,  an  Indian  in  the  canoe  gave  a  whoop, 
which  gave  me  to  understand  that  it  was  best  to  withdraw.  I  did  so  ;  and  with  much 
difficulty  got  to  an  old  log,  and  being  very  thirsty,  faint,  and  exhausted,  I  was  glad  to  sit 
down.  I  felt  the  blood  running  and  heard  it  dropping  on  the  leaves  all  around  me.  Presently 
I  heard  the  Indians  board  the  canoe  and  float  past.  All  was  now  silent,  and  I  felt  myself 
in  a  most  forlorn  condition.  I  could  not  see  the  fire,  but  determined  to  find  it  and  see  if 
any  of  my  comrades  were  alive.  I  steered  the  course  which  I  supposed  the  fire  to  be,  and 
having  reached  it,  I  found  Templeton  alive,  but  wounded  in  nearly  the  same  manner  that 
I  was.  Jas.  Wernock  was  also  dangerously  wounded,  two  balls  having  passed  through  his 
body  ;  Jos.  M'Nutt  was  dead  and  scalped.  D.  Perry  was  wounded,  but  not  badly,  and 
Isaac  Greer  was  missing.     The  miseries  of  that  hour  cannot  well  be  described. 

When  daylight  appeared  we  held  a  council,  and  concluded  that  inasmuch  as  one  gun 
and  some  ammunition  was  saved,  Perry  would  furnish  us  with  meat,  and  we  would  pro- 
ceed up  the  river  by  slow  marches  to  the  nearest  settlements,  supposed  to  be  one  hundred 
miles.  A  small  quantity  of  provisions  which  was  found  scattered  around  the  fire,  was 
picked  up  and  distributed  among  us,  and  a  piece  of  blanket  which  was  saved  from  the 
fire,  was  given  to  me  to  cover  a  wound  on  my  back.  On  examination,  it  was  found  that 
two  balls  had  passed  through  my  right  arm,  and  that  the  bone  was  broken  ;  to  dress  this, 
splinters  were  taken  from  a  tree  near  the  fire,  that  had  been  shivered  by  lightning,  and 
placed  on  the  outside  of  my  hunting  shirt  and  bound  with  a  string.  And  now  being  in 
readiness  to  move,  Perry  took  the  gun  and  ammunition,  and  we  all  got  to  our  feet  except 
Wernock,  who,  on  attempting  to  get  up  fell  back  to  the  ground.  He.  refused  to  try  again, 
said  that  he  could  not  live,  and  at  the  same  time  desired  us  to  do  the  best  we  could  for 
ourselves.  Perry  then  took  hold  of  his  arm  and  told  him  if  he  would  get  up  he  would 
carry  him  ;  upon  this  he  made  another  effort  to  get  up,  but  falling  back  as  before,  he  begged 
us  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  leave  him.  At  his  request,  the  old  kettle  was  filled  with 
water  and  placed  at  his  side,  which  he  said  was  the  last  and  only  favor  required  of  us, 
and  then  conjured  us  to  leave  him  and  try  to  save  ourselves,  assuring  us  that  should  he 
live  to  see  us  again,  he  would  cast  no  reflections  of  unkindness  upon  us.  Thus  we 
left  him.  When  we  had  got  a  little  distance  I  looked  back,  and  distressed  and  hopeless 
as  Wemock's  condition  really  was,  I  felt  to  envy  it.  After  going  about  100  poles,  we 
were  obliged  to  stop  and  rest,  and  found  ourselves  too  sick  and  weak  to  proceed.  Another 
consultation  being  held,  it  was  agreed  that  Templeton  and  myself  should  remain  therewith 
Edward  Mitchell,  and  Perry  should  take  the  gun  and  go  to  the  nearest  settlement  and  seek 
relief.  Perry  promised  that  if  he  could  not  procure  assistance,  he  would  be  back  in  four 
days.  He  then  returned  to  the  camp  and  found  Wernock  in  the  same  state  of  mind  as 
when  we  left,  perfectly  rational  and  sensible  of  his  condition,  replenished  his  kettJe  with 
water,  brought  us  some  fire,  and  started  for  the  settlement. 

Alike  unable  to  go  back  or  forward,  and   being  very  thirsty  we  set  about  getting  water 


374  MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 

from  a  small  stream  that  happened  to  be  near  us,  our  only  drinking  vessel  an  old^wool  hat, 
which  was  so  broken  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty  made  to  hold  water  ;  but  by  stuffing 
leaves  in  it,  we  made  it  hold  so  that  each  one  could  drink  from  once  filling  it.  Nothing 
could  have  been  a  greater  luxury  to  us,  than  a  drink  of  water  from  the  old  hat.  Just  at  night, 
Mitchell  returned  to  see  if  Wernock  was  still  living,  intending  if  he  was  dead,  to  get  the 
kettle  for  us.  He  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  him  expire  ;  but  not  choosing  to  leave  him 
until  he  should  be  certain  that  he  was  dead,  he  stayed  with  him  until  darkness  came  on, 
and  when  he  attempted  to  return  to  us,  he  got  lost  and  lay  from  us  all  night.  We  suffered 
much  that  night  for  the  want  of  fire,  and  through  fear  that  he  was  either  killed  or  that  he 
had  ran  off;  but  happily  for  us,  our  fears  were  groundless,  for  next  morning  at  sunrise,  he 
found  his  way  to  our  camp.  That  day  we  moved  about  200  yards  farther  up  a  deep  ravine, 
and  farther  from  the  river.  The  weather,  which  had  been  cold  and  frosty,  now  became 
a  little  warmer,  and  commenced  raining.  Those  that  were  with  me  could  set  up,  but  I 
had  no  alternative  but  to  lie  on  my  back  on  the  ground,  with  my  right  arm  over  my  body. 
The  rain  continuing  next  day,  Mitchell  took  an  excursion  to  examine  the  hills,  and  not  far 
distant,  he  found  a  rock  projecting  from  the  cliff  sufficient  to  shelter  us  from  the  rain,  to 
which  place  we  very  gladly  removed.  He  also  gathered  pawpaws  for  us,  which  were  our 
only  food,  except  perhaps  a  few  grapes. 

Time  moved  slowly  on  until  Saturday.  Iu  the  meantime,  we  talked  over  the  danger  to 
which  Perry  was  exposed,  the  distance  he  had  to  go  and  the  improbability  of  his  returning. 
When  the  time  had  expired  which  he  had  allowed  himself,  we  concluded  that  we  would,  if 
alive,  wait  for  him  until  Monday,  and  if  he  did  not  come  then,  and  no  relief  should  be 
afforded,  we  would  attempt  to  travel  to  Point  Pleasant.  The  third  day  after  our  defeat, 
my  arm  became  very  painful.  The  splinters  and  leaves  of  my  shirt  were  cemented  to- 
gether with  blood,  and  stuck  so  fast  to  my  arm  that  it  required  the  application  of  warm 
water  for  nearly  a  whole  day  to  loosen  them  so  that  they  could  be  taken  off;  when  this 
was  done,  I  had  my  arm  dressed  with  white  oak  leaves,  which  had  a  very  good  effect.  On 
Saturday,  about  12  o'clock,  Mitchell  came  with  his  bosom  full  of  pawpaws,  and  placed 
them  convenient  to  us,  and  returned  to  his  station  on  the  river.  He  had  been  gone  about 
an  hour,  when  to  our  great  joy  we  beheld  him  coming  with  a  company  of  men.  When 
they  approached  us,,  we  found  that  our  trusty  friend  and  companion,  David  Perry,  had  re- 
turned to  our  assistance  with  Capt.  John  Walls,  his  officers  and  most  of  his  company.  Our 
feelings  of  gratitude  may  possibly  be  conceived,  but  words  can  never  describe  them.  Suffice 
to  say  that  these  eyes  flowed  down  plenteously  with  tears,  and  I  was  so  completely  over- 
whelmed with  joy,  that  I  fell  to  the  ground.  On  my  recovery,  we  were  taken  to  the  river 
and  refreshed  plentifully  with  provisions,  which  the  captain  had  brought,  and  had  our 
wounds  dressed  by  an  experienced  man,  who  came  for  that  purpose.  We  were  afterwards 
described  by  the  captain  to  be  in  a  most  forlorn  and  pitiable  condition,  more  like  corpses 
beginning  to  putrify  than  living  beings. 

While  we  were  at  the  cliff  which  sheltered  us  from  the  rain,  the  howling  of  the  wolves 
m  the  direction  of  the  fatal  spot  whence  we  had  so  narrowly  escaped  with  our  lives,  left  no 
doubt  that  they  were  feasting  on  the  bodies  of  our  much  lamented  friends,  M'Nutt  and 
Wernock.  While  we  were  refreshing  ourselves  at  the  river,  and  having  our  wounds 
dressed,  Capt.  Walls  went  with  some  of  his  men  to  the  place  of  our  defeat,  and  collected 
the  bones  of  our  late  companions  and  buried  them  with  the  utmost  expedition  and  care. 
We  were  then  conducted  by  water  to  Capt.  Wall's  station,  at  Grave  creek. 

Miamisburg  is  10  miles  southerly  from  Dayton,  on  the  Miami  ca- 
nal and  river,  and  the  state  road  from  Dayton  to  Cincinnati.  This 
locality  was  originally  called  "Hole's  Station,''''  and  a  few  families 
settled  here  about  the  time  Dayton  was  commenced.  The  town 
was  laid  out  in  1818;  Emanuel  Gebhart,  Jacob  Kercher,  Dr.  John 
and  Peter  Treon,  being  the  original  proprietors.  The  early  settlers 
were  of  Dutch  origin,  most  of  whom  emigrated  from  Berks  county, 
Pa.  The  German  is  yet  much  spoken,  and  two  of  the  churches 
worship  in  that  language.  The  river  and  canal  supply  considerable 
water  power.  The  town  is  compactly  built.  The  view  was  taken 
near  J.  Zimmer's  hotel — shown  on  the  right — and  gives  the  appear- 
ance of  the  principal  street,  looking  from  that  point  in  the  direction 
of  Dayton.     A  neat  covered  bridge  crosses  the  Miami  river  at  this 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 


375 


place.     Miamisburg  contains  1  Dutch  Reformed,  1  Lutheran  and  1 
Methodist  church,  1  high  school,  12  mercantile  stores,  1  woollen  and 


View  in  Miamisburg. 


1  cotton  factory,  1  grist  mill,  1  iron  foundery,  and  had  in  1840,  834, 
and  in  1846,  1055  inhabitants. 

In  the  lower  part  of  Miamisburg,  are  the  remains  of  an  ancient 
work ;  and  this  region  abounds  in  the  works  and  fortifications  so 
common  in  the  west.  About  a  mile  and  a  quarter  southeast  of  the  vil- 
lage, on  an  elevation  more  than  100  feet  above  the  Miami,  is  the  largest 
mound  in  the  northern  states,  excepting  the  mammoth  mound  at 
Grave  creek,  on  the  Ohio  below  Wheeling,  which  it  about  equals  in 
dimensions.  It  measures  about  800  feet  around  the  base,  and  rises 
to  the  height  of  67  feet.  When  first  known,  it  was  covered  with 
forest  trees,  from  the  top  of  one  of  which, — a  maple  tree  growing 


Great  Mound. 


from  its  apex, — it  is  said,  Dayton  could  be  plainly  seen.  The  mound 
has  not  been  thoroughly  examined,  like  that  at  Grave  creek ;  but 
probably  is  similar  in  character.  Many  years  since,  a  shaft  was 
sunk  from  the  top  ;  at  first,  some  human  bones  were  exhumed,  and  at 


376 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 


the  depth  of  about  1 1  feet,  the  ground  sounding  hollow,  the  workmen 
were  afraid  to  progress  farther.  Probably  two  vaults  are  in  it,  like 
those  of  Grave  creek  ;  one  at  the  base  in  the  center,  the  other  over 
it,  near  the  summit ;  it  was,  we  suppose,  this  upper  vault  which 
gave  forth  the  hollow  sound.  The  mound  is  the  steepest  on  the 
north  and  east  sides,  and  is  ascended  with  some  little  difficulty.  It 
now  sustains  an  orchard  of  about  40  apple,  and  a  few  peach  and 
forest  trees.  The  view  from  the  summit  is  beautiful.  At  one's  feet 
lays  the  village  of  Miamisburg,  while  the  fertile  valley  of  the  river 
is  seen  stretching  away  for  miles. 


Center  Street,  Germantown. 

Germantown,  named  from  Germantown,  Pa.,  is.  13  miles  sw.  of 
Dayton,  in  a  beautiful  valley,  surrounded  by  one  of  the  most  fertile 
sections  of  land  in  the  west.  It  is  steadily  improving,  and  is  noted 
for  the  substantial  industry  and  wealth  of  its  citizens.  This  thriv- 
ing town  was  laid  out  in  1814,  by  Philip  Gunckel,  proprietor,  who 
previously  built  a  saw  and  grist  mill  on  Twin  creek,  and  opened  a 
store  at  the  same  place.  Most  of  its  early  settlers  were  of  German 
descent,  and  emigrated  from  Berks,  Lebanon  and  Center  counties, 
Pa.  Among  these,  were  the  Gunckels,  the  Emericks,  the  Schseffers, 
&c,  whose  descendents  now  comprise  a  large  proportion  of  the  in- 
habitants. The  village  is  handsomely  laid  out  in  squares,  the  houses 
are  of  a  substantial  character  and  the  streets  ornamented  by  locusts. 
It  contains  2  German  Reformed,  1  Lutheran,  1  Episcopal  Methodist 
and  1  United  Brethren  church,  a  flourishing  academy  for  both  sexes, 
1  book,  2  grocery  and  5  dry  goods  stores,  1  newspaper  printing 
office,  1  brewery,  1  woollen  factory,  and  about  1200  inhabitants. 

Carrolton,  Alexandersville,  Centerville,  Harrisburg,  Union,  Ar- 
lington, Phillipsburg,  Salem,  Pyrmont,  New  Lebanon,  Johnsville, 
Farmersville,  Sunbury,  Liberty,  Vandalia,  Little  York,  Chambers- 
burg,  Texas,  Mexico,  M'Pherson,  Lewisburg,  North  and  West  Day- 
ton, are  all  small  places,  the  largest  of  which  may  contain  60  dwell- 
ings. 


»  © 

o 

3.1 

2  3 


MORGAN    COUNTY.  877 


MORGAN. 

Morgan,  named  from  Gen.  Daniel  Morgan,  of  the  revolution,  was 
organized  March  1st,  1818.  The  Muskingum  flows  through  the 
heart  of  the  county,  which,  with  its  branches,  furnishes  considerable 
water  power.  The  surface  is  very  hilly  ;  the  soil  limestone  clay, 
strong  and  fertile.  The  principal  products  are  salt,  wheat,  corn, 
oats,  pork  and  tobacco.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Bloom,  1388         Malta,  1404         Olive,        1650 

Bristol,  1647         Manchester,       1266         Penn,         1119 

Brookfield,      1433         Meigsville,         1159         Union,       1334 
Center,  1171         Morgan,  1518         Windsor,  1279 

Deerfield,         1224         Noble,  1315         York,        1030 

Jackson,  920 

The  population  of  Morgan,  in  1820,  was  5299,  in  1830,  11,800,  and 
in  1840,  20,857  ;  or  41  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  first  settlement  in  this  county,  made  at  Big  Bottom,  on  the 
Muskingum,  near  the  south  line  of  the  county,  was  broken  up  by  the 
Indians.  In  the  autumn  of  1790,  a  company  of  36  men  went  from 
Marietta  and  commenced  the  settlement.  They  erected  a  block- 
house on  the  first  bottom  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  four  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  Meigs  creek.  They  were  chiefly  young,  single 
men,  but  little  acquainted  with  Indian  warfare  or  military  rules. 

"  Those  best  acquainted  with  the  Indians,  and  those  most  capable  of  judging  from  ap- 
pearances, had  little  doubt  that  they  were  preparing  for  hostilities,  and  strongly  opposed  the 
settlers  going  out  that  fall,  and  advised  their  remaining  until  spring  ;  by  which  time,  proba- 
bly, the  question  of  war  or  peace  would  be  settled.  Even  Gen.  Putnam,  and  the  directors 
of  the  Ohio  company,  who  gave  away  the  land  to  have  it  settled,  thought  it  risky  and  im- 
prudent, and  strongly  remonstrated  against  venturing  out  at  that  time." 

"  But  the  young  men  were  impatient,  confident  in  their  own  prudence  and  ability  to  pro- 
tect themselves.  They  went,  put  up  a  block-house  which  might  accommodate  the  whole 
of  them  on  an  emergency,  covered  it,  and  laid  puncheon  floors,  stairs,  &c.  It  was  laid  up 
of  large  beech  logs,  and  rather  open,  as  it  was  not  chinked  between  the  logs  ;  this  job  waa 
left  for  a  rainy  day,  or  some  more  convenient  season.  Here  was  their  first  great  error,  as 
they  ceased  to  complete  the  work,  and  the  general  interest  was  lost  in  that  of  the  con- 
venience of  each  individual ;  with  this  all  was  lost.  The  second  error  was,  they  kept  no 
sentry,  and  had  neglected  to  stockade  or  set  pickets  around  the  block-house."  "  No  sys- 
tem of  defence  and  discipline  had  been  introduced.  Their  guns  were  lying  in  different 
places,  without  order,  about  the  house.  Twenty  men  usually  encamped  in  the  house,  a  part 
of  whom  were  now  absent,  and  each  individual  and  mess  cooked  for  themselves.  One  end 
of  the  building  was  appropriated  for  a  fire-place,  and  when  the  day  closed  in,  all  came  in, 
built  a  large  fire,  and  commenced  cooking  and  eating  their  suppers." 

"  The  weather,  for  some  time  previous  to  the  attack,  as  we  learn  from  the  diary  of  Hon. 
Paul  Fearing,  who  lived  at  Fort  Harmer,  had  been  quite  cold.  In  the  midst  of  winter,  and 
with  such  weather  as  this,  it  was  not  customary  for  the  Indians  to  venture  out  on  war  par- 
ties, and  the  early  borderers  had  formerly  thought  themselves  in  a  manner  safe  from  their 
depredations  during  the  winter  months. 

"About  twenty  rods  above  the  block-house,  and  a  little  back  from  the  bank  of  the  river, 
two  men,  Francis  and  Isaac  Choate,  members  of  the  company,  had  erected  a  cabin  and 
commenced  clearing  their  lots.  Thomas  Shaw,  a  hired  laborer  in  the  employ  of  the 
Choates,  and  James  Patten,  another  of  the  associates,  lived  with  them.  About  the  same 
distance  below  the  garrison,  was  an  old  "  tomahawk  improvement"  and  a  small  cabin, 
which  two  men,  Asa  and  Eleazer  Bullard,  had  fitted  up  and  now  occupied.     The  Indian 

48 


378  MORGAN    COUNTY, 

war  path,  from  Sandusky  to  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum,  passed  along  on  the  opposite 
shore,  in  sight  of  the  river. 

"The  Indians,  who,  during  the  summer,  had  been  hunting  and  loitering  about  the  settle- 
ments at  Wolf  creek  mills  and  Plainfiekl,  holding  frequent  and  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
settlers,  selling  them  venison  and  bear  meat  in  exchange  for  green  corn  and  vegetables,  had 
withdrawn  early  in  the  autumn,  and  gone  high  up  the  river  into  the  vicinity  of  their  towns, 
preparatory  to  winter  quarters.  Being  well  acquainted  with  all  the  approaches  to  these 
settlements,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  inhabitants  lived,  each  family  in  their  own  cabin, 
not  apprehensive  of  danger,  they  planned  and  fitted  out  a  war  party  for  their  destruction. 
It  is  said,  they  were  not  aware  of  there  being  a  settlement  at  Big  Bottom  until  they  came 
in  sight  of  it,  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  river,  in  the  afternoon.  From  a  high  hill  oppo- 
site the  garrison,  they  had  a  view  of  all  that  part  of  the  bottom,  and  could  see  how  the  men 
were  occupied,  and  what  was  doing  about  the  block-house.  Having  reconnoitered  the 
station  in  this  manner,  just  at  twilight  they  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice  a  little  above,  and 
divided  their  men  into  two  parties  ;  the  larger  one  to  attack  the  block-house,  and  the  smaller 
one  to  make  prisoners  of  the  few  men  living  in  Choate's  cabin,  without  alarming  those 
below.  The  plan  was  skillfully  arranged  and  promptly  executed.  As  the  party  cautiously  ap- 
proached the  cabin,  they  found  the  inmates  at  supper;  a  party  of  the  Indians  entered,  while 
others  stood  without  by  the  door,  and  addressed  the  men  in  a  friendly  manner.  Suspecting 
no  harm,  they  offered  them  a  part  of  their  food,  of  which  they  partook.  Looking  about  the 
room,  the  Indians  espied  some  leather  thongs  and  pieces  of  cord  that  had  been  used  in  pack- 
ing venison,  and  taking  the  white  men  by  their  arms  told  them  they  were  prisoners.  Find- 
ing it  useless  to  resist,  the  Indians  being  more  numerous,  they  submitted  to  their  fate  in 
silence. 

"While  this  was  transacting,  the  other  party  had  reached  the  block-house  unobserved; 
even  the  dogs  gave  no  notice  of  their  approach,  as  they  usually  do,  by  barking  ;  the  reason 
probably  was,  that  they  were  also  within  by  the  fire,  instead  of  being  on  the  alert  for  their 
masters'  safety.  The  door  was  thrown  open  by  a  stout  Mohawk,  who  stepped  in  and  stood 
by  the  door  to  keep  it  open,  while  his  companions  without  shot  down  those  around  the  fire. 
A  man  by  the  name  of  Zebulon  Throop,  from  Massachusetts,  was  frying  meat,  and  fell 
dead  in  the  fire  ;  several  others  fell  at  this  di-eharge.  The  Indians  then  ru.-hed  in  and 
killed  all  who  were  left  with  the  tomahawk.  No  resistance  seems  to  have  been  offered,  so 
sudden  and  unexpected  was  the  attack,  by  any  of  the  men  ;  but  a  stout,  backwoods,  Vir- 
ginia woman,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Meeks,  who  was  employed  as  their  hunter,  seized  an  axe 
and  made  a  blow  at  the  head  of  the  Indian  who  opened  the  door ;  a  slight  turn  of  the  head 
saved  his  skull,  and  the  axe  passed  down  through  his  cheek  into  the  shoulder,  leaving  a  huge 
gash  that  severed  nearly  half  his  face  ;  she  was  instantly  killed  by  the  tomahawk  of  one  of 
his  companions  before  she  could  repeat  the  stroke.  This  was  all  the  injury  received  by  the 
Indians,  as  the  men  were  all  killed  before  they  had  time  to  seize  their  arms,  which  stood 
in  the  corner  of  the  room.  While  the  slaughter  was  going  on,  John  Stacy,  a  young  man 
in  the  prime  of  life,  and  the  son  of  Col.  William  Stacy,  sprung  up  the  stair-way  and  out  on 
to  the  roof;  while  his  brother  Philip,  a  lad  of  sixteen  years,  secreted  himself  under  some 
bedding  in  the  corner  of  the  room.  The  Indians  on  the  outside  soon  discovered  the  for- 
mer, and  shot  him  while  he  was  in  the  act  of  "  begging  them,  for  God's  sake,  to  spare  his 
life,  as  he  was  the  only  one  left !" 

"This  was  heard  by  the  Bullards,  who,  alarmed  by  the  firing  at  the  block-house,  had  run 
out  of  their  cabin  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  Discovering  the  Indians  round  the  house, 
they  sprung  back  into  their  hut,  seized  their  rifles  and  ammunition,  and,  closing  the  door 
after  them,  put  out  into  the  woods  in  a  direction  to  be  hid  by  the  cabin  from  the  view  of  the 
Indians.  They  had  barely  escaped  when  they  heard  their  door,  which  was  made  of  thin 
clapboards,  burst  open  by  the  Indians.  They  did  not  pursue  them,  although  they  knew 
they  had  just  fled,  as  there  was  a  good  fire  burning,  and  their  food  for  supper  smoking 
hot  on  the  table.  After  the  slaughter  was  over  and  the  scalps  secured,  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant acts  in  the  warfare  of  the  American  savages,  they  proceeded  to  collect  the  plunder. 
In  removing  the  bedding,  the  lad,  Philip  Stacy,  was  discovered  ;  their  tomahawks  were  in- 
stantly raised  to  dispatch  him,  when  he  threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  one  of  their  leading 
warriors,  begging  him  to  protect  him.  The  savage  either  took  compassion  on  his  youth, 
or  else  his  revenge  being  satisfied  with  the  slaughter  already  made,  interposed  his  authority 
and  saved  his  life.  After  removing  every  thing  they  thought  valuable,  they  tore  up  the  ■ 
floor,  piled  it  on  the  dead  bodies,  and  set  it  on  fire,  thinking  to  destroy  the  block-house 
tvith  the  carcases  of  their  enemies.  The  building  being  made  of  green  beech  logs,  the  fires 
only  consumed  the  floors  and  roof,  leaving  the  walls  still  standing  when  visited  the  day 
after  by  the  whites. 


MORGAN    COUNTY. 


379 


"There  were  twelve  persons  killed  in  this  attack,  viz.,  John  Stacy,  Ezra  Putnam,  son  of 
Major  Putnam,  of  Marietta ;  John  Camp  and  Zebulon  Throop — these  men  were  from 
Massachusetts;  Jonathan  Farewell  and  James  Couch,  from  New  Hampshire;  William 
James,  from  Connecticut ;  Joseph  Clark,  Rhode  Island  ;  Isaac  Meeks,  his  wife  and  two 
children,  from  Virginia.  They  were  well  provided  with  arms,  and  no  doubt  could  have 
defended  themselves  had  they  taken  proper  precautions  ;  but  they  had  no  old  revolutionary 
officers  with  them  to  plan  and  direct  their  operations,  as  they  had  at  all  the  other  garrisons. 
If  they  had  picketed  their  house  and  kept  a  regular  sentry,  the  Indians  would  probably  never 
have  attacked  them.  They  had  no  horses  or  cattle  for  them  to  seize  upon  as  plunder,  and 
Indians  are  not  very  fond  of  hard  fighting  where  nothing  is  to  be  gained  ;  but  seeing  the 
naked  block-house,  without  any  defences,  they  were  encouraged  to  attempt  its  capture. 
Colonel  Stacy,  who  had  been  an  old  soldier,  well  acquainted  with  Indian  warfare  in  Cherry 
valley,  and  had  two  sons  there,  visited  the  post  only  the  Saturday  before,  and  seeing  its 
weak  state,  had  given  them  a  strict  charge  to  keep  a  regular  watch,  and  prepare  imme- 
diately strong  bars  to  the  door,  to  be  shut  every  night  at  sunset.  They,  however,  fearmg 
no  danger,  did  not  profit  by  his  advice. 


View  in  3fConnelsville. 

"The  party  of  Indians,  after  this,  bent  their  steps  towards  the  Wolf  creek  mills  ;  but  find- 
ing the  people  here  awake  and  on  the  look-out,  prepared  for  an  attack,  they  did  nothing 
more  than  reconnoitre  the  place,  and  made  their  retreat  at  early  dawn,  to  the  great  relief 
of  the  inhabitants.  The  number  of  Indians  who  came  over  from  Big  Bottom  was  never 
known. 

"  The  next  day,  Captain  Rogers  led  a  party  of  men  over  to  Big  Bottom.  It  was  a  melan- 
choly sight  to  the  poor  borderers,  as  they  knew  not  how  soon  the  same  fate  might  befall 
themselves.  The  action  of  the  fire,  although  it  did  not  consume,  had  so  blackened  and  dis- 
figured the  dead,  that  few  of  them  could  be  distinguished.  That  of  Ezra  Putnam  was 
known  by  a  pewter  plate  that  lay  under  him,  and  which  his  body  had  prevented  from  en- 
tirely melting.  His  mother's  name  was  on  the  bottom  of  the  plate,  and  a  part  of  the  cake 
he  was  baking  at  the  fire  still  adhered  to  it.  William  James  was  recognized  by  his  great 
size,  being  six  feet  four  inches  in  height,  and  stoutly  built.  He  had  a  piece  of  bread  clenched 
in  his  right  hand,  probably  in  the  act  of  eating,  with  his  back  to  the  door,  when  the  fatal 
rifle  shot  took  effect.  As  the  ground  was  frozen  outside,  a  hole  was  dug  within  the  walls  of 
the  house,  and  the  bodies  consigned  to  one  grave.  No  further  attempt  was  made  at  a  set- 
tlement here  till  after  the  peace,  in  1795." 

M'Connelsville,  the  county  seat,  named  from  its  original  proprie- 
tor, Robert  M'Connel,  is  situated  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  Muskin- 
gum, 75  miles  southeasterly  from  Columbus,  36  above  Marietta,  and 
27  below  Zanesville.  The  view  was  taken  in  the  center  of  the  town  : 
on  the  left  is  seen  the  court  house,  the  jail  and  county  clerks'  office, 
and  in  the  distance,  down  the  street,  appears  the  Baptist  church. 


380  MORGAN    COUNTY. 

This  thriving  town  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Congregational,  1 
Baptist,  1  Protestant  Methodist,  and  1  Episcopal  Methodist  church ; 
15  mercantile  stores,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  foundery,  1 
woollen  factory,  2  flouring  mills,  and  had  in  1840,  957  inhabitants. 

According  to  the  United  States  statistics  for  1840,  more  salt  is 
manufactured  in  Morgan  than  in  any  other  county  in  Ohio.  It  is 
procured  by  sinking  wells,  which,  in  some  instances,  are  nearly  1000 
feet  in  depth.  The  salt  manufactured  on  the  Muskingum  finds  its 
principal  market  in  Cincinnati,  where  it  is  called  "Zanesville  salt," 
although  the  far  greater  part  of  it  is  made  in  this  county.  The 
sketch  of  the  salt  region  on  the  Muskingum,  we  take  from  an  article, 
by  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  the  24th  volume  of  Silliman's  Journal. 

The  first  attempt  at  procuring  salt  on  this  river  was  made  by  Mr.  Ayers,in  the  year  1817, 
a  few  miles  below,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  at  Zanesville,  in  the  year  1819,  by  S.  Fair- 
lamb.  He  being  a  man  of  considerable  mechanical  ingenuity,  constructed  some  simple 
machinery,  connected  with  a  water  mill,  which  performed  the  operation  of  boring  without 
much  expense.  Salt  had  been  made  for  many  years  at  the  works  on  Salt  creek,  nine  miles 
se.  of  Ranesville,  and  some  slight  indications  of  salt  on  the  rocks,  at  low  water,  led  to  this 
trial.  Water  was  found,  impregnated  with  muriate  of  soda,  at  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet.  It  afforded  salt  of  a  good  quality,  but  was  not  abundant,  nor  sufficiently  saturated 
to  make  its  manufacture  profitable.  Within  the  period  of  a  few  years  after,  several  other 
wells  were  bored  in  this  vicinity,  but  generally  lower  down  the  river.  It  was  soon  dis- 
covered that  the  water  was  stronger  as  they  descended,  and  that  the  salt  deposit  was  at  a 
greater  depth.  At  Duncan's  falls,  nine  miles  below,  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  creek,  the  rock 
had  descended  to  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  with  a  proportionate  increase  in  the 
strength  of  the  water.  At  the  latter  place,  the  owner  of  a  well  not  finding  a  sufficient  sup- 
ply of  water  for  his  furnace,  although  it  was  of  the  desired  strength,  pushed  his  well  to  the 
depth  of  four  hundred  feet  below  the  salt  rock.  His  praise-worthy  perseverance,  however, 
met  not  with  its  proper  reward.  No  additional  salt  water  was  found,  although  it  is  highly 
probable  that  other  salt  strata  are  deposited  below  those  already  discovered,  but  at  such  a 
depth  as  to  render  it  very  difficult  to  reach  them  by  the  present  mode  of  boring.  As  we 
descend  the  river,  wells  are  found,  at  short  distances,  for  thirty  miles  below  Zanesville, 
gradually  deepening  until  the  salt  rock  is  reached,  at  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below  the 
surface.  The  water  is  also  so  much  augmented  in  strength  as  to  afford  fifty  pounds  of  salt 
to  every  fifty  gallons.  Twenty-two  miles  below  the  rapids,  a  stratum  of  flint  rock,  from 
nine  to  twelve  feet  in  thickness,  comes  to  the  surface  and  crosses  the  river,  making  a  slight 
ripple  at  low  water.  This  rock  has  a  regular  dip  to  the  south,  and  at  M'Connelsville,  five 
miles  below,  it  is  found  at  one  hundred  and  fourteen  feet ;  and  two  and  a  half  miles  further 
down,  it  is  struck  at  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet.  Where  wells  have  been  sunk  through  this 
rock,  it  affords  a  sure  guide  to  the  saliferous  deposit,  as  the  intermediate  strata  are  very 
uniform  in  quality  and  thickness,  and  the  practical  operator  can  tell  within  a  foot  or  two  the 
actual  distance  to  be  passed  between  the  two  rocks,  although  the  interval  is  six  hundred  and 
fifty  feet.  Above  the  point  where  the  flint  rock  crops  out,  the  rock  strata  appear  to  have 
been  worn  away,  so  that  as  you  ascend  the  river  the  salt  rock  comes  nearer  to  the  surface, 
until  at  the  forks  of  the  Muskingum,  it  is  only  two  hundred  feet  below.  This  flint  rock  is 
so  very  hard  and  sharp-grained,  that  it  cuts  away  the  best  cast  steel  from  the  augers,  nearly 
or  quite  as  rapidly  as  the  steel  cuts  away  the  rock,  and  requires  three  weeks  of  steady 
labor,  night  and  day,  to  penetrate  ten  feet.  With  a  few  exceptions,  the  other  strata  are 
readily  passed. 

The  lower  salt  rock  often  occasions  much  difficulty  to  the  workmen,  from  the  auger's 
becoming  fixed  in  the  hole.  The  sand  of  this  rock,  when  beaten  fine  and  allowed  to  settle 
compactly  about  the  auger  in  the  bottom  of  the  well,  becomes  so  hard  and  firm  as  to  re- 
quire the  greatest  exertions  to  break  it  loose,  frequently  fracturing  the  stout  ash  poles  in  the 
attempt.  From  the  sand  and  small  particles  of  the  rock  brought  up  by  the  pump,  the  salt 
stratum  appears  to  be  of  a  pure  pearly  whiteness  ;  and  the  more  porous  and  cellular  its 
structure,  the  greater  is  the  quantity  of  water  afforded  ;  as  more  freedom  is  given  to  the 
discharge  of  gas,  which  appears  to  be  a  very  active  agent  in  the  rise  of  water,  forcing  it,  in 
nearly  all  the  wells,  above  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  in  some  to  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet 
above  the  top  of  the  well. 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY.  381 

Malta,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  opposite  M'Connels- 
ville,  is  a  thriving  little  place,  containing  1  Episcopal  Methodist,  1 
Protestant  Methodist  church,  6  stores,  a  woollen  factory,  a  flouring 
mill,  and  had,  in  1840,  247  inhabitants.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  other  villages  in  the  county,  with  their  population  in  1840: 
Pennsville  198,  Deavertown  182,  Windsor  118,  Sharon  109,  Eagle- 
port  63,  Big  Rock  61,  Sarahsville  55,  Morganville  36,  Hiramsburgh 
35,  Airington  34,  and  Rosseau  33. 


MUSKINGUM. 

Muskingum  was  formed  March  1,  1804,  from  Washington  and 
Fairfield.  The  word  Muskingum,  says  Kilbourn's  Gazetteer,  "  is 
said  to  signify,  in  the  old  Indian  language,  an  elk's  eye,  or  the  glare 
of  an  elk's  eye."  Col.  John  Johnston,  of  Upper  Piqua,  Miami 
county,  says  that  "  Muskingum  is  a  Delaware  word,  and  means  a 
town  on  the  river  side.  The  Shawanoese  call  it  Wa-ka-tamo  sepe, 
which  has  the  same  signification."  The  surface  is  rolling  or  hilly, 
and  clay  the  predominating  soil.  It  abounds  with  bituminous  coal, 
and  has  pipe  clay  and  burr-stone  or  cellular  quartz,  suitable  for  mill 
stones.  There  are  numerous  salt  works.  The  brine  is  obtained  by 
boring  into  a  stratum  of  whitish  sandstone — called  salt  rock — at  a 
depth  of  several  hundred  feet.  The  ancient  works  are  numerous, 
and  iron  ore  is  found.  It  is  a  rich  and  thickly  settled  county.  The 
principal  agricultural  productions  are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  potatoes, 
tobacco,  wool  and  pork.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Jefferson, 

Licking, 

Madison, 

Meigs, 

Monroe, 

Muskingum, 

Newton, 

Perry, 

The  population  of  Muskingum,  in  1820,  was  17,824;  in  1830, 
29,335 ;  and  in  1840,  38,746,  or  52  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  Muskingum  country  was  principally  occupied  by  the  Wyan- 
dots,  Delawares,  and  a  few  Senecas  and  Shawanoese.  An  Indian 
town  once  stood,  years  before  the  settlement  of  the  country,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Duncan  falls,  from  which  circumstance  the  place  is  often 
called  "  Old  Town."  Near  Dresden,  was  a  large  Shawanoese  town, 
called  Wakatomaca.  The  grave-yard  was  extensive,  and  when  the 
whites  first  settled  there,  the  remains  of  cabins  were  still  visible. 
It  was  in  this  vicinity  that  the  venerable  Major  Cass,  the  father  of 
Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  lived  and  died.     He  drew  4000  acres  for  his  mil- 


Adams, 

988 

Blue  Rock, 

1074 

Brush  Creek, 

1765 

Falls, 

2002 

Harrison, 

1426 

Highland, 

884 

Hopewell, 

1807 

Jackson, 

1123 

2128 

Rich  Hill, 

1426 

1322 

Salem, 

1002 

1070 

Salt  Creek, 

1252 

1333 

Springfield, 

2334 

918 

Union, 

1625 

1252 

Washington, 

1486 

2707 

Wayne, 

1276 

1061 

Zanesville, 

5141 

382  MUSKINGUM  COUNTY. 

itary  services,  and  the  location  embraced  within  its  limits  the  ancient 
town  plot  of  the  natives. 

The  annexed  narrative  of  an  expedition  against  Wakatomaca,  is 
from  Doddridge's  Notes. 

Under  the  command  of  Col.  Angus  M'Donald,  400  men  were  collected  from  the  western 
part  of  Virginia,  by  the  order  of  the  Earl  of  Dunmore,  the  then  governor  of  Virginia.  The 
place  of  rendezvous  was  Wheeling,  some  time  in  the  month  of  June,  1774.  They  went 
down  the  river  in  boats  and  canoes,  to  the  mouth  of  Captina,  from  thence  by  the  shortest 
route  to  the  Wappatomica  town,  about  sixteen  miles  below  the  present  Coshocton.  The 
pilots  were  Jonathan  Zane,  Thomas  Nicholson  and  Tady  Kelly.  About  six  miles  from 
the  town,  the  army  were  met  by  a  party  of  Indians,  to  the  number  of  40  or  50,  who  gave 
a  skirmish,  by  the  way  of  ambuscade,  in  which  two  of  our  men  were  killed  and  eight  or 
cine  wounded.  One  Indian  was  killed  and  several  wounded.  It  was  supposed  that  sev- 
eral more  of  them  were  killed,  but  they  were  carried  off.  When  the  army  came  to  the 
town,  it  was  found  evacuated,  the  Indians  had  retreated  to  the  opposite  shore  of  the  river, 
where  they  had  formed  an  ambuscade,  supposing  the  party  would  cross  the  river  from  the 
town.  This  was  immediately  discovered.  The  commanding  officer  then  sent  sentinels  up 
and  down  the  river,  to  give  notice,  in  case  the  Indians  should  attempt  to  cross  above  or 
below  the  town.  A  private  in  the  company  of  Captain  Cressap,  of  the  name  of  John 
Hargus,  one  of  the  sentinels  below  the  town,  displayed  the  skill  of  a  backwoods  sharp- 
shooter. Seeing  an  Indian  behind  a  blind  across  the  river,  raising  up  his  head,  at  times,  to 
look  over  the  river,  Hargus  charged  his  rifle  with  a  second  ball,  and  taking  deliberate  aim, 
passed  both  balls  through  the  neck  of  the  Indian.  The  Indians  dragged  off  the  body  and 
buried  it  with  the  honors  of  war.  It  was  found  the  next  morning,  and  scalped  by 
Hargus. 

Soon  after  the  town  was  taken,  the  Indians  from  the  opposite  shore  sued  for  peace.  The 
commander  offered  them  peace  on  condition  of  their  sending  over  their  chiefs  as  hostages. 
Five  of  them  came  over  the  river,  and  were  put  under  guard  as  hostages.  In  the  morning, 
they  were  marched  in  front  of  the  army  over  the  river.  When  the  party  had  reached  J.he 
western  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  the  Indians  represented  that  they  couid  not  make  peace 
without  the  presence  of  the  chiefs  of  the  other  towns.  On  which,  one  of  the  chiefs  was 
released  to  bring  in  the  others.  He  did  not  return  in  the  appointed  time.  Another  chief 
was  permitted  to  go  on  the  same  errand,  who  in  like  manner  did  not  return.  The  party 
then  moved  up  the  river  to  the  next  town,  which  was  about  a  mile  above  the  first,  and  on 
the  opposite  shore.  Here  we  had  a  slight  skirmish  with  the  Indians,  in  which  one  of  them 
was  killed  and  one  of  our  men  wounded.  It  was  then  discovered,  that  during  all  the  time 
spent  in  the  negotiation,  the  Indians  were  employed  in  removing  their  women  and  children, 
old  people  and  effects,  from  the  upper  towns.  The  towns  were  burned  and  the  corn  cut 
up.  The  party  then  returned  to  the  place  from  which  they  set  out,  bringing  with  them  the 
three  remaining  chiefs,  who  were  sent  to  Williamsburgh.  They  were  released  at  the 
peace,  the  succeeding  fall. 

The  army  were  out  of  provisions  before  they  left  the  towns,  and  had  to  subsist  on  weeds, 
one  ear  of  corn  each  day,  with  a  very  scanty  supply  of  game.  The  corn  was  obtained  at 
one  of  the  Indian  towns. 

Additional  to  the  above,  we  give  the  reminiscences  of  Abraham 
Thomas,  originally  published  in  the  Troy  Times.  He  was  on  this 
expedition,  and  later,  among  the  early  settlers  of  Miami  county. 

The  collected  force  consisted  of  400  men.  I  was  often  at  their  encampment ;  and 
a  :;iinst  the  positive  injunctions  of  my  parents,  could  not  resist  my  inclination  to  join  them. 
At  this  time,  I  was  18  years  of  age,  owned  my  own  rifle  and  accoutrements,  and  had  been 
Ion:;  familiar  with  the  use  of  them.  Escaping,  I  made  the  best  possible  provision  I  could 
from  my  own  resources,  and  hastened  to  enter  as  a  volunteer  under  old  Mike,  then  Captain 
Cressap.  The  plan  of  the  expedition  was  for  every  man  to  cross  the  Ohio,  with  seven  days' 
provision  in  his  pack.  The  object  was  to  attack  the  Indians  in  their  villages  at  Wapa- 
tomica.  Some  were  on  the  waters  of  the  Muskingum.  On  the  first  or  second  day's 
march,  after  crossing  the  Ohio,  we  were  overtaken  by  a  Colonel  M'Donald,  a  British  offi- 
cer, who  highly  incensed  the  troops  by  ordering  a  halt  for  three  days,  during  which  we 
were  consuming  our  provisions.  While  laying  here,  a  violent  storm  through  the  night  had 
wet  our  arms,  and  M'Donald  ordered  the  men  to  discharge  them  in  a  hollow  log,  to  deaden 
the  report.     My  rifle  would  not  go  off,  and  I  took  the  barrel  out  to  unbreech  it.     In  doing 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY.  883 

this,  I  made  some  noise  in  beating  it  with  my  tomahawk,  on  which  M'Donald  came  towards 
me  swearing,  with  an  uplifted  cane,  threatening  to  strike.  I  instantly  arose  on  my  feet, 
with  the  rifle  barrel  in  my  hand,  and  stood  in  an  attitude  of  defence.  We  looked  each 
other  in  the  eye  for  some  time  ;  at  last  he  dropped  his  cane  and  walked  off,  while  the  whole 
troop  set  up  a  laugh,  crying,  the  boy  has  scared  the  colonel.  Cressap  heard  what  was 
going  on,  and  approached  to  defend  me,  but  seeing  how  well  I  could  defend  myself,  stood 
by,  smiling  at  the  fracas.  The  colonel  having  no  reputation  as  an  Indian  fighter,  was  very 
naturally  disliked  as  a  leader,  by  Cressap  and  the  men. 

From  this  encampment  we  proceeded  towards  the  Indian  villages  with  the  intention  of 
surprising  them ;  but  late  in  the  afternoon  before  we  reached  them,  we  encountered  the 
Indians  laying  in  ambush  on  the  top  of  a  second  bottom.  "We  had  just  crossed  a  branch, 
and  was  marching  along  its  first  bottom  with  a  view  of  finding  some  place  to  cross  a 
swamp  that  lay  between  us  and  the  upper  bottom.  The  men  were  marching  in  three  par- 
allel, Indian  file  columns,  some  distance  apart.  On  espying  a  trace  across  the  swamp,  the 
heads  of  the  columns,  in  passing  it,  were  thrown  together,  and  as  soon  as  they  had  gained 
the  bank,  unexpectedly  received  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  The  troops  immediately  displayed 
to  the  right  and  left,  under  the  bank,  and  commenced  ascending  it,  when  the  skirmish  be- 
came general  and  noisy  for  about  thirty  minutes.  The  Indians  then  gave  way  in  every 
direction.  In  this  fight,  we  had  four  or  five  killed  and  many  wounded  ;  it  was  supposed 
the  Indians  suffered  much  more. 

During  the  engagement,  while  I  was  ascending  the  point  of  a  bank,  formed  by  a  ravine 
from  the  second  bottom,  in  company  with  two  men,  Martin  and  Fox,  all  aiming  to  gain 
the  cover  of  some  large  oak  trees  on  the  top,  they  both  fell.  The  first  was  killed,  the 
last  wounded  in  the  breast,  the  ball  having  entered  the  bone,  but  was  drawn  out  with 
the  clothes.  Those  men  were  walking  in  a  line  with  each  other,  and  an  Indian  chief,  con- 
cealed behind  the  tree  for  which  I  was  aiming,  shot  them  both  with  one  ball.  I  took  no 
notice  whence  the  ball  came,  and  hastened  to  the  tree  ;  just  as  I  had  gained  it,  the  chiet 
fell  dead  from  the  other  side,  and  rolled  at  my  feet.  It  seems  a  neighbor,  who  had  seen 
him  fire  at  Martin  and  Fox,  and  dodge  behind  the  tree,  stood  ready  to  give  him  a  shot 
whenever  he  should  again  make  his  appearance.  The  Indian  had  got  his  ball  half  down, 
and  peeped  out  to  look  at  me,  when  Wilson  shot  him  in  the  head.  The  Indians  retreated 
towards  Wapatomica,  flanked  by  two  companies  in  hot  pursuit;  we  followed  in  the 
rear,  and  as  the  last  Indian  was  stepping  out  of  the  water,  Captain  Teabaugh,  a  great 
soldier  and  good  marksman,  brought  him  to  the  ground.  I  was  at  the  time  standing  near 
Teabaugh,  and  shall  never  forget  the  thrilling  emotion  produced  by  this  incident.  During 
this  battle,  one  of  the  men,  Jacob  Newbold,  saw  the  colonel  laying  snug  behind  a  fallen 
tree,  sufficiently  remote  from  danger,  had  there  been  no  defence.  It  was  immediately 
noised  among  the  men,  who  were  in  high  glee  at  the  joke  ;  one  would  cry  out,  "  who  got 
behind  the  log?"  when  an  hundred  voices  would  reply,  "  the  colonel!  the  colonel!"  At 
this,  M'Donald  became  outrageous ;  I  heard  him  inquire  for  the  man  who  had  raised  the 
report,  and  threatened  to  punish  him  I  went  round  and  told  Newbold  what  the  colonel 
had  said  ;  "  that's  your  sort,"  said  he.  Raising  on  his  feet  and  going  towards  the  colonel, 
declared  he  did  see  him  slink  behind  the  log  during  the  battle.  He  gave  his  rifle  to  a  man 
standing  by,  cut  some  hickories,  and  stood  on  the  defence,  at  which  the  whole  company 
roared  with  laughter,  and  the  colonel  took  himself  oft"  to  another  part  of  the  line.  Night  was 
now  at  hand,  and  the  division  was  ordered,  by  the  colonel,  to  encamp  in  an  oak  woods, 
in  sight  of  the  Indian  villages,  Cressap's  party  laying  by  themselves.  This  evening,  Jack 
Hayes  was  spying  down  the  creek,  saw  an  Indian  looking  at  us  through  the  forks  of  a  low 
tree  ;  he  levelled  his  rifle  and  shot  him  directly  between  the  eyes,  and  brought  him  into 
camp.  Just  after  night-fall.  Col.  M'Donald  was  hailed  from  over  the  creek  by  an  Indian, 
who  implored  peace  in  behalf  of  his  tribe.  He  was  invited  over  by  the  colonel,  who  held 
a  parley  with  him,  but  declined  entering  into  terms  until  more  Indians  were  present.  It 
was  then  proposed,  if  two  white  men  would  go  the  Indians,  they  would  send  two  more  of 
their  mnnber  to  us ;  but  none  being  willing  to  undertake  the  visit,  two  came  over  and 
stayed  all  night  in  the  colonel's  tent ;  but  their  only  object  was  to  watch  the  troops,  and 
gam  time  to  remove  their  families  and  effects  from  the  town.  Captain  Cressap  was  up 
the  whole  night  among  his  men,  going  the  rounds,  and  cautioning  them  to  keep  their  arms 
in  condition  for  a  morning  attack,  which  he  confidently  expected.  About  two  hours  be- 
fore day-break,  he  silently  formed  his  men,  examined  each  rifle,  and  let  them  across  the 
creek  into  the  villages,  leaving  M'Donald,  with  the  other  troops,  in  the  encampment.  At 
this  time,  the  Indians  who  had  passed  the  night  in  the  camp,  escaped.  The  village  was 
directly  surrounded,  and  the  savages  fled  from  it  into  the  adjoining  thicket  in  the  utmost 
consternation.  In  this  attack,  none  w?.re  killed  on  either  side,  but  one  Indian  by  Captain 
Cressap. 


884  MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 

By  this  time,  the  camp  was  nearly  out  of  provisions,  with  a  three  days'  march  before 
them.  A  small  quantity  of  old  corn  and  one  cow  was  the  entire  spoils  of  the  villages. 
Those  were  distributed  among  the  men,  the  villages  burned,  and  the  troops  immediately 
commenced  their  march  for  the  Ohio  river,  where  they  expected  to  meet  provisions  sent 
down  from  Redstone.  The  men  became  exceedingly  famished  on  this  march,  and  myself 
being  young,  was  so  weak  that  I  could  no  longer  carry  any  thing  on  my  person.  Au 
older  brother  and  one  or  two  others  kept  encouraging  me  ;  one  of  them  had  a  good  stock 
of  tobacco.  I  saw  him  take  it,  and  with  an  earnestness  bordering  on  delirium,  insisted  on 
having  some.  As  I  had  never  used  it  before,  they  refused,  thinking  it  would  entirely  dis- 
able me  ;  but  as  I  was  so  importunate,  they  at  last  gave  me  a  small  piece.  I  directly  felt 
myself  relieved.  They  gave  me  more,  and  in  a  short  time  my  strength  and  spirits  returned. 
I  took  my  arms  and  baggage,  and  was  able  to  travel  with  the  rest  of  them,  and  was 
actually  the  first  to  reach  the  Ohio.  Here  we  met  the  boats,  but  nothing  in  them  but  corn 
in  the  ear.  Every  man  was  soon  at  work  with  his  tomahawk,  crushing  it  on  the  stones, 
and  mixing  it  with  water  in  gourds  or  leaves  fashioned  in  the  shape  of  cups,  while  some 
provident  ones  enjoyed  the  aristocratic  luxury  of  tin  cups ;  but  all  seemed  alike  to  relish 
the  repast.  A  party  of  us  crossed  the  Ohio  that  day  for  the  settlement,  when  we  came  up 
with  a  drove  of  hog>,  in  tolerable  order.  We  shot  one  and  eat  him  on  the  spot,  without 
criticizing  with  much  nicety  the  mode  or  manner  of  preparation.  Indeed,  the  meat  of 
itself  was  so  savoury  and  delicious,  we  thought  of  little  else.  In  a  few  days,  I  returned  to 
my  parents,  and  after  a  little  domestic  storming  and  much  juvenile  vaunting  of  our  exploits, 
settled  down  to  clearing. 

Zanesville,  the  county  seat,  is  beautifully  situated  54  miles  east  of 
Columbus,  at  the  point  where  the  national  road  crosses  the  Muskin- 
gum, and  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Licking. 

In  May,  1796,  congress  passed  a  law  authorizing  Ebenezer  Zane  to  open  a  road  from 
Wheeling,  in  Virginia,  to  Limestone,  now  Maysville,  Ky.  In  the  following  year,  Mr. 
Zane,  accompanied  by  his  brother,  Jonathan  Zane,  and  his  son-in-law,  John  M'Intire,botb 
experienced  woodsmen,  proceeded  to  mark  out  the  new  road,  which  was  afterwards  cut  out 
by  the  two  latter.  The  cutting  out,  however,  was  a  very  hasty  business,  in  which  nothing 
more  was  attempted  than  to  make  the  road  passable  for  horsemen.  As  a  compensation 
for  opening  this  road,  congress  granted  to  Ebenezer  Zane  the  privilege  of  locating  military 
warrants  upon  three  sections  of  land,  not  to  exceed  one  mile  square  each  ;  the  first  of  these 
to  be  at  the  crossing  of  the  Muskingum,  the  second  at  the  Hockhocking,  and  the  third  at 
the  Scioto.  It  has  been  generally  said  that  these  were  free  grants  to  Mr.  Zane,  for  opening 
the  road  :  but  an  examination  of  the  law  will  show  that  it  was  only  a  permission  for  Mr. 
Zane  to  locate  his  warrant  on  land  which  had  not  been  appropriated  to  that  purpose.  Mr. 
Zane  first  proposed  to  cross  the  Muskingum  at  Duncan's  falls,  but  foreseeing  the  value  of 
the  hydraulic  power  created  by  the  falls  where  Zanesville  now  stands,  he  crossed  the  river 
at  that  point,  and  thus  became  entitled  to  a  section  of  land  embracing  the  falls.  Regarding 
the.  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  beauty  of  the  vicinity,  his  next  choice  was  selected  where 
Lancaster  has  since  been  built,  rather  than  at  the  crossing  of  what  now  bears  the  name  of 
Rush  creek,  which  is  really  the  main  branch  of  the  Hockhocking.  At  the  Scioto,  he  was 
obliged  to  locate  his  warrant  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  river,  as  the  western  shore  lay 
within  the  Virginia  military  district.  His  location  was  made  nearly  opposite  to  Chillicothe. 
These  choice  tracts  would  no  doubt  have  all  been  taken  up  before  that  time,  but  they  had 
not  been  surveyed  and  brought  into  market.  The  country  east  of  the  Muskingum,  and 
for  some  distance  west,  also,  being  hilly  and  comparatively  poor,  this  was  thought  to  be 
the  least  valuabie  section  of  the  three,  and  E.  Zane  gave  it  to  his  brother  Jonathan,  and  J. 
M'Intire,  for  assisting  him  and  opening  the  road. 

One  of  the  conditions  annexed  to  the  grant  of  Mr.  Zane,  was  that  he  should  keep  ferries 
across  these  rivers  during  the  pleasure  of  congress.  Messrs.  Zane  and  M'Intire  gave  the 
Muskingum  ferry  for  five  years  to  William  M'Culloch  and  Henry  Crooks,  on  condition  that 
they  should  move  to  the  place  and  keep  the  ferry,  which  they  did.  The  ferry  was  kept 
about  where  the  upper  bridge  is  situated,  and  the  ford  was  near  the  site  of  the  present  dam. 
The  ferry-boat  was  composed  of  two  canoes,  with  a  stick  lashed  across.  The  first  flat- 
boat  used  for  the  ferry,  was  one  in  which  Mr.  M'Intire  removed  from  Wheeling,  in  1799. 
Mr.  Zane  resided  at  Wheeling.  The  first  mail  ever  carried  in  Ohio,  was  brought  from 
Marietta  to  M'Culloch's  cabin,  by  Daniel  Convers,  in  1798,  where,  by  the  arrangement  of 
the  postmaster  general,  it  met  a  mail  from  Wheeling  and  one  from  Limestone.  M'Cul- 
loch, who  could  barely  read,  was  authorized  to  assort  the  mails,  and  send  each  package 
in  its  proper  direction,  for  which  he  received  $30  per  annum;  but  the  service  often  fell  to 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 


385 


the  lot  of  Mr.  Convers,  as  he  was  more  expert.  At  that  time,  the  aforesaid  mails  met  here 
weekly.  Four  years  after,  a  number  of  families  having  settled  here,  a  regular  post-office 
was  opened,  and  Thomas  Dowden  appointed  postmaster,  who  kept  his  office  in  a  wooden 
building  near  the  river,  on  Front  street. 

In  1799,  Messrs.  Zane  and  M'Intire  laid  out  the  town,  which  they  called  Westbourn,  a 
name  which  it  continued  to  bear  until  a  post-office  was  established  by  the  postmaster  gen- 
eral, under  the  name  of  Zanesville,  and  the  village  soon  took  the  same  name.     A  few 


First  Hotel  at  Zanesville. 

families  from  the  Kanawha,  settled  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  soon  after  M'Culloch  ar- 
rived, and  the  settlement  received  pretty  numerous  accessions  until  it  became  a  point  of 
importance.  It  contained  one  store  and  no  tavern.  The  latter  inconvenience  however, 
was  remedied  by  Mr.  M'Intire,  who,  for  public  accommodation,  rather  than  for  private 
emolument,  opened  a  house  of  entertainment.  It  is  due  to  Mr.  M'Intire  and  his  lady,  to 
say  that  their  accommodations,  though  in  a  log  cabin,  were  such  as  to  render  their  house 
the  traveller's  home.  Prior  to  that  time,  there  were  several  grog  shops  where  travellers 
might  stop,  and  after  partaking  of  a  rude  supper,  they  could  spread  their  blankets  and  bear- 
skins on  the  floor,  and  sleep  with  their  feet  to  the  fire.  But  the  opening  of  Mr.  MTntire's 
house  introduced  the  luxury  of  comfortable  beds,  and  although  his  board  was  covered  with 
the  fruits  of  the  soil  and  the  chase,  rather  than  the  luxuries  of  foreign  climes,  the  fare  was 
various  and  abundant. 

This,  the  first  hotel  at  Zanesville,  stood  at  what  is  now  the  corner  of  Market  and  Second 
streets,  a  few  rods  from  the  river,  in  an  open  maple  grove,  without  any  underbrush :  it  was 
a  pleasant  spot,  well  shaded  with  trees,  and  in  full  view  of  the  falls.  The  engraving  was 
made  from  the  description  of  one  who  knew  it  well.  Louis  Phillipe,  the  present  king  of 
France,  was  once  a  guest  of  Mr.  M'Intire.  The  Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  in  his  "  Camp  and 
Court  of  Louis  Phillipe,"  thus  alludes  to  the  circumstance.  "  At  Zanesville,  the  party 
found  the  comfortable  cabin  of  Mr.  M'Intire,  whose  name  has  been  preserved  in  the  king's 
memory,  and  whose  house  was  a  favorite  place  of  rest  and  refreshment  for  all  the  travellers 
who,  at  this  early  period,  were  compelled  to  traverse  that  part  of  the  country.  And  if 
these  pages  should  chance  to  meet  the  eyes  of  any  of  those  who,  like  the  writer,  have 
passed  many  a  pleasant  hour  under  the  roof  of  this  uneducated,  but  truly  worthy  and  re- 
spectable man,  he  trusts  they  will  unite  in  this  tribute  to  his  memory." 

At  that  time,  all  the  iron,  nail,  castings,  flour,  fruit,  with  many  other  articles  now  pro- 
duced here  in  abundance,  were  brought  from  Pittsburgh  and  Wheeling,  either  upon  pack- 

49 


386  MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 

horses  across  the  country,  or  by  the  river  in  canoes.  Oats  and  corn  were  usually  brought 
about  fifty  miles  up  the  river,  in  canoes,  and  were  worth  from  75  cents  to  $1  per  bushel. 
Flour,  $6  to  $8  per  barrel.  In  1802,  David  Harvey  opened  a  tavern  at  the  intersection  ot 
Third  and  Main  streets,  which  was  about  the  first  shingled  roofed  house  in  the  town.  Mr. 
M'Intire  having  only  kept  entertainment  for  public  accommodation,  discontinued,  after  the 
opening  of  Mr.  Harvey's  tavern. 

In  1804,  when  the  legislature  passed  an  act  establishing  the  county  of  Muskingum,  the 
commissioners  appointed  to  select  a  site  for  the  county  seat,  reported  in  favor  of  Zanesville. 
The  buildings  were  yet  few  in  number,  and  the  streets  and  lots  were  principally  covered 
with  the  native  growth  ;  but  the  citizens,  in  order  to  put  on  the  best  appearance  possible, 
turned  out,  while  Zanesville  was  yet  a  candidate  (if  we  may  so  speak)  for  the  county  seat, 
and  cut  out  the  bushes  from  some  of  the  principal  streets,  and  especially  from  the  public 
square,  that  the  situation  might  appear  to  the  best  possible  advantage  in  the  eyes  of  the 
commissioners.  Some  were  anxious  that  the  county  seat  should  be  at  Coshocton,  and 
others  preferred  the  Cass  section  above  Dresden,  but  Zanesville  was  finally  selected,  but  in 
part  because  it  was  so  near  Marietta,  as  to  render  any  county  between  the  two  places  for- 
ever unnecessary.  Muskingum  included  within  its  original  limits  the  present  counties  of 
Muskingum  and  Coshocton,  besides  the  greater  part  of  what  now  constitutes  the  counties 
of  H>  lines,  Tuscarawas  and  Guernsey,  and  a  part  of  Perry,  Morgan,  Monroe  and  Carrol. 

The  county  seat  having  been  established,  the  town  improved  more  rapidly,  and  as  the 
unappropriated  United  States  military  lands  had  been  brought  into  market  during  the  pre- 
ceding year,  (1803,)  and  a  land  otfice  established  at  Zanesville,  many  purchases  and  settle- 
ments were  made  in  the  county.  The  first  court  in  Zanesville,  sat  in  Harvey's  tavern.  In 
a  short  time  afterwards,  a  wooden  jail  was  erected,  and  also  a  wooden  building,  the  lower 
part  of  which  served  as  a  residence  for  the  sheriff  and  his  family,  and  the  upper  room  was 
used  as  a  court  room  and  as  a  place  for  all  public  meetings,  political  or  religious.  These 
buildings  ttood  between  the  ate  of  the  present  court  house  and  jail,  and  were  afterwards 
burnt  down  by  a  negro,  who  was  confined  on  a  charge  of  larceny. 

An  anecdote  may  serve  to  convey  some  idea  of  the  difficulties  of  frontier  life.  It  may 
also  show  that  vice  and  crime  were  not  less  scorned  then,  than  in  later  days.  After  the 
organization  of  the  county,  but  before  the  erection  of  any  public  buildings,  two  men  were 
apprehended  on  a  charge  of  counterfeiting  silver  dollars.  It  was  impracticable  to  send  them 
to  the  jail  at  Marietta,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles  through  the  woods,  until  the  next  term  of 
court,  to  which  they  were  bound  over.  To  turn  them  loose  or  permit  them  to  escape, 
would  encourage  others  to  depredate  in  like  manner  ;  it  was  necessary,  therefore,  that  they 
should  be  punished.  Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  MTntire  called  on  Daniel  Convers, 
and  in  strong  language  stated  his  views,  adding,  "  we  must  tc4te  them  in  charge  and  keep 
them  until  court."  This  was  contrary  to  law,  but  as  necessity  knows  no  law,  the  justice 
was  persuaded  to  surrender  them  to  M'Intire  and  Convers,  as  they  pledged  themselves  that 
if  the  prisoners  were  not  forthcoming  at  the  hour  of  trial,  they  would  take  their  places  and 
abide  the  penalty.  After  conducting  them  to  a  cabin  selected  for  the  purpose,  and  putting 
hand-cuffs  on  them,  they  were  addressed  by  M'Intire,  who,  Me  in  hand,  stood  by  the  door: 
"  Now,  boys,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  blankets  provided  for  their  bed,  "  there  is  your  bed  ; 
with  your  guilt  or  innocence  we  have  nothing  to  do, — you  shall  have  plenty  to  eat  and  to 
drink,  but,"  added  he,  raising  his  right  arm  in  a  threatening  manner,  "  if  you  attempt  to  es- 
cape, d n  you,  I'll  kill  you."    The  firm,  resolute  manner  of  the  address,  deterred  them 

from  making  the  attempt.  M'Intire,  with  his  axe  by  his  side,  took  his  seat  by  the  door ; 
and  here,  day  after  day  and  night  after  night,  did  he  and  his  associates  watch  the  prisoners 
until  the  term  of  court  arrived,  when  they  were  tried  and  convicted.  One  confessed  hia 
crime,  and  told  where  their  tools  were  secreted,  about  18  miles  off,  on  the  Rocky  fork  of 
the  Licking,  where  they  w-ere  found  and  brought  into  court.  Agreeably  to  the  law  then 
in  force,  he  was  sentenced  to  receive  twenty-five  lashes,  well  laid  on, and  to  stand  committed 
until  all  costs  were  paid.  The  other  was  to  receive  thirty-nine  lashes,  and  also  to  be  re- 
committed. Their  sentence  was  immediately  carried  into  effect,  as  to  the  stripes,  which 
were  well  applied  by  Mr.  Beymer,  the  sheriff.  After  having  been  re-committed  to  their 
prison,  they  were  left  on  parole  of  honor,  and  their  guards  once  more  retired  to  their  beds, 
free  from  care.  Next  morning,  to  the  great  gratification  of  all,  it  was  found,  notwithstand- 
ing their  promise  to  the  contrary,  they  were  among  the  missing ;  their  hand-cuffs  having 
been    carefully  laid  away  for  the  use  of  their  successors. 

Mr.  M'Intire,  the  founder  and  patron  of  Zanesville,  was  indefatigable  in  his  attention  to 
the  interests  of  the  town  ;  no  personal  or  pecuniary  sacrifice  being  considered  too  great,  in 
his  anxiety  to  promote  its  prosperity. 

The  seat  of  government  had  been  fixed  temporarily  at  Chillicothe,  but  for  several  rea- 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY.  387 

sons,  many  members  of  the  legislature  were  dissatisfied,  and  it  was  known  that  a  change 
of  location  was  desired  by  them.  Muskingum  possessed  natural  advantages  favorable  to 
agricultural  and  manufacturing  purposes,  which  gave  Zanesville  a  fair  prospect  of  becoming 
an  extensive  town  ;  while  its  nearly  central  situation  rendered  it  a  desirable  site  for  the 
state  metropolis.  It  was  believed,  therefore,  by  many,  that  if  once  the  legislature  could  be 
induced  to  fix  the  temporary  seat  here,  it  would  not  be  removed,  but  made  permanent. 
The  citizens  of  the  town  and  county  were  alive  to  the  importance  of  obtaining  the  change, 
and  a  committee,  consisting  of  John  M'Intire  and  others,  was  appointed  to  visit  Chillicothe 
during  the  session  of  the  legislature,  and  make  whatever  pledge  might  be  necessary  on 
the  part  of  the  county,  as  well  as  to  aid  the  Muskingum  delegate  in  obtaining  the  passage 
of  the  desired  law.  At  the  session  of  1808  and  1809,  the  Muskingum  delegation  received 
assurances  from  their  friends  in  the  legislature,  that  if  the  county,  at  its  own  expense,  would 
furnish  suitable  buildings  for  the  use  of  the  legislature,  a  law  would  no  doubt  be  passed  for 
making  Zanesville  the  place  of  meeting.  Encouraged  by  the  cheering  prospect,  the  county 
commissioners  determined  to  erect  a  brick  building  in  front  of  the  old  court  house,  which 
would  make  a  respectable  state  house,  if  the  law  of  removal  should  be  passed,  and  should 
they  fail  in  that,  it  would  make  an  excellent  court  house.  The  county  was  without  funds, 
but  a  few  public  spirited  individuals  stepped  forward  and  offered  to  loan  the  money,  and  the 
buildings  were  accordingly  erected  in  the  summer  of  1809,  but  not  finished. 

In  February,  1810,  the  desired  law  was  passed,  fixing  the  seat  of  government  at  Zanes- 
ville, until  otherwise  provided.  The  county  then  went  on  to  finish  the  buildings  in  such  a 
manner  as  would  best  accommodate  the  legislature.  A  smaller  building  was  also  erected 
for  the  secretary  of  state  and  the  treasurer.  This  building  was  used  as  a  jail  after  the 
removal  of  the  legislature,  and  the  destruction  of  the  old  jail,  until  a  new  jail  was  erected 
in  1824,  and  afterwards,  as  offices  for  the  clerk  and  county  auditor.  The  county  incurred 
a  heavy  debt  in  the  erection  of  these  buildings,  and  the  county  orders  were  long  under  par, 
but  were  ultimately  redeemed.  The  legislature  sat  here  during  the  sessions  of  '10 ,-'11  and 
'11— '12.  when  the  present  site  of  Columbus  having  been  fixed  upon  for  tire  permanent  seat, 
the  Chillicothe  interest  prevailed,  and  the  temporary  seat  was  once  more  fixed  at  that  place, 
until  suitable  buildings  could  be  erected  at  Columbus. 

The  project  of  removing  the  seat  of  government  was  agitated  as  early  as  1807  or  '8,  and 
the  anticipation  entertained  that  Zanesville  would  be  selected,  gave  increased  activity  to 
the  progress  of  improvement.  Much  land  was  entered  in  the  county,  and  many  settlements 
made,  although  as  late  as  1813,  land  was  entered  within  three  miles  of  Zanesville.  J.i 
1809,  parts  of  the  town  plat  were  covered  with  the  natural  growth  of  timber.  It  was 
feared  by  some,  that  re-action  would  succeed  the  defeat  of  the  favorite  project  of  making 
Zanesville  the  state  capital ;  but  this  was  not  so.  The  natural  resources  of  the  country, 
and  the  numerous  local  advantages,  amply  supplied  the  necessary  objects  of  pursuit,  and 
saved  the  country  from  the  lethargy  which  frequently  follows  disappointed  effort.* 

The  annexed  sketch  of  Zanesville,  giving  its  condition,  resources 
and  prospects,  is  communicated  by  a  citizen. 

Zanesville  has  long  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  principal  towns 
in  the  state,  and  once  bid  fair  to  yield  the  palm  only  to  Cincinnati. 
But  the  extensive  internal  improvements  of  the  state  have  built  up 
her  rivals,  while  they  have  cut  off,  to  some  extent,  her  trade,  and 
checked  the  rapidity  of  her  growth.  Zanesville,  however,  has  ad- 
vantages and  resources  which,  when  fully  developed,  must  again 
give  her  a  prominent  place  among  the  cities  of  the  state. 

Zanesville  is  situated  on  the  east  bank,  in  a  bend  of  the  Musk- 
ingum river,  about  80  miles  above  its  mouth,  by  water,  and  65  miles 
by  land.  The  river  seems  once  to  have  run  nearly  in  a  right  line, 
from  which,  however,  it  has  gradually  diverged  to  the  westward, 
forming  a  horse-shoe  curve,  and  depositing,  through  successive  cen- 
turies, an  alluvion  of  gravel,  sand,  &c,  of  great  depth,  on  which 
Zanesville  now  stands.     In  sweeping  around  this  curve,  through  the 

*  The  preceding  historical  sketch  of  Zanesville,  is  from  a  series  of  editorial  articles  in 
the  Zanesville  Gazette,  of  1835. 


388  MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 

space  of  about  If  miles,  the  river  falls  8  or  10  feet,  and  by  the  aid 
of  a  dam,  a  fall  of  between  16  and  17  feet  is  obtained,  thus  furnish- 
ing very  extensive  water  power,  which  is  used  for  hydraulic  pur- 
poses. Near  the  toe  of  the  shoe,  Licking  creek,  or  river,  discharges 
her  waters  from  the  west,  and  while  above  the  mouth  of  Licking, 
West  Zanesville,  containing  some  three  hundred  inhabitants,  is  lo- 
cated, South  Zanesville,  with  nearly  the  same  population,  is  situated 
immediately  below.  Further  down  the  curve,  and  separated  from 
South  Zanesville  by  a  bluff,  is  the  beautiful  village  of  Putnam,  con- 
taining about  10  or  1200  inhabitants.  A  substantial  and  handsome 
bridge  connects  Zanesville  with  Putnam,  while  less  than  half  a  mile 
above,  another  similar  bridge  is  thrown  from  Zanesville  Main  street, 
to  a  point  in  the  stream,  where  the  bridge  forks,  and  one  branch 
connects,  on  the  route  of  the  national  or  Cumberland  road,  with 
South  Zanesville,  while  the  other  connects  with  West  Zanesville, 
and  the  roads  leading  off  in  that  direction.  The  "Cumberland 
road,"  constructed  by  the  national  government,  and  originally  de- 
signed to  run  from  the  town  of  Cumberland,  in  Maryland,  at  the 
eastern  foot  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  indefinitely  westward,  as 
the  country  becomes  settled,  crosses  the  Muskingum  river,  at  Zanes- 
ville, bearing  upon  it  a  constant  and  immense  travel ;  while  the 
Muskingum,  made  navigable  for  steamboats,  by  dams,  locks  and 
short  canals,  opens  a  trade  southward  to  the  Ohio,  and  northward  to 
the  Ohio  canal,  near  Dresden,  which  is  16  miles  above,  by  water. 
The  low  level  of  the  Ohio  canal,  between  Licking  and  Portage  sum- 
mits, passes  within  2  miles  of  Dresden,  and  a  navigable  side-cut  of 
'2\  miles,  connects  the  canal  with  the  river,  at  that  place,  which  is 
the  head  of  steamboat  navigation.  The  trade  of  Zanesville  having, 
through  the  river  and  side-cut,  reached  the  canal,  is  conveyed  south- 
ward through  the  interior  of  the  state,  or  northward  to  the  lake,  and 
thence  through  the  New  York  canal,  &c. :  or  leaving  the  Ohio  canal, 
through  the  Sandy  and  Beaver,  it  may  branch  off  towards  Pitts- 
burgh and  Philadelphia,  before  reaching  Cleveland.  The  freight, 
however,  designed  for  Pittsburgh  and  other  points  on  the  Ohio,  and 
for  the  south,  is  usually  shipped  down  the  river  upon  steamboats,  and 
on  entering  the  Ohio,  it  may  ascend  or  descend.  One  or  more 
steamboats  run  regularly,  during  the  business  season,  from  Zanes- 
ville to  Dresden,  for  the  purpose  of  towing  canal  boats,  carrying 
passengers,  &c. ;  while  others,  of  larger  size,  ply  between  Zanes- 
ville and  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati,  New  Orleans,  &c. 

In  addition  to  the  hydraulic  power  furnished  by  the  Muskingum 
and  Licking,  the  hills  which  surround  Zanesville  abound  in  veins  of 
bituminous  coal,  which  lead  to  the  free  employment  of  steam  power, 
and  is  almost  exclusively  used  for  fuel,  except  for  cooking,  and  a 
good  deal  for  that.  But  though  Zanesville  seems  thus  favored  by 
nature  with  all  the  facilities  for  manufacturing,  and  art  has  con- 
structed avenues  of  communication  in  every  direction  favorable  to 
the  procurement  of  the  raw  material  and  the  transmission  of  manu- 
factured goods,  her  citizens  have  not  turned  their  attention  hereto- 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY.  389 

fore,  so  much  as  they  might  have  done,  in  that  direction.  Their 
former  great  advantages  in  the  salt  and  wheat  trade,  seem,  with  other 
circumstances  not  necessary  to  specify,  to  have  shaped  their  course 
differently  ;  but  the  silent  workings  of  causes  growing  out  of  public 
improvements,  have  satisfied  business  men  that  Zanesville  must  be 
made  a  manufacturing — a  producing  place — or  diminish  in  impor- 
tance ;  and  a  company  is  now,  with  praiseworthy  spirit  and  enter- 
prize,  erecting  a  cotton  mill,  which,  it  is  believed,  will  be  the  fore- 
runner of  many  others.  Zanesville  should  be  the  Lowell  of  the 
west ;  but  this  will  never  be  brought  about  by  old  capitalists  whose 
fortunes  have  been  differently  made,  and  whose  thoughts  have  always 
run  in  other  channels.  A  new  population  rising  up  and  mingling 
with  emigrants  of  skill  and  enterprize,  may  do  it ;  but  it  must  be  in 
despite  of  such,  as  having  amassed  wealth,  would  play  the  part  of 
the  dog  in  the  manger. 

At  present,  there  are  in  the  above  mentioned  cluster  of  towns, 
5  extensive  flouring  mills,  2  oil  mills,  4  saw  mills,  1  paper  mill,  on 
the  most  recent  and  approved  plan  of  machinery,  5  iron  founderies 
in  active  operation,  and  2  others  not  doing  business  at  present,  2 
manufactories  of  yellow- ware,  of  beautiful  finish,  and  much  used  for 
culinary  purposes,  2  manufactories  of  glass,  2  of  woollen  goods,  2 
machine  shops,  1  last  manufactory,  with  numerous  other  establish- 
ments of  less  note.  There  are  5  printing  offices,  4  being  in  Zanes- 
ville, and  1  in  Putnam.  At  these  are  published  the  Gazette,  weekly  ; 
the  Courier,  weekly  and  tri- weekly;  the  Aurora,  weekly  ;  the  West- 
ern Recorder,  weekly  ;  and  Lord's  Counterfeit  Detector,  monthly. 

There  are  in  Zanesville,  2  Catholic  churches,  2  Baptist,  2  Epis- 
copal Methodist,  1  Protestant  Methodist,  3  Lutheran,  1  Presbyterian, 
1  Episcopalian,  1  Universalist  and  1  African.  Some  of  these  are 
extensive  and  beautiful  buildings.  In  Putnam,  there  is  a  handsome 
Presbyterian  church,  of  the  new  school  order,  and  a  spacious  Epis- 
copal Methodist  church.  For  educational  purposes,  there  is  an  ex- 
tensive female  seminary  in  Putnam,  designed  as  a  boarding  school, 
and  male  and  female  district  schools.  South  Zanesville  and  West 
Zanesville  have  district  school  buildings ;  and  in  Zanesville,  much 
attention  has  been  bestowed  upon  that  subject  for  a  few  years  past. 
The  founder  of  the  town,  John  M'Intire,  left  his  immense  estate, 
now  worth  probably  $200,000,  to  found  and  sustain  a  school  for  the 
benefit  of  the  poor  of  Zanesville,  and  a  handsome  brick  edifice  has 
been  erected  for  their  accommodation.  The  town  owns  two  large 
buildings,  one  for  males,  the  other  for  females,  in  which  schools 
are  kept  that  acknowledge  no  superiors.  Each  building  is  capable 
of  accommodating  300  scholars ;  and  the  scholars,  under  one  gen- 
eral head,  are  classified  and  placed  in  charge  of  assistants,  but  may, 
on  any  extraordinary  occasion,  be  all  brought  into  one  room. 
The  price  of  tuition  for  the  wealthy,  is  from  50  to  75  cents  per 
quarter  ;  the  public  money  pays  the  rest.  But  the  beauty  of  the 
system  is,  that  such  as  are  not  able  to  pay,  are  admitted  to  all  the 
advantages  enjoyed  by  the  most  wealthy,  even  to  the  learned  Ian- 


390  MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 

guages,  without  money  and  without  price.  Every  child,  then,  in 
Zanesville,  is  provided  with  the  means  of  education. 

There  are  in  Zanesville  upwards  of  thirty  stores  for  the  whole- 
saling and  retailing  of  dry  goods,  besides  hardware  stores,  wholesale 
and  retail  groceries,  drug  stores,  confectionary  establishments,  shoe 
stores,  hat  stores,  &c. 

The  court  house,  with  a  western  wing  for  public  offices,  and  a 
similar  one  on  the  east  for  an  atheneum,  has  a  handsome  enclosure, 
with  shade  trees  and  fountain  in  front,  making  altogether  an  object 
of  interest  to  the  passing  traveller,  and  a  place  of  pleasant  resort 
for  citizens.  The  atheneum  was  commenced  as  a  library  company, 
by  a  few  individuals,  nearly  twenty  years  ago,  and  soon  becoming 
incorporated,  put  up  a  handsome  two  story  brick  building,  as  a  wing 
to  the  court  house.  The  lower  rooms  are  rented  for  offices,  while 
the  upper  are  occupied  by  the  company  for  their  reading  room, 
library,  &c.  Strangers  have,  by  the  charter,  a  right  of  admission, 
and  during  their  stay  in  Zanesville,  can  always  find  there  access  to 
many  of  the  leading  journals  of  the  United  States,  and  to  a  library 
of  between  3  and  4000  volumes,  embracing  very  many  choice  and 
rare  books,  in  literature  and  science ;  while  additions  are  annually 
made  with  the  funds  arising  from  rents  and  $5  per  annum  paid  by 
each  stockholder.  There  is  a  commencement  for  a  cabinet  of  min- 
erals and  curiosities;  but  that  department  has  never  flourished  as 
its  importance  demands. 

The  water  works  of  Zanesville  are  very  great.  The  water  is 
thrown,  by  a  powerful  forcing  pump,  from  the  river,  to  a  reservoir 
upon  a  hill  half  a  mile  distant,  160  feet  above  the  level  of  the  pump, 
and  thence  let  down  and  distributed  by  larger  and  smaller  pipes  into 
every  part  of  the  town,  furnishing  an  ample  supply  for  public  and 
private  purposes,  as  well  as  providing  a  valuable  safeguard  against 
fire.  By  attaching  hose  at  once  to  the  fire  plugs,  the  water  may  be 
thrown  without  the  intervention  of  an  engine,  by  the  pressure  of  the 
head,  far  above  the  roofs  of  the  houses.  The  public  pipes  are  all  of 
iron,  and  at  present  there  are  between  six  and  seven  miles  of  pipe 
owned  by  the  town,  besides  that  owned  by  individuals,  and  used  in 
conveying  water  from  the  streets  and  alleys  to  their  own  hydrants. 
Much  of  this,  however,  is  of  lead.  The  cost  to  the  town  has  been 
about  $42,000.  The  reservoir  is  calculated  to  contain  about  750,000 
gallons.  The  present  population  of  Zanesville,  is  probably  some- 
thing under  8,000,  excluding  Putnam,  West  Zanesville  and  South 
Zanesville. 

Putnam  is  less  dense  in  its  construction  than  Zanesville,  and  con- 
tains many  beautiful  gardens.  It  being  principally  settled  by  New 
Englanders,  is  in  appearance  a  New  England  village.  The  town 
plat  was  owned,  and  the  town  laid  out  by  Increase  Matthews,  Levi 
Whipple  and  Edwin  Putnam.  The  latter  two  are  dead ;  Dr. 
Matthews  still  resides  in  Putnam. 

The  town  was  originally  called  Springfield,  but  there  being  a 
Springfield  in  Clarke  county,  the  name  of  the  former  was  changed 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 


391 


to  Putnam.     The  view  represents  Putnam  as  it  appears  from  the 
east  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  about  a  mile  below  the  steamboat 


Putnam. 

landing,  at  Zanesville.  The  bridge  connecting  Putnam  with  Zanes- 
ville,  is  seen  on  the  right.  On  the  left  is  shown  a  church,  and  the 
top  of  the  seminary  a  little  to  the  right  of  it. 

The  Putnam  Female  Seminary  is  an  incorporated  institution,  and 
has  been  in  operation  about  10  years.  The  principal  edifice  stands 
in  an  area  of  3  acres,  and  cost,  with  its  furniture,  about  820,000 
Pupils  under  14  years  of  age  are  received  into  the  preparatory  de- 
partment.    Those  over   14  enter  the  upper  department,  in  which 


The  Putnam  Female  Seminary. 

the  regular  course  of  study  requires  3  years,  and  excepting  the  lan- 
guages, is  essentially  like  a  college  course.  It  is  proposed  soon  to 
extend  the  time  to  4  years,  and  make  the  course  the  same  as  in  col- 
leges, substituting  the  German  for  Greek.     The  average  number  of 


302  MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 

pupils  has  been  about  100.  "By  reason  of  the  endowments,  the 
term  bills  are  very  much  less  than  at  any  similar  school  in  the 
country.  Exclusive  of  extra  studies,  the  cost  per  year  will  not 
exceed  $100  per  scholar."  There  are  5  teachers  in  this  flourishing 
institution,  of  which  Miss  Mary  Cone  is  the  principal.  It  is  under 
the  general  direction  of  a  board  of  trustees. 

Dresden  is  situated  on  the  Muskingum  side  cut  of  the  Ohio  canal, 
at  the  head  of  steamboat  navigation  on  the  Muskingum,  15  miles 
above  Zanesville.  It  is  the  market  of  a  large  and  fertile  country  by 
which  it  is  surrounded,  and  does  a  heavy  business.  It  possesses  su- 
perior manufacturing  advantages,  there  being  a  fall  of  twenty-nine 
feet  from  the  main  canal  to  low  water  mark  on  the  river.  The  adja- 
cent hills  abound  with  coal  and  iron  ore.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian 
and  1  Methodist  church,  about  15  stores,  a  market  house,  and  1000 
or  1200  inhabitants. 

Taylorsville,  laid  out  in  1832  by  James  Taylor,  is  on  the  Mus- 
kingum, 9  miles  below  Zanesville,  at  what  are  called  Duncan's  Falls, 
and  has  about  500  inhabitants.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  is 
a  village  called  Duncan's  Falls.  In  the  two  villages  united,  are  6 
stores,  1  Catholic,  1  Lutheran  and  1  Methodist  church,  1  fulling  mill, 
1  carding  machine,  and  two  merchant  mills.  An  Indian  town  existed 
in  the  neighborhood  when  the  whites  first  made  their  settlement. 

Chandlersville,  10  miles  se.  of  Zanesville,  has  2  churches,  3  stores, 
and  about  300  people.  In  boring  for  salt  in  that  neighborhood,  in 
January,  1820,  some  pieces  of  silver  were  dropped  into  the  hole  by 
some  evil  disposed  person,  and  being  brought  up  among  the  borings, 
reduced  to  a  fine  state,  quite  a  sensation  was  produced.  The  parts 
were  submitted  to  chemical  analysis,  and  decided  by  a  competent 
chemist  to  be  very  rich.  A  company  was  immediately  formed  to 
work  the  mine,  under  the  name  of  "  the  Muskingum  Mining  Com- 
pany," which  was  incorporated  by  the  legislature.  This  company 
purchased  of  Mr.  Samuel  Chandler,  the  privilege  of  sinking  a  shaft 
near  his  well,  from  which  the  silver  had  been  extracted.  As  this 
shaft  was  sunk  near  the  well,  it  did  so  much  injury,  that  Mr.  Chand- 
ler afterwards  recovered  heavy  damages  of  the  company.  The  com- 
pany expended  about  $10,000  in  search  of  the  expected  treasure, 
ere  they  abandoned  their  ill-fated  project. 

Norwich,  12  miles  e.  of  Zanesville,  on  the  national  road,  has  4 
stores,  2  churches,  and  about  500  inhabitants.  The  country  in  this 
region  is  well  adapted  to  wheat,  and  the  population  embraces  many 
substantial  and  independent  farmers. 

New  Concord,  3  miles  east  of  Norwich,  on  the  same  road,  has  in 
the  place  or  immediate  vicinity,  several  churches,  3  stores,  and 
about  400  inhabitants.  Pleasantly  located,  on  an  eminence  north  of 
the  central  part  of  the  village,  is  Muskingum  College.  In  March, 
1837,  the  Trustees  of  New  Concord  Academy — an  institution  which 
had  been  in  operation  several  years — were  vested  with  college 
powers  by  the  legislature  of  Ohio,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Mus- 
kingum College.     It  is  a  strictly  literary  institution,  and  the  first 


MUSKINGUM    COUNTY. 


393 


class  graduated  in  1839.  Al- 
though pecuniary  embarrass- 
ments have  impeded  its  pro- 
gress, it  has  continued  uninter- 
ruptedly its  operations  as  a  col- 
lege. These  difficulties  having 
been  recently  removed,  its  pros- 
pects ai*e  brightening. 

Gratiot,  on  the  national  road, 
on  the  line  of  Licking  county, 
contains  3  churches,  1  grist  and 
1  saw  mill,  a  carding  machine, 
and  about  300  inhabitants. 

The  following  are  small  vil- 
lages in  the  county.     The  lar- 
Muskingum  College.  gest  contains  several  stores  and 

churches  ;  but  none  have  over  300  inhabitants.  Uniontown,  or  Ful- 
tonham,  Roseville,  Adamsville,  Mount  Sterling,  Frazeyburg,  Otsego, 
Irville,  Meigsville,  Nashport,  Hopewell,  Newtonville,  Jackson  and 
Bridgeville. 


OTTAWA. 

Ottawa  was  formed  March  6th,  1840,  from  Sandusky,  Erie  and 
Lucas  counties.  Ottawa,  says  Bancroft,  is  an  Indian  word,  signify- 
ing "  trader."  It  was  applied  to  a  tribe,  whose  last  home,  in  Ohio, 
was  on  the  banks  of  the  Maumee.  The  surface  is  level,  and  most 
of  the  county  is  within  the  Black  Swamp,  and  contains  much  prairie 
and  marshy  land.  A  great  part  of  the  soil  is  owned  by  land  compa- 
nies in  New  York.  A  very  small  portion  of  the  eastern  part  is  within 
the  "Jire-lands."  There  were  but  a  few  settlers  previous  to  1830, 
since  which  many  have  emigrated  to  it,  from  the  central  part  of  the 
state.  On  the  peninsula  which  puts  out  into  Lake  Erie,  are  exten- 
sive plaster  beds,  from  which  large  quantities  of  plaster  are  taken. 
Upon  it  are  large  limestone  quarries,  extensively  worked.  The 
principal  crops  are  corn,  potatoes,  wheat  and  oats.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Bay,  231       Erie,  196       Portage,  357 

Harris,  318 

Kelley's  Island,       68 


Salem,  108 

Van  Rensselaer,    27 


Carroll,        262 
Clay,  176 

Danbury,     515 

The  population  of  Ottawa,  in  1840,  was  2258,  or  about  6  inhabi- 
tants to  a  square  mile. 

The  first  trial  of  arms  in  the  war  of  1812,  upon  the  soil  of  Ohio, 
occurred  in  two  skirmishes  on  the  peninsula  in  this  county,  on  the 
29th  of  September,  1812,  between  a  party  of  soldiers,  principally 

50 


301  OTTAWA    COUNTY. 

from  Trumbull  and  Ashtabula  counties,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Joshua  T.  Cotton,  and  a  superior  body  of  Indians.  Our  men  be- 
haved with  coolness  and  courage.  The  results  were  unimportant, 
and  but  a  few  were  killed  on  either  side.* 

That  noted  event  in  the  late  war,  in  the  northwest — Perry's 
victory — took  place  on  Lake  Erie,  only  a  few  miles  distant  from  the 
line  of  Ottawa.  A  description  of  this  action,  we  annex,  from  Per- 
kins's Late  War. 

At  Erie,  Commodore  Perry  was  directed  to  repair,  and  superintend  a  naval  establishment, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  create  a  superior  force  on  the  lake.  The  difficulties  of  building 
a  navy  in  the  wilderness  can  only  be  conceived  by  those  who  have  experienced  them. 
There  was  nothing  at  this  spot  out  of  which  it  could  be  built,  but  the  timber  of  the  forest. 
Ship  builders,  sailors,  naval  stores,  guns  and  ammunition,  were  to  be  transported  by  land,  over 
bad  roads,  a  distance  of  400  miles,  either  from  Albany  by  the  way  of  Buffalo,  or  from  Philadel- 
phia by  the  way  of  Pittsburgh.  Under  all  these  embarrassments,  by  the  first  of  August,  1813, 
Commodore  Perry  had  provided  a  flotilla,  consisting  of  the  ships  Lawrence  and  Niagara  of 
twenty  guns  each,  and  seven  smaller  ves  els,  to  wit,  one  of  four  guns,  one  of  three,  two  of 
two,  and  three  of  one  ;  in  the  whole  fifty-four  guns.  While  the  ships  were  building,  the 
enemy  frequently  appeared  off  the  harbor  and  threatened  their  destruction  ;  but  the  shallow- 
ness of  the  water  on  the  bar — there  being  but  five  feet — prevented  their  approach.  The  same 
cause,  which  insured  the  safety  of  the  ships  while  building,  seemed  to  prevent  their  being  of 
any  service.  The  two  largest  drew  several  feet  more  water  than  there  was  on  the  bar.  The 
inventive  genius  of  Commodore  Perry,  however,  soon  surmounted  this  difficulty.  He  placed 
large  scows  on  each  side  of  the  two  largest  ships,  filled  them  so  as  to  sink  to  the  water 
edge,  then  attached  them  to  fhe  ships  by  strong  pieces  of  timber,  and  pumped  out  the  water. 
The  scows  then  buoyed  up  the  ships  so  as  to  pass  the  bar  in  safety.  This  operation  was 
performed  on  both  the  large  ships,  in  the  presence  of  a  superior  enemy.  Having  gotten  his 
fleet  in  readiness,  Commodore  Perry  proceeded  to  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  anchored  in 
Put-in-Bay,  opposite  to,  and  distant  thirty  miles  from  Maiden,  where  the  British  fleet  lay 
under  the  guns  of  the  fort.  He  lay  at  anchor  here  several  days,  watching  the  motions  of 
the  enemy,  determined  to  give  him  battle  the  first  favorable  opportunity.  On  the  10th  of 
September,  at  sunrise,  the  British  fleet,  consisting  of  one  ship  of  nineteen  guns,  one  of  sev- 
enteen, one  of  thirteen,  one  often,  one  of  three,  and  one  of  one,  amounting  to  sixty-four, 
and  exceeding  the  Americans  by  ten  guns,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Barclay,  ap- 
peared off  Put-in-Bay,  distant  about  ten  miles.  Commodore  Perry  immediately  got  under 
weigh,  with  a  light  breeze  at  southwest.  At  10  o'clock,  the  wind  hauled  to  the  southeast, 
which  brought  the  American  squadron  to  the  windward,  and  gave  them  the  weathergage. 
Commodore  Perry,  on  board  the  Lawrence,  then  hoisted  his  union  jack,  having  for  a  motto 
the  dying  words  of  Captain  Lawrence,  "  Dont  give  up  the  ship,"  which  was  received  with 
repeated  cheers  by  the  crew. 

He  then  formed  the  line  of  battle,  and  bore  up  for  the  enemy,  who  at  the  same  time 
hauled  his  courses  and  prepared  for  action.  The  lightness  of  the  wind  occasioned  the  hos- 
tile squadrons  to  approach  each  other  but  slowly,  and  prolonged  for  two  hours,  the  solemn 
interval  of  suspense  and  anxiety  which  precedes  a  battle.  The  order  and  regularity  of  naval 
discipline  heightened  the  dreadful  quiet  of  the  moment.  No  noise,  no  bustle,  prevailed  to 
distract  the  mind,  except  at  intervals,  the  shrill  pipings  of  the  boatswain's  whistle,  or  a  mur- 
muring whisper  among  the  men,  who  stood  around  their  guns,  with  lighted  matches,  nar- 
rowly watching  the  movements  of  the  foe,  and  sometimes  stealing  a  glance  at  the  counte- 
nances of  their  commanders.  In  this  manner,  the  hostile  fleets  gradually  neared  each 
other  in  awful  silence.  At  fifteen  minutes  after  eleven,  a  bugle  was  sounded  on  board  the 
enemy's  headmost  ship,  Detroit,  loud  cheers  burst  from  all  their  crews,  and  a  tremendous 
fire  opened  upon  the  Lawrence,  from  the  British  long  guns,  which,  from  the  shortness  of  the 
Lawrence's,  she  was  obliged  to  sustain  for  forty  minutes  without  being  able  to  return  a  shot. 

Commodore  Perry,  without  waiting  for  the  other  ships,  kept  on  his  course  in  such  gallant 
and  determined  style,  that  the  enemy  supposed  he  meant  immediately  to  board.  At  five 
minutes  before  twelve,  having  gained  a  nearer  position,  the  Lawrence  opened  her  fire,  but 

*  Hon.  Joshua  R.  Giddings,  then  a  lad  of  16,  was  present  on  the  occasion.  In  the  La- 
dies' Repository  was  published  two  or  three  years  since  a  lengthy  account  of  these  skir- 
mishes from  Ins  pen. 


OTTAWA    COUNTY.  395 

the  long  guns  of  the  British  sti  1  gave  them  greatly  the  advantage,  and  the  Lawrence  was 
exceedingly  cut  up  without  twing  able  to  do  but  very  little  damage  in  return.  Their  shot 
pierced  her  side  in  all  directions,  killing  the  men  in  the  birth-deck  and  steerage,  where  they 
had  been  carried  to  be  dressed.  One  shot  had  nearly  produced  a  fatal  explosion  ;  passing 
through  the  light  room,  it  knocked  the  snuff  of  the  candle  into  the  magazine  ;  fortunately, 
the  gunner  saw  it,  and  had  the  presence  of  mind  immediately  to  extinguish  it.  It  appeared 
to  be  the  enemy's  plan,  at  all  events  to  destroy  the  commodore's  ship  ;  their  heaviest  fire 
was  directed  against  the  Lawrence,  and  blazed  incessantly  from  all  their  largest  vessels. 
Commodore  Perry,  finding  the  hazard  of  his  situation,  made  all  sail,  and  directed  the  other 
vessels  to  follow,  for  the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy.  The  tremendous  fire,  how- 
ever, to  which  he  was  exposed,  soon  cut  away  every  brace  and  bowline  of  the  Lawrence, 
and  she  became  unmanageable.  The  other  vessels  were  unable  to  get  up  ;  and  in  this  dis- 
astrous situation,  she  sustained  the  main  force  of  the  enemy's  fire  for  upwards  of  two  hours, 
within  cannister  distance,  though  a  considerable  part  of  the  time  not  more  than  two  or 
three  of  her  guns  could  be  brought  to  bear  on  her  antagonist.  The  utmost  order  and  regu- 
larity prevailed  during  this  scene  of  horror  ;  as  fast  as  the  men  at  the  guns  were  wounded, 
they  were  carried  below,  and  others  stepped  into  their  places ;  the  dead  remained  where 
they  fell,  until  after  the  action.  At  this  juncture,  the  enemy  believed  the  battle  to  be  won. 
The  Lawrence  was  reduced  to  a  mere  wreck;  her  deck  was  streaming  with  blood,  and 
covered  wirh  the  mangled  limbs  and  bodies  of  the  slain  ;  nearly  the  whole  of  her  crew  were 
either  killed  or  wounded  ;  her  guns  were  dismounted,  and  the  commodore  and  his  officers 
helped  to  work  the  las'  that  was  capable  of  service.  At  two,  Capt.  Elliott  was  enabled,  by 
the  aid  of  a  fresh  breeze,  to  bring  his  ship  into  close  action  in  gallant  style  ;  and  the  com- 
modore immediately  determined  to  shift  his  flag  on  board  that  ship  ;  and  giving  his  own  in 
charge  to  Lieut.  Yarnell.he  hauled  down  his  union  jack,  and  taking  it  under  his  arm,  ordered 
a  boat  to  put  him  on  board  the  Niagara.  Broadsides  were  levelled  at  his  boat,  and  a  shower 
of  musketry  from  three  of  the  enemy's  ships.  He  arrived  safe  and  hoisted  his  union  jack, 
with  its  animating  motto,  on  board  the  Niagara.  Capt.  Elliott, by  direction  of  the  commo- 
dore, immediately  put  off  in  a  boat,  to  bring  up  the  schooners,  which  had  been  kept  back 
by  the  lightness  of  the  wind.  At  this  moment,  the  flag  of  the  Lawrence  was  hauled  down. 
She  had  sustained  the  principal  force  of  the  enemy's  fire  for  two  hours,  and  was  rendered 
incapable  of  defence.  Any  further  show  of  resistance  would  have  been  a  useless  sacrifice 
of  the  relics  of  her  brave  and  mangled  crew.  The  enemy  were  at  the  same  time  so  crip- 
pled, that  they  were  unable  to  take  possession  of  her,  and  circumstances  soon  enabled  her 
crew  again  to  hoist  her  flag.  Commodore  Perry  now  gave  the  signal  to  all  the  vessels  for 
close  action.  The  small  vessels,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Elliott,  got  out  their  sweeps, 
and  made  all  sail.  Finding  the  Niagara  but  little  injured,  the  commander  determined  upon 
the  bold  and  desperate  expedient  of  breaking  the  enemy's  line  ;  he  accordingly  bore  up  and 
passed  the  head  of  the  two  'ships  and  brig,  giving  them  a  raking  fire  from  his  starboard 
guns,  and  also  a  raking  fire  upon  a  large  schooner  and  sloop,  from  his  larboard  quarter,  at 
half  pistol  shot.  Having  gotten  the  whole  squadron  into  action,  he  luffed  and  laid  his  ship 
alongside  of  the  British  commodore.  The  small  vessels  having  now  got  up  within  good 
grape  and  canister  distance  on  the  other  quarter,  enclosed  their  enemy  between  them  and 
the  Niagara,  and  in  this  position  kept  up  a  most  destructive  fire  on  both  quarters  of  the 
British,  until  every  ship  struck  her  colors. 

The  engagement  lasted  about  three  hours,  and  never  was  victory  more  decisive  and  com- 
plete. More  prisoners  were  taken  than  there  were  men  on  board  the  American  squadron 
at  the  close  of  the  action.  The  principal  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  on  board  the 
Lawrence,  before  the  other  vessels  were  brought  into  action.  Of  her  crew,  twenty-two 
were  killed,  and  sixty  wounded.  When  her  flag  was  struck,  but  twenty  men  remained  on 
deck  fit  for  duty.  The  loss  on  board  of  all  the  other  vessels,  was  only  five  killed,  and  thir- 
ty-six wounded.  The  British  loss  must  have  been  much  more  considerable.  Commodore 
Barclay  was  dangerously  wounded.  He  had  lost  one  arm  in  the  battle  of  Trafalgar.  The 
other  was  now  rendered  useless,  by  the  loss  of  apart  of  his  shoulder-blade  ;  he  received  also 
a  severe  wound  in  the  hip. 

Commodore  Perry,  in  his  official  dispatch,  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  respect  and 
commisse ration  for  his  wounded  antagonist,  and  asks  leave  to  grant  him  an  immediate  parole. 
Of  Capt.  E.liott,  his  second  in  command,  he  says,  "  that  he  is  already  so  well  known  to  the 
governmei  t,  that  it  would  be  almost  superfluous  to  speak.  In  this  action,  he  evinced  his  cha- 
racteristic bravery  and  judgment,  and  since  the  close  of  it,  has  given  me  the  most  able  and 
essential  assistance."  The  bold  and  desperate  measure  of  pressing  forward  into  action  with 
the  Lawrence  alone,  and  exposing  her  to  the  whole  fire  of  the  enemy's  fleet  for  two  hours, 
before  the  other  ships  could  be  got  up,  has  been  censured  as  rash,  and  not  warranted  by  the- 


396  OTTAWA    COUNTY. 

rules  of  naval  war ;  but  there  are  seasons  when  the  commander  must  rely  more  on  tha 
daring  promptness  of  his  measures,  than  on  nice  calculations  of  comparative  strength.  Nei- 
ther Bonaparte  nor  Nelson  ever  stopped  to  measure  accurately  the  strength  of  the  respective 
combatants.  The  result  is  the  acknowledged  and  generally  the  best  criterion  of  merit ;  and 
it  should  not  detract  from  the  eclat  of  the  successful  commander,  that  his  measures  were 
bold  and  decisive. 

Two  days  after  the  battle,  two  Indian  chiefs,  who  had  been  selected  for  their  skill  as 
marksmen,  and  stationed  in  the  tops  of  the  Detroit,  for  the  purpose  of  picking  off'  the  Ameri- 
can officers,  were  found  snugly  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  Detroit.  These  savages, 
who  had  been  accustomed  to  ships  of  no  greater  magnitude  than  what  they  could  sling  on 
their  backs,  when  the  action  became  warm,  were  so  panic-struck  at  the  terrors  of  the  scene, 
and  the  strange  perils  that  surrounded  them,  that,  looking  at  each  other  with  amazement, 
they  vociferated  their  significant  "  qvonh"  and  precipitately  descended  to  the  hold.  In 
their  British  uniforms  hanging  in  bags  upon  their  famished  bodies,  they  were  brought  before 
Commodore  Perry,  fed,  and  discharged  ;  no  further  parole  being  necessary,  to  prevent  their 
afterwards  engaging  in  the  contest  The  slain  of  the  crews  of  both  squadrons  were  com- 
mitted to  the.  lake  immediately  after  the  action.  The  next  day,  the  funeral  obsequies  of 
the  American  and  British  officers  who  had  fallen,  were  performed  at  an  opening  on  the 
margin  of  the  bay,  in  an  appropriate  and  affecting  manner.  The  crews  of  both  fleets 
united  in  the  ceremony.  The  stillness  of  the  weather — the  procession  of  boats — the  music 
— the  slow  and  regular  motion  of  the  oars,  striking  in  exact  time  with  the  notes  of  the 
solemn  dirge — the  mournful  waving  of  the  flags — the  sound  of  the  minute-guns  from  all  the 
ships — the  wild  and  solitary  aspect  of  the  place,  gave  to  these  funeral  rites  a  most  impres- 
sive influence,  and  formed  an  affecting  contrast  with  the  terrible  conflict  of  the  preceding 
day.  Then  the  people  of  the  two  squadrons  were  engaged  in  the  deadly  strife  of  arms ; 
now  they  were  associated  as  brothers,  to  pay  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  the  slain  of  both 
nations.  Two  American  officers,  Lieutenant  Brooks  and  Midshipman  Laub,  of  the  Law- 
rence ;  and  three  British,  Captain  Finnis  and  Lieutenant  Stoke  of  the  Charlotte,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Garland  of  the  Detroit,  lie  interred  by  the  side  of  each  other,  in  this  lonely  place,  on 
the  margin  of  the  lake,  a  few  paces  from  the  beach. 

This  interesting  battle  was  fought  midway  of  the  lake,  between  the  two  hostile  armies, 
who  lay  on  the  opposite  shores,  waiting  in  anxious  expectation,  its  result.  The  allied 
British  and  Indian  forces,  to  the  amount  of  four  thousand  five  hundred,  under  Proctor  and 
Tecumseh,  were  at  Maiden,  ready,  in  case  of  a  successful  issue,  to  renew  their  ravages  on 
the  American  borders. 

Port  Clinton,  the  county  seat,  laid  out  in  1827,  is  120  miles  north 
of  Columbus.  It  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  bay,  on  the  right  bank  of 
Portage  river.  It  has  a  good  harbor — in  which  is  a  light-house — and 
about  60  dwellings.  Tt  is  about  the  only  village  in  the  county,  and 
may  ultimately  be  a  place  of  considerable  trade. 

Most  of  the  islands  in  Lake  Erie  are  off  this  county.  Their  exact 
situation  and  size  was  not  known,  until  the  recent  survey  by  the 
United  States  government,  and  all  the  maps  heretofore  published  are 
erroneous  respecting  them. 

Kelly's  Island,  recently  formed  into  a  township  of  the  same  name, 
has  18  families,  and  2800  acres.  It  is  resorted  to  by  steamers,  for 
wood  and  water,  and  harborage  in  storms.  Its  harbor  is  good,  and 
large  quantities  of  excellent  limestone  are  quarried,  for  building  and 
other  purposes :  some  of  the  most  elegant  structures  in  Detroit  are 
built  with  it.  The  Put-in-Bay  islands  are  North,  South  and  Middle 
Bass,  Sugar,  Gibraltar,  Strontian — so  called  from  the  quantity  of 
strontian  found  there — with  numerous  small  islets,  containing  half  an 
acre  and  less.  South  Bass  is  the  largest,  and  contains  about  1300 
acres.  Upon  it  are  several  caves,  which  are  much  visited.  Some 
of  the  officers  slain  at  Perry's  victory  were  hastily  buried  here, 
in  the  sand  near  the  shore,  and  many  of  the  bones  have  been 
washed  away  by  the  invading  waters.     Middle  and  North  Bass 


PAULDING    COUNTY.  397 

have  each  about  700  acres.  On  Middle  Bass  is  one  family,  and  on 
South  Bass  two  or  three.  This  cluster  is  about  8  miles  nw.  of 
Kelly's  Island,  which,  with  that,  are  within  the  legal  jurisdiction  of 
this  county. 

Point-au-Pele — so  called  from  lying  off  a  locality  of  that  name  iri 
Canada — is  the  largest  island  in  the  lake,  being  about  8  miles  in 
length.  It  was  on  the  ice  near  this  island,  that  "  the  patriots" — so 
called,  under  Capt.  Bradley,  of  Sandusky  City,  had  the  skirmish  with 
the  British  cavalry  a  few  years  since,  and  repulsed  them.  The  three 
Sisters — East,  Middle  and  West  Sister — are  uninhabited.  The  last 
is  the  largest,  and  has  not  over  50  or  60  acres.  Middle  island  has 
about  the  same  area,  and  the  Hen  and  Chickens  are  quite  small. 


PAULDING. 

Paulding  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820. 
It  was  named  from  John  Paulding,  a  native  of  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  and 
one  of  the  three  militia  men  who  captured  Major  Andre,  in  the  wai 
of  the  revolution:  he  died  in  1818.  The  surface  is  level,  and  the 
county  covered  by  the  Black  Swamp.  The  principal  crops  are 
corn,  wheat  and  oats.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Auglaize,  298  Carroll,  345 

Brown,  181  Crain,  211 

The  population  of  Paulding,  in  1840,  was  1035,  or  about  2  inhab- 
itants to  a  square  mile. 

Charloe,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Auglaize  river  and  Miami  Ex- 
tension canal,  137  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  and  12  south  of  Defiance. 
It  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1840,  and  contains  a  few  families  only. 
Ockenoxy's  town  stood  on  the  site  of  Charloe — so  called  from  a 
chief  who  resided  there,  and  who  was  reputed  an  obstinate,  cruel 
man.  The  village,  later,  was  called  Charloe,  from  an  Ottawa  chief, 
distinguished  for  his  eloquence  and  sprightliness  in  debate. 

Five  miles  north,  at  the  junction  of  the  Wabash  and  Erie  and 
Miami  Extension  canals,  is  a  small  village,  called  Junction.  Eleven 
miles  west  from  the  junction,  on  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal,  is 
Antwerp,  also  a  small  town. 


PERRY. 


Perry  was  formed  March  1st,  1817,  from  Washington,  Muskingum 
and  Fairfield,  and  named  from  Commodore  Oliver  H.  Perry.  The 
surface  is  mostly  rolling,  and  in  the  south  hilly,  the  soil  is  clayey,  and 
in  the  middle  and  northern  part  fertile.     Much  excellent  tobacco  is 


398  TERRY    CC  JNTY. 

raised  in  the  southern  part,  and  wheat  in  the  centre  and  north.  The 
principal  productions  are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  hay,  tobacco,  beef  cattle, 
pork  and  wool.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840, 
with  their  population. 

Bearfield,     1455         Jackson,  1700         Reading,       393G 

Clayton,       1602         Madison,  1167         Salt  Lick,     1243 

Harrison,      1034         Monday  Creek,  986         Thorn,  2006 

Hopewell,    1544         Monroe,  999 

The  population  of  Perry,  in  1820,  was  8429,  in  1830,  14,063,  and 
in  1840,  19,340 ;  or  48  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  was  first  settled  by  Pennsylvania  Germans,  about  the 
years  1802  and  1803.  Of  the  early  settlers  the  names  of  the  follow- 
ing are  recollected  :  John  Hammond,  David  Pugh,  Robt.  M'Clung, 
Isaac  Brown,  John  and  Anthony  Clayton,  Isaac  Reynolds,  Daniel 
Shearer,  Peter  Overmyer,  Adam  Binckley,  Wm.  and  Jacob  Dusen- 
bury,  John  Poorman,  John  Finck,  Daniel  Parkinson  and  John  Lash- 
ley.  The  first  church  erected  in  the  county  wras  at  New  Reading  : 
it  was  a  Lutheran  church,  of  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Foster  was  the 
pastor :  shortly  after,  a  Baptist  church  was  built  about  three  miles 
east  of  Somerset. 

The  road  through  this  county  was,  "from  1800  to  1815,  the  great 
thoroughfare  between  Kentucky,  Indiana,  Ohio  and  the  eastern  states, 
or  until  steamboat  navigation  created  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
travellers — a  perpetual  stream  of  emigrants  rolled  westward  along 
its  course,  giving  constant  occupation  to  hundreds  of  tavern  keepers, 
seated  at  short  distances  along  its  borders,  and  consuming  all  the 
spare  grain  raised  by  the  inhabitants  for  many  miles  north  and  south 
of  its  line.  Groups  of  merchants  on  horseback,  with  led  horses,  laden 
with  Spanish  dollars,  travelled  by  easy  stages  every  spring  and 
autumn  along  its  route,  congregated  in  parties  of  ten  or  twenty  in- 
dividuals, for  mutual  protection,  and  armed  with  dirks,  pocket  pistols, 
and  pistols  in  holsters,  as  robberies  sometimes  took  place  in  the  more 
wilderness  parts  of  the  road.  The  goods,  when  purchased,  were 
wagoned  to  Pittsburgh,  and  sent  in  large  flat  boats,  or  keel  boats,  to 
their  destination  below,  while  the  merchant  returned  on  horseback 
to  his  home,  occupying  eight  or  ten  weeks  in  the  whole  tour." 

Somerset,  the  county  seat,  is  43  miles  easterly  from  Columbus,  on 
the  Macadamized  road  leading  from  Zanesville  to  Lancaster,  from 
each  of  which  it  is  18  miles,  or  midway,  which  circumstance  gave  it, 
when  originally  laid  out,  the  name  of  Middletown. 

In  1S07,  John  Finck  erected  the  first  log-cabin  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  place.  Having  purchased  a  half  section  of  land,  he  laid  out,  in 
1810,  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  :  the  western  part  was  laid  out  by 
Jacob  Miller.  They  became  the  first  settlers :  the  first  died  about 
11,  and  the  last  about  20  years  since.  The  present  name,  Somerset, 
was  derived  from  Somerset,  Penn.,  from  which  place  and  vicinity 
most  of  the  early  settlers  came.  The  board  of  directors  of  the 
Lutheran  seminary  at  Columbus  have  voted  to  remove  it  to  this 
place.     The  town  contains  1  Lutheran,  2  Catholic  and  1  Methodist 


PERRY    COUNTY. 


899 


church ;  1  iron  foundery,  1  tobacco  warehouse,  3  newspaper  print- 
ing offices,  16  mercantile  stores,  and  about  1400  inhabitants.  A  very 
Urge  proportion  of  the  population  of  the  county  are  Catholics.    They 


View  in  Somerset. 

i  *ve  in  the  town  a  nunnery,  to  which  is  attached  St.  Mary's  semi- 
r  *ry,  a  school  for  young  females.  It  is  well  conducted,  and  many 
]  rotestant  families  send  their  daughters  here  to  be  educated.  The 
C  atholics  are  also  about  building  a  college  for  the  reception  of  all 
o  imosed  to  patronize  it. 

About  two  miles  south  of  Somerset  are  the  buildings  shown  in  the 
annexed  view.  The  elegant  building  in  the  centre  is  St.  Joseph's 
c/iarch,  recently  erected  ;  on  the  right  is  seen  the  convent  buildino- ; 


Convent  of  Dominican  Friars,  §-c. 

the  structure  partly  shown  beyond  St.  Joseph's  church,  is  the  oldest 
Catholic  church  in  the  state.     The  history,  of  which  we  give  an  ex- 


400  PERRY    COUNTY. 

tract  from  an  article  in  the  United  States  Catholic  Magazine  for 
January,  1847,  entitled  "the  Catholic  Church  in  Ohio." 

The  first  chapel,  of  which  we  have  any  authentic  record,  that  was  ever  consecrated  to 
Almighty  God  within  our  borders,  was  St.  Joseph's,  in  Perry  county,  which  was  solemnly 
blessed  on  the  6th  of  December,  1818,  by  Rev.  Edward  Fenwick  and  his  nephew,  Rev.  N. 
D.  Young,  of  the  order  of  St.  Dominic,  both  natives  of  Maryland,  and  deriving  their  juris- 
diction from  the  venerable  Dr.  Flaget,  who  was  then  the  only  bishop  between  the  Alle- 
ghenies  and  the  Mississippi.  This  chapel  was  first  built  of  logs,  to  which  an  addition  of 
stone  was  subsequently  made,  so  that  it  was,  for  a  considerable  time,  "  partly  log>  nnd  partly 
stone."  When  the  congregation,  which  consisted  of  only  ten  families  when  the  chapel  was 
first  opened,  had  increased  in  number,  the  logs  disappeared,  and  a  new  addition,  or,  to 
speak  more  correctly,  a  separate  church  of  brick  marked  the  progress  of  improvement,  and 
afforded  new  facilities  for  the  accommodation  of  the  faithful.  An  humble  convent,  whose 
reverend  inmates,  one  American,  N.  D.  Young,  one  Irishman,  Thomas  Martin,  and  one 
Belgian,  Vincent  de  Rymacher,  cheerfully  shared  in  all  the  hardships  and  privations  inci- 
dent to  the  new  colony,  was  erected  near  the  church,  and,  from  its  peaceful  precincts,  the 
saving  truths  of  faith  were  conveyed,  and  its  divine  sacraments  administered  to  many  a  weary 
emigrant  who  had  almost  despaired  of  enjoying  those  blessings  in  the  solitude  which  he  had 
selected  for  his  home.  The  benedictions  of  the  poor,  and  the  refreshing  dews  of  heaven, 
descended  on  the  spiritual  seed  thus  sown.  It  increased  and  multiplied  the  hundred  fold. 
New  congregations  were  formed  in  Somerset,  Lancaster,  Zanesville,  St.  Barnabas,  Morgan 
county,  Rehoboth  and  St.  Patrick's,  seven  miles  from  St.  Joseph's,  and  in  Sapp's  settle- 
ment, and  various  other  stations  still  more  distant,  was  the  white  habit  of  St.  Dominic 
hailed  by  the  lonely  Catholic  as  the  haibinger  of  glad  tidings,  and  the  symbol  of  the  joy, 
the  purity,  and  the  triumphs  which  attest  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  fulfilment 
of  the  promises  made  by  her  divine  founder  to  the  church. 

At  this  place,  a  number  of  young  men  are  being  educated  for  the 
priesthood  of  the  Dominican  order.  A  large  library  is  connected 
with  the  institution,  which  affords  facilities  to  the  students  in  be- 
coming acquainted  with  church  history  and  literature.  Among  them 
are  the  writings  of  many  of  the  fathers  and  rare  books,  some  of 
which  were  printed  before  the  discovery  of  America. 

In  this  county  are  many  ancient  mounds,  of  various  dimensions, 
and  four  or  five  miles  in  a  nw.  direction  from  Somerset,  is  an  ancient 
stone  fort.  Although  irregular  in  shape,  it  approaches  a  triangle. 
Near  the  center  is  a  stone  mound,  about  12  feet  high,  and  in  the  wall 
a  smaller  one.  The  fort  encloses  about  forty  acres.  Just  south  of  it 
is  a  square  wrork,  containing  about  half  an  acre. 

Thornville,  9  miles  n.  of  Somerset,  near  the  reservoir  of  the  feeder 
of  the  Ohio  canal,  is  a  thriving  town,  containing  2  churches,  several 
forwarding  houses,  3  stores,  and  about  500  inhabitants. 

"  This  portion  of  country  was  settled  about  1810;  land  was  then  so  cheap  in  the  neigh- 
borhood that  one  Beesacker  purchased  20  acres  for  an  old  black  mare  ;  luckily,  in  laying 
out  the  country,  two  important  roads  intersected  his  purchase.  He  immediately  had  it  sur- 
veyed into  town  lots:  naming  it  New  Lebanon,  an  embryo  town  sprung  into  existence. 
This  took  place  about  1815.  It  was  afterwards  changed  to  Thornville,  from  being  in  the 
township  of  Thorn." 

New  Lexington,  9  miles  s.  of  Somerset,  contains  4  stores,  3 
churches,  and  about  300  inhabitants.  Rehoboth,  7  miles  se.  of  Som- 
erset, has  2  churches,  3  stores,  2  tobacco  warehouses,  and  about  300 
people.  New  Reading,  Crossinville,  Oakfield  and  Straitsville  are 
also  small  places,  the  first  of  which,  by  the  census  of  1840,  had  193 
inhabitants. 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY.  401 


PICKAWAY. 


Pickaway  was  formed  Jan.  12th,  1810,  from  Ross,  Fairfield  and 
Franklin :  the  name  is  a  mis-spelling  of  Piqua,  the  name  of  a  tribe 
of  the  Shawanoese,  for  the  signification  of  which  see  page  362.  The 
name  was  immediately  derived  from  the  plains  in  the  county.  The 
surface  is  level,  and  the  soil  generally  very  fertile  and  productive  in 
grain.  In  many  places  the  eye  will  take  in  at  a  single  glance  500 
acres  of  corn  at  one  view.  The  country  has  the  four  varieties  of 
woodland,  barren,  plain  and  prairie.  The  barrens  were  originally 
covered  with  shrub  oak,  and  were  at  first  supposed  to  be  valueless, 
but  proved  to  be  excellent  for  grass  and  oats.  The  original  settlers 
were  mainly  from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  The  principal  pro- 
ductions are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  grass,  pork,  wool  and  neat  cattle. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Circleville,     2973         Madison,  851         Scioto,  920 

Darby,  1052         Muhlenburgh,   653         Walnut,         1798 

Deer  Creek,  1376         Monroe,  1352         Washington,  1194 

Harrison,       1149         Pickaway,       1574         Wayne,  779 

Jackson,  993         Salt  Creek,      1815 

The  population  of  Pickaway  in  1820,  was  18,143,  in  1830,  15,935, 
and  in  1840,  20,169;  or  40  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Much  of  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  Scioto  is  farmed  by 
tenants,  who  receive  either  a  certain  proportion  of  the  profits,  or  pay 
stated  rents.  The  farther  removed  the  ownership  of  land  from  those 
who  cultivate  it,  the  worse  is  it  for  the  development  of  the  resources 
of  a  country.  Slavery  is  worse  than  the  tenant  system,  and  actual 
ownership  the  best  of  all.  Hence  it  is  that  the  Virginia  military  dis- 
trict, much  of  which  is  held  in  large  tracts  by  wealthy  men,  with 
tenants  under  them,  does  not  thrive  as  well  as  some  other  parts  of 
the  state  having  a  poorer  soil,  but  cultivated  by  those  who  both  hold 
the  plow  and  own  the  land. 

Within  the  county,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  is  a  territory  of  about  290  square  miles, 
containing  a  population  of  8,376,  averaging  a  fraction  less  than  30  to  the  square  mile  ;  while 
the  territory  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  within  the  county,  embracing  only  209  square 
miles,  sustains  a  population  of  11,349 — averaging  almost  55  to  the  square  mile.  This  dis- 
parity in  the  density  of  population  of  the  territory  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  river, 
arises  principally  from  four  causes :  1st,  the  large  surveys  in  which  the  land  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  was  originally  located.  This  prevented  persons  of  small  means  from  seeking 
farms  there  ;  2d,  the  difficulty  of  finding  the  real  owner  of  these  surveys,  who  generally 
resided  in  some  of  the  southern  Atlantic  states,  or  Kentucky,  and  who  frequently  had  no 
agent  here  to  sub-divide,  show,  or  sell  the  lands ;  3d,  the  frequent  interference  of  different 
entries  and  surveys  there  with  each  other,  which  rendered  the  titles  insecure.  Though  only 
a  small  portion  of  the  lands  were  subject  to  this  last  difficulty,  yet  many  persons  were  there- 
by deterred  from  purchasing  and  settling  upon  them  ;  4th,  the  greater  disposition  in  the 
inhabitants  there  to  engross  large  tracts  of  land,  instead  of  purchasing  smaller  tracts,  and 
expending  more  upon  their  improvements.  This  last  continues  to  be  the  great  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  increase  of  population  now  on  those  lands. 

To  an  observing  traveller,  passing  directly  through  the  county  from  east  to  west,  the  con- 
trast is  very  striking.  While  on  the  one  side  he  finds  the  lands  well  improved,  with  fields 
of  moderate  size,  well  fenced,  with  a  good  barn  and  neat  dwelling  house  to  each  adjacent 
farm  ;  on  the  other,  he  finds  occasionally  baronial  mansions,  "  like  angel's  visits,  few  and 

51 


402 


PICKAWAY  COUNTY. 


far  between,"  with  rarely  a  barn,  and  each  field  large  enough  for  two  or  three  good  farms. 
Between  these  mansions  he  will  find  the  old  pioneer  log  dwellings,  and  the  slovenly  culti- 
vation of  the  first  settlers.  The  prices  of  the  same  quality  of  land  on  the  east  side  are 
generally  about  double  those  on  the  west  side.  A  part  of  this  difference  in  the  artificial 
appearance  and  cultivation  of  the  country  upon  the  opposite  sides  of  the  river,  results,  no 
doubt,  from  the  different  origin  of  the  inhabitants.  Those  on  the  east  side  originated 
mostly  from  Pennsylvania  ;  while  those  on  the  west  side  had  their  origin  generally  in  the 
more  northern  slave  states.  Habits  brought  with  the  first  emigrants  cannot  be  changed  at 
once,  though  time  and  the  operation  of  our  laws  will  gradually  modify  them.  Already,  in 
several  neighborhoods  west  of  the  river,  the  plan  of  smaller  farms  and  better  improvements 
has  commenced  ;  and  a  few  years  of  prosperous  industry  will  produce  the  neat  farm  cottage 
and  the  well-stored  barn,  with  the  productive  fields  of  variegated  crops  and  delicious  fruits, 
which  render  the  pursuits  of  agriculture  so  desirable.  These  are  the  blessings  designed  by 
a  bountiful  Benefactor  to  compensate  for  the  toils,  exposures  and  hardships  incident  to  the 
pursuit  of  farming.  Without  these  comforts,  it  would  be  the  barren  drudgery  of  the  toil- 
worn  slave  * 

Three  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Circleville  are  the  celebrated 
Pickaway  Plains,  said  to  contain  the  richest  body  of  land  in  Ohio. 
*'  They  are  divided  into  two  parts,  the  greater  or  upper  plains,  and 


Map  of  the  Ancient  Shawanocse  Towns,  on  the  Pickaway  Plain. 

[Explanations. — A.  Ancient  works,  on  which  Circleville  now  stands.  B.  Logan's  cabin 
at  Old  Chillicothe,  now  Westfall,  four  miles  below  Circleville  :  from  this  place  a  trail  led 
through  Grenadier  Squaw  town,  and  from  thence  up  the  Congo  valley,  and  crossed  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  creek,  about  lj  miles  from  its  mouth.     C.  Black  mountain,  a  short  dis- 


*  Historical  sketch  of  Pickaway  county. 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY.  403 

tance  west  of  the  old  Barr  mansion.  D.  Council  house,  a  short  distance  ne.  of  the  resi- 
dence of  Wm.  Renick,  jr.  The  two  parallel  lines  at  this  point  represent  the  gauntlet  through 
which  prisoners  were  forced  to  run,  and  O.  the  stake  at  which  they  were  burnt,  which  last 
is  on  a  commanding  elevation.  F.  The  camp  of  Col.  Lewis,  just  south  of  the  residence  ot 
Geo.  Wolf.  E.  The  point  where  Lord  Dunmore  met  with  and  stopped  the  army  of  Lewis 
when  on  their  way  to  attack  the  Indians :  it  is  opposite  the  mansion  of  Major  John  Boggs. 
G.  The  residence  of  Judge  Gills,  near  which  is  shown  the  position  of  Camp  Charlotte.] 

the  lesser  or  lower  one.  The  soil  was  very  black  when  first  culti- 
vated :  the  result  of  vegetable  decomposition  through  a  long  succes- 
sion of  ages.  These  plains  are  based  on  water-worn  gravel  and 
pebbles.  The  upper  plain  is  at  least  150  feet  above  the  bed  of  the 
river,  which  passes  about  a  mile  west  of  them.  Their  form  is  ellip- 
tical, with  the  longest  diameter  from  northeast  to  southwest,  being 
about  seven  miles  by  three  and  a  half  or  four  miles.  They  were 
destitute  of  trees  when  first  visited  by  the  whites.  The  fertility  was 
such  as  to  produce  one  hundred  bushels  of  corn,  or  fifty  of  wheat,  to 
the  acre,  for  many  years,  but  they  are  now  less  productive."  These 
plains  have  but  few  trees  or  shrubs  within  reach  of  the  eye,  except 
along  the  distant  borders.  The  early  settlers  in  the  vicinity  pro- 
cured all  their  fodder,  a  coarse,  natural  grass,  from  the  plains,  which 
grew  several  feet  above  a  man's  head.  It  was  extremely  difficult 
to  break  up,  requiring  the  strongest  teams.  The  cultivation  of  corn, 
which  grew  to  the  height  of  12  or  15  feet,  weakened  their  natural  fer- 
tility. Originally,  the  plains  were  adorned  with  a  great  variety  of 
beautiful  flowers. 

The  annexed  map  is  reduced  from  one  20^  inches  by  17^,  made 
from  the  survey  of  P.  N.  White,  for  Felix  Renick,  of  Ross.  The 
country  represented  is  about  7  miles  square.  Of  all  places  in  the- 
west,  this  pre-eminently  deserves  the  name  of  "  classic  ground." 
Here,  in  olden  time,  burned  the  council-fires  of  the  red  man ;  here 
the  affairs  of  the  nation  in  general  council  were  discussed,  and  the 
important  questions  of  peace  and  war  decided.  On  these  plains  the 
allied  tribes  marched  forth  and  met  General  Lewis,  and  fought  the 
sanguinary  battle  at  Point  Pleasant.  Here  it  was  that  Logan  made 
his  memorable  speech,  and  here,  too,  that  the  noted  campaign  of 
Dunmore  was  brought  to  a  close  by  a  treaty,  or  rather  a  truce,  at 
Camp  Charlotte. 

From  the  "  Remarks"  appended  to  this  map,  hy  Mr,  Renick,  we 
extract  the  following. 

Among  the  circumstances  which  invest  this  region  with  extraordinary  interest,  is  the  fact, 
that  to  those  towns  were  brought  so  many  of  the  truly  unfortunate  prisoners  who  were  ab- 
ducted from  the  neighboring  states.  Here  they  were  immolated  on  the  altar  of  the  red 
man's  vengeance,  and  made  to  suffer,  to  the  death,  all  the  tortures  savage  ingenuity  could 
invent,  as  a  sort  of  expiation  for  the  aggressions  of  their  race.  Strange  does  it  seem  that 
human  beings,  on  whom  nature  had  bestowed  such  riches  of  intelleot,  could  be  brought,  by 
force  of  habit,  not  only  to  commit,  but  to  delight  in  committing,  such  enormous  cruelties  at 
they  often  practised  on  many  of  their  helpless  victims — acts  which  had  the  direct  effect  of 
bringing  down  retaliation,  in  some  form  or  other,  on  their  own  heads.  But  that  they  should 
contend  to  the  last  extremity  for  so  delightful  a  spot,  will  not  be  wondered  at  by  the  most 
common  observer  on  a  view  of  the  premises.  For  picturesqueness,  fertility  of  soil,  and  every 
other  concomitant  to  make  it  desirable  for  human  habitation,  it  is  not  surpassed  by  any- 
other  locality  in  the  western  country,  or  perhaps  in  the  world.  The  towns  were  well  sup- 
plied  with  good  spring  water  ;  some  of  the  adjacent  bottom  lands  were  susceptible  of  beinp 


404  PICKAWAY    COUNTY. 

made  to  produce,  as  nature  has  left  them,  one  hundred  bushels  of  Indian  corn  to  the  acre, 
and  all  other  grains  and  vegetables  in  proportion. 

The  Black  Mountain,  represented  on  the  map  by  C,  (so  called  by  the  natives,  but  why 
so  named  tradition  hath  not  informed  us,)  is  a  ridge  somewhat  in  the  shape  of  an  inverted 
boat,  elevated  from  130  to  150  feet  above  the  bottom  prairie  immediately  in  its  vicinity, 
and  commands  from  its  summit  a  full  view  of  the  high  plains  and  the  country  around  it  to 
a  great  extent.  This  facility  the  natives  enjoyed,  for  they  were  in  the  practice  yearly  of 
burning  over  the  country,  which  kept  down  the  undergrowth,  while  the  larger  growth  was 
so  sparse  as  not  materially  to  intercept  the  view.  This  elevated  ridge  answered  the  Indian 
some  valuable  purposes.  No  enemy  could  approach,  in  day  time,  who  could  not,  from  its 
summit,  be  descried  at  a  great  distance  ;  and  by  repairing  thither,  the  red  man  could  often 
have  a  choice  of  the  game  in  view,  and  his  s;igacity  seldom  failed  him  in  the  endeavor  to 
approach  it  with  success.  The  burning-ground,  in  the  suburbs  of  Grenadier  Squawtown, 
represented  in  the  map,  was  also  situated  on  an  elevated  spot,  which  commands  a  full  view 
of  all  the  other  towns  within  the  drawing,  so  that  when  a  victim  was  at  the  stake,  and  the 
flames  ascending,  all  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  towns,  who  could  not  be  present,  might, 
in  a  great  measure,  enjoy  the  scene  by  sight  and  imagination.  The  burning-ground  at  Old 
Chillicothe  was  somewhat  similar,  being  in  full  view  of  the  burning-ground  at  Squawtown, 
the  Black  Mountain,  and  two  or  three  other  small  towns  in  other  parts  of  the  plains. 

The  Grenadier  squaw,  whose  name  the  above  town  bore,  was  a  sister  to  Cornstalk.  She 
was  represented  as  being  a  woman  of  great  muscular  strength  ;  and,  like  her  brother,  pos- 
sessed of  a  superior  intellect. 

From  accounts  most  to  be  relied  on,  it  was  to  Grenadier  Squawtown  that  Slover,  w:ho 
was  taken  prisoner  at  Crawford's  defeat,  in  1782,  was  brought  to  suffer  a  similar  death  to 
that  which  Crawford,  his  commander,  had  undergone  a  few  days  before,  but  from  which, 
through  Providential  aid,  he  was  relieved  and  enabled  to  make  his  escape.  The  circum- 
stances of  his  escape  have  been  previously  published  ;  but  as  they  seem  to  be  inseparably 
connected  with  the  history  of  this  spot,  I  hope  to  be  excused  for  repeating  them  here.  After 
his  capture,  on  his  way  thither,  he  had  been  very  much  abused  at  the  different  towns  he 
passed  through,  beaten  with  clubs,  &c.  On  his  arrival  here  he  had  a  similar  punish- 
ment to  undergo.  A  council  was  held  over  him,  and  he  was  doomed  to  die  the  death 
that  Crawford  had  suffered.  The  day  was  appointed  for  the  consummation  of  the  horrid 
deed,  and  its  morning  dawned  without  any  unpropitious  appearances  to  mar  the  antici- 
pated enjoyments  of  the  natives  collected  from  the  neighboring  towns  to  witness  the  scene. 
At  the  appointed  time,  Slover  was  led  forth,  stripped  naked,  tied  to  the  fatal  stake,  and  the 
fire  kindled  around  him.  Just  as  his  tormentors  were  about  to  commence  the  torture,  it 
seemed  that  the  Great  Spirit  looked  down,  and  said,  "  No  !  this  horrid  deed  shall  not  be 
done  !"  Immediately  the  heavens  were  overcast  ;  the  forked  lightnings  in  all  directions 
flew;  in  mighty  peals  the  thunder  rolled,  and  seemed  to  shake  the  earth  to  its  centre  ;  the 
rain  in  copious  torrents  fell,  and  quenched  the  threatening  flames  before  they  had  done  the 
victim  much  injury — continuing  to  a  late  hour.  The  natives  stood  dumb-founded — some- 
what fearing  that  the  Great  Spirit  was  not  pleased  with  what  they  were  about  to  do.  But 
had  they  been  never  so  much  inclined,  there  was  not  time  left  that  evening  to  carry  out 
their  usual  savage  observances.  Slover  was  therefore  taken  from  the  stake,  and  conducted 
to  an  empty  house,  to  an  upper  log  of  which  he  was  fastened  by  a  buffalo-tug  tied  around 
his  neck,  and  his  arms  were  pinioned  behind  him  by  a  cord.  Two  warriors  were  set  over 
him  as  a  guard,  to  prevent  his  escape  in  the  night.  Here  again  Providence  seemed  to  in- 
terfere in  favor  of  Slover,  by  causing  a  restless  sleep  to  come  over  his  guard.  Until  a  late 
hour  the  Indians  sat  up,  smoking  their  pipes  and  talking  to  Slover — using  all  their  ingenuity 
to  tantalize  him,  asking  "  how  he  would  like  to  eat  fire,"  &c.  At  length  one  of  them  lay 
down,  and  soon  fell  asleep.  The  other  continued  smoking  and  talking  with  Slover  some 
time.  After  midnight,  a  deep  sleep  came  upon  him.  He  also  lay  down,  and  soon  thought 
of  nothing  save  in  dreams  of  the  anticipated  pleasure  to  be  enjoyed  in  torturing  their  pris- 
oner next  day.  Slover  then  resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  get  loose,  and  soon  extricated 
one  of  his  hands  from  the  cords.  He  then  tried  to  unloose  the  tug  around  his  neck,  but 
without  effect.  He  had  not  long  been  thus  engaged  before  one  of  the  Indians  got  up  and 
smoked  his  pipe.  While  he  was  thus  engaged,  Slover  kept  very  still  for  fear  of  a  discovery  ; 
'but  the  Indian  being  again  overcome  with  sleep,  again  lay  down.  Slover  then  renewed 
his  exertions,  but  for  some  time  without  effect,  and  he  resigned  himself  to  his  fate.  After 
resting  awhile,  however,  he  resolved  to  make  another  and  a  last  effort.  He  put  his  hand 
.again  to  the  tug,  and,  as  he  related,  he  slipped  it  over  his  head  without  difficulty.  He  then 
got  out  of  the  house  as  quietly  as  possible,  sprang  over  a  fence  into  a  cornfield.  While 
passing  through  the  field  he  came  near  running  over  a  squaw  and  h;r  children,  who  were 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY.  405 

sleeping  under  a  tree.  To  avoid  discovery,  he  deviated  from  a  straight  tract,  and  rapidly 
hurried  to  the  upper  plain,  where,  as  he  had  expected,  he  found  a  number  of  Indian  horses 
grazing.  Day  was  then  fairly  breaking.  He  untied  the  cord  from  the  other  arm,  which  by 
this  time  was  very  much  swelled.  Selecting,  as  he  thought,  the  best  horse  he  could  see,  he 
made  a  bridle  of  the  cord,  mounted  him,  and  rode  off  at  full  speed.  About  10  o'clock,  the 
horse  gave  out.  Slover  then  had  to  travel  on  foot  with  all  possible  speed  ;  and  between 
musquitoes,  nettles,  brush,  briars,  thorns,  &c,  by  the  time  he  got  home,  he  had  more  the 
appearance  of  a  mass  of  raw  flesh  than  an  animate  being. 

The  history  of  the  expedition  of  Lord  Dunmore  against  these 
towns  on  the  Scioto,  in  1774,  we  derive  from  the  discourse  upon  this 
subject  delivered  by  Chas.  Whittlesey,  Esq.,  before  the  historical  and 
philosophical  society  of  Ohio,  at  Columbus,  in  1840. 

In  August,  1774,  Lord  Dunmore  collected  a  force  of  3,000  men,  destined  for  the  reduc- 
tion of  their  towns  on  the  Scioto,  situated  within  the  present  limits  of  Pickaway  county. 
One  half  of  the  corps  was  raised  in  Botetourt,  Fincastle,  and  the  adjoining  counties,  by  Col. 
Andrew  Lewis,  and  of  these,  1,100  were  in  rendezvous  at  the  levels  of  Green  Briar  on  the 
5th  of  September.  It  advanced  in  two  divisions  ;  the  left  wing,  commanded  by  Lewis, 
struck  the  great  Kenhawa,  and  followed  that  stream  to  the  Ohio.  The  right  wing,  attend- 
ed by  Dunmore  in  person,  passed  the  mountains  at  the  Potomac  gap,  and  came  to  the  Ohio 
somewhere  above  Wheeling.  About  the  (1th  of  October,  a  talk  was  had  with  the  chiefs  of 
the  Six  Nations  and  the  Delawares,  some  of  whom  had  been  to  the  Shawanese  towns  on  a 
mission  of  peace.  They  reported  unfavorably.  The  plan  of  the  campaign  was  to  form  a 
junction  before  reaching  the  Indian  villages,  and  Lewis  accordingly  halted  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Kenhawa  on  the  6th  of  October  for  communication  and  orders  from  the  commander-in- 
chief.  While  there  he  encamped  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  village  of  Point 
Pleasant,  without  entrenchments  or  other  defences.  On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  October, 
he  was  attacked  by  1,000  chosen  warriors  of  the  western  confederacy,  who  had  abandoned 
their  towns  on  the  Pickaway  plains  to  meet  the  Virginia  troops,  and  give  them  battle  before 
the  two  corps  could  be  united.  The  Virginia  riflemen  occupied  a  triangular  point  of  land, 
between  the  right  bank  of  the  Kenhawa  and  the  left  bank  of  the  Ohio,  accessible  only  from 
the  rear.  The  assault  was  therefore  in  this  quarter.  Within  an  hour  after  the  scouts  had 
reported  the  presence  of  the  Indians,  a  general  engagement  took  place,  extending  from  one 
bank  of  one  river  to  the  other,  half  a  mile  from  the  point. 

Colonel  Andrew  Lewis,  who  seems  to  have  been  possessed  of  military  talent,  acted  with 
steadiness  and  decision  in  this  emergency.  He  arrayed  his  forces  promptly,  and  advanced 
to  meet  the  enemy,  with  force  equal  to  his  own.  Col.  Charles  Lewis,  with  300  men,  form- 
ing the  right  of  the  line,  met  the  Indians  at  sunrise  and  sustained  the  first  attack.  Here  he 
was  mortally  wounded  in  the  onset,  and  his  troops  receiving  almost  the  entire  weight  of  the 
charge,  were  broken  and  gave  way.  Col.  Fleming  with  a  portion  of  the  command,  had 
advanced  along  the  shore  of  the  Ohio,  and  in  a  few  moments  fell  in  with  the  right  of  the 
Indian  line,  which  rested  on  the  river. 

The  effect  of  the  first  shock  was  to  stagger  the  left  wing,  as  it  had  done  the  right,  and 
its  commander,  also,  was  severely  wounded  at  an  early  stage  of  the  conflict ;  but  his  men 
succeeded  in  reaching  a  piece  of  timber  land,  and  maintained  their  position  until  the  reserve 
under  Col.  Field  reached  the  ground.  It  will  be  seen  by  examining  Lewis's  plan  of  the 
engagement,  and  the  ground  on  which  it  was  fought,  that  an  advance  on  his  part,  and  a 
retreat  of  his  opponent,  necessarily  weakened  their  line  by  constantly  increasing  its  length, 
if  it  extended  from  river  to  river,  and  would  eventually  force  him  to  break  it  or  leave  his 
flanks  unprotected.  Those  acquainted  with  Indian  tactics  inform  us,  that  it  is  the  great 
point  of  his  generalship  to  preserve  his  flanks  and  overreach  those  of  his  enemy.  They 
continued,  therefore,  contrary  to  their  usual  practice,  to  dispute  the  ground  with  the  perti- 
nacity of  veterans  along  the  whole  line — retreating  slowly  from  tree  to  tree,  till  one  o'clock, 
p.  m.,  when  they  reached  a  strong  position.  Here  both  parties  rested,  within  rifle  range  of 
each  other,  and  continued  a  desultory  fire  along  a  front  of  a  mile  and  a  quarter,  until  after 
sunset. 

The  desperate  nature  of  this  fight  may  be  inferred  from  the  deep-seated  animosity  of  both 
parties  towards  each  other,  the  high  courage  which  both  possessed,  and  the  consequences 
which  hung  upon  the  issue.  The  Virginians  lost  one  half  their  commissioned  officers  and 
52  men  killed.  Of  the  Indians,  21  were  left  on  the  field,  and  the  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
is  stated  at  233.     During  the  night,  the  Indians  retreated  and  were  not  pursued. 

Having  failed  in  this  contest  with  the  troops  while  they  were  still  divided  in  two  parties, 


406  PICKAWAY    COUNTY. 

they  changed  their  plan  and  determined  at  once  to  save  their  towns  from  destruction  by 
offers  of  peace. 

Soon  after  the  battle  was  over,  a  reinforcement  of  300  Fincastle  troops,  and  also  an  ex- 
press from  Lord  Dunmore,  arrived,  with  an  order  directing  this  division  to  advance  towards 
the  Shawanese  villages  without  delay.  Notwithstanding  the  order  was  given  in  ignorance 
of  the  engagement,  and  commanded  them  to  enter  the  enemy's  country  unsupported,  Col. 
Lewis  and  his  men  were  glad  to  comply  with  it,  and  thus  complete  the  overthrow  of  the 
allied  Indians. 

The  Virginians,  made  eager  with  success,  and  maddened  by  the  loss  of  so  many  brave 
officers,  da?hed  across  the  Ohio  in  pursuit  of  more  victims,  leaving  a  garrison  at  Point 
Pleasant.  Our  next  information  of  them  is,  that  a  march  of  eighty  miles,  through  an  un- 
trodden wilderness,  has  been  performed,  and  on  the  24th  of  Oct.,  they  are  encamped  on  the 
banks  of  Congo  creek,  in  Pickaway  township,  Pickaway  county,  within  striking  distance 
of  the  Indian  towns.  Their  principal  village  was  occupied  by  Shawnees,  and  stood  upon 
the  ground  where  the  village  of  Westfall  is  now  situated,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Scioto, 
and  on  the  Ohio  canal,  near  the  south  line  of  the  tame  county.  This  was  the  head-quar- 
ters of  the  confederate  tribes,  and  was  called  Chillicothe  ;  and  because  there  were  other 
towns,  either  at  that  time  or  soon  after,  of  the  same  name,  it  was  known  as  Old  Chillicothe. 
One  of  them  was  located  at  the  present  village  of  Frankfort,  in  Ross  county,  on  the  north 
fork  of  Paint  creek,  and  others  on  the  waters  of  the  Great  Miami.  In  the  mean  time,  Lord 
Dunmore  and  his  men  had  descended  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Hockhocking, 
established  a  depot,  and  erected  some  defences  called  Fort  Gower.  From  this  point  he 
probably  started  the  express  directed  to  Lewis,  at  the  mouth  of  Kenhawa,  about  fifty  miles 
below,  and  immediately  commenced  his  march  up  the  Hockhocking  into  the  Indian  coun- 
try. For  the  next  that  is  known  of  him,  he  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Camp  Charlotte,  on  the  left 
bank  of  Sippo  creek,  about  seven  miles  southeast  of  Circleville,  where  he  arrived  before 
Lewis  reached  the  station  on  Congo,  as  above  stated.  Camp  Charlotte  was  situated  about 
four  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Camp  Lewis,  on  the  farm  now  [1840]  owned  by  Thos. 
J.  Winship,  Esq.,  and  was  consequently  farther  from  the  Chillicothe  villages  than  the  posi- 
tion occupied  by  the  left  wing.  There  has  been  much  diversity  of  opinion  and  statement 
respecting  the  location  of  the  true  Old  Chillicothe  town,  and  also  in  regard  to  the  positions 
of  Camp  Charlotte  and  Camp  Lewis.  The  associations  connected  with  those  places  have 
given  them  an  interest  which  will  never  decline.  This  is  probably  a  sufficient  excuse  for 
presenting  here,  in  detail,  the  evidence  upon  which  the  positions  of  these  several  points  are 
established. 

It  was  at  the  Chillicothe  towns  that  Logan  delivered  his  famous  speech.  It  was  not 
made  in  council,  for  he  refused  to  attend  at  Camp  Charlotte  where  the  talk  was  held,  and 
Dunmore  sent  a  trader  by  the  name  of  John  Gibson  to  inquire  the  cause  of  his  absence. 
The  Indians,  as  before  intimated,  had  made  propositions  to  the  governor  for  peace,  and 
probably  before  he  was  aware  of  the  result  of  the  action  at  Kenhawa.  When  Gibson 
arrived  at  the  village,  Logan  came  to  him,  and  by  his  (Logan's)  request,  they  went  into  an 
adjoining  wood  and  sat  down.  Here,  after  shedding  abundance  of  tears,  the  honored  chief 
told  his  pathetic  story.*  Gibson  repeated  it  to  the  officers,  who  caused  it  to  be  published  in 
the  Virginia  Gazette  of  that  year.  Mr.  Jefferson  was  charged  with  making  improvements 
and  alterations  when  he  published  it  in  his  notes  on  Virginia  ;  but  from  the  concurrent  tes- 
timony of  Gibson,  Lord  Dunmore,  and  several  others,  it  appears  to  be  as  close  a  representa- 
tion of  the  original  as  could  be  obtained  under  the  circumstances.  The  only  versions  of  the 
s-peech  that  I  have  seen  are  here  contrasted,  in  order  to  show  that  the  substance  and  senti- 
ments correspond,  and  that  it  must  be  the  production  of  Logan,  or  of  John  Gibson,  the  only 
white  man  who  heard  the  original. 


Williamsburg,  Va.,  Feb.  4, 1775. 
The  following  is  said  to  be  a  message 
from  Captain  Logan,  an  Indian  warrior,  to 
Gov.  Dunmore,  after  the  battle  in  which 
Colonel  Charles  Lewis  was  slam,  delivered 
at  the  treaty  : 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say  that 
he  ever  entered  Logan's  cabin  but  I  gave 
him  meat ;  that  he  ever  came  naked  but  I 
clothed  him. 


New  York,  Feb.  16,1775. 
Extract  of  a  letter  from  Va. — 

"  I  make  no  doubt  the  following  speci- 
men of  Indian  eloquence  and  mistaken  valor 
will  please  you,  but  you  must  make  allowan- 
ces for  the  unskillfulness  of  the  interpreter." 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say,  if 
ever  he  entered  Logan's  cabin  hungry  and  I 
gave  him  not  meat ;  if  ever  he  came  cold  or 
naked  and  I  gave  him  not  clothing. 

"  During  the  course  of  the  last  long  and 


*  Affidavit  of  John  Gibson,  Jefferson's  Notes,  appendix,  p.  16. 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY. 


407 


"  In  the  course  of  the  last  war,  Logan  re- 
mained in  his  cabin  an  advocate  for  peace. 
I  had  such  an  affection  for  the  white  people, 
that  I  was  pointed  at  by  the  rest  of  my  na- 
tion. I  should  have  ever  lived  with  them 
had  it  not  been  for  Col.  Cresap,  who,  last 
year,  cut  off,  in  cold  blood,  all  the  relations 
of  Logan,  not  sparing  my  women  and  chil- 
dren. There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood 
in  the  veins  of  any  human  creature.  This 
called  upon  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought 
it.  I  have  killed  many,  and  fully  glutted 
my  revenge.  I  am  glad  there  is  a  prospect 
of  peace  on  account  of  the  nation  ;  but  I  beg 
you  will  not  entertain  a  thought  that  any 
thing  I  have  said  proceeds  from  fear.  Lo- 
gan disdains  the  thought.  He  will  not  turn 
on  his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who  is  there 
to  mourn  for  Logan  ?     No  one." 


bloody  war,  Logan  remained  in  his  tent  an 
advocate  for  peace.  Nay,  such  was  my 
love  for  the  whites,  that  those  of  my  own 
country  pointed  at  me  as  they  passed  by  and 
said,  '  Logan  is  the  friend  of  white  men.' 
I  had  even  thought  to  live  with  you,  but  for 
the  injuries  of  one  man.  Colonel  Cresap, 
the  last  spring,  in  cool  blood,  and  unpro- 
voked, cut  off  all  the  relatives  of  Logan ; 
not  sparing  even  my  women  and  children. 
There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the 
veins  of  any  human  creature.  This  called 
on  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought  it.  I 
have  killed  many.  I  have  fully  glutted  my 
vengeance.  For  my  country,  I  rejoice  at 
the  beams  of  peace.  Yet,  do  not  harbor 
the  thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear. 
Logan  never  felt  fear.  He  will  not  turn  on 
his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who  is  there  to 
mourn  for  Logan  ?     Not  one." 

The  right  hand  translation  is  literally  the  same  as  the  copy  given  in  Jefferson's  Notes, 
page  124,  and  is  doubtless  the  version  given  out  by  himself  at  the  time. 

It  was  repeated  throughout  the  North  American  colonies  as  a  lesson  of  eloquence  in  the 
schools,  and  copied  upon  the  pages  of  literary  journals  in  Great  Britain  and  the  Continent. 
This  brief  effusion  of  mingled  pride,  courage  and  sorrow,  elevated  the  character  of  the  na- 
tive American  throughout  the  intelligent  world  ;  and  the  place  where  it  was  delivered  can 
never  be  forgotten  so  long  as  touching  eloquence  is  admired  by  men. 

Camp  Charlotte  was  situated  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  12,  town  10,  range  21, 
upon  a  pleasant  piece  of  ground  in  view  of  the  Pickaway  plains.  It  was  without  permanent 
defences,  or,  at  least,  there  are  no  remains  of  intrenchments,  and  is  accessible  on  all  sides. 
The  creek  in  front  formed  no  impediment  to  an  approach  from  that  quarter,  and  the  country 
is  level  in  the  rear.  Camp  Lewis  is  said  to  be  upon  more  defensible  ground  on  the  north- 
east quarter  of  section  30,  same  township  and  range.  The  two  encampments  have  often 
been  confounded  with  each  other 

Before  Lord  Dunmore  reached  the  vicinity  of  the  Indian  towns,  he  was  met  by  a  flag  of 
truce,  borne  by  a  white  man  named  Elliott,  desiring  a  halt  on  the  part  of  the  troops,  and 
requesting  for  the  chiefs  an  interpreter  with  whom  they  could  communicate.  To  this  his 
lordship,  who,  according  to  the  Virginians,  had  an  aversion  to  fighting,  readily  assented. 
They  furthermore  charged  him  with  the  design  of  forming  an  alliance  with  the  confederacy, 
to  assist  Great  Britain  against  the  colonies  in  the  crisis  of  the  revolution,  which  every  one 
foresaw.  He,  however,  moved  forward  to  Camp  Charlotte,  which  was  established  rather 
as  a  convenient  council  ground,  than  as  a  place  of  security  or  defence.  The  Virginia 
militia  came  here  for  the  purpose  of  fighting,  and  their  dissatisfaction  and  disappointment 
at  the  result  amounted  almost  to  mutiny.  Lewis  refused  to  obey  the  order  for  a  halt,  con- 
sidering the  enemy  as  already  within  his  grasp,  and  of  inferior  numbers  to  his  own.  Dun- 
more,  as  we  have  seen,  went  in  person  to  enforce  his  orders,  and  it  is  said  drew  his 
sword  upon  Colonel  Lewis,  threatening  him  with  instant  death  if  he  persisted  in  farther 
disobedience. 

The  troops  were  concentrated  at  Camp  Charlotte,  numbering  about  2,500  men.  The  prin- 
cipal chiefs  of  the  Scioto  tribes  had  been  assembled,  and  some  days  were  spent  in  negotia- 
tions. A  compact  or  treaty  was  at  length  concluded,  and  four  hostages  put  in  possession 
of  the  governor  to  be  taken  to  Virginia.  We  know  very  little  of  the  precise  terms  of  thia 
treaty,  nor  even  of  the  tribes  who  gave  it  their  assent.  It  is  said  the  Indians  agreed 
to  make  the  Ohio  their  boundary,  and  the  whites  stipulated  not  to  pass  beyond  that  river. 
An  agreement  was  entered  into  for  a  talk  at  Pittsburgh  in  the  following  spring,  where  a 
more  full  treaty  was  to  be  made  ;  but  the  revolutionary  movements  prevented. 

When  the  army  returned,  they  took  the  route  by  Fort  Gower, 
(see  p.  49,)  where,  on  the  5th  of  November,  and  10  days  after  the 
arrival  of  Lewis  at  Camp  Charlotte,  the  officers  held  a  meeting  "  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  the  grievances  of  British  America :  an 
officer  present  addressed  the  meeting  in  the  following  words :" 


408  PICKAWAY   COUNTT. 

Gentlemen, — Having  now  concluded  the  campaign,  by  the  assistance  of  Providence,  with 
honor  and  advantage  to  the  colony  and  ourselves,  it  only  remains  that  we  should  give  our 
country  the  stronger  assurance  that  we  are  ready  at  all  times,  to  the  utmost  of  our  power,  to 
maintain  and  defend  her  just  rights  and  privileges.  We  have  lived  about  three  months  in 
the  woods,  without  any  intelligence  from  Boston,  or  from  the  delegates  at  Philadelphia.  It 
is  possible,  from  the  groundless  reports  of  designing  men,  that  our  countrymen  may  be 
jealous  of  the  use  such  a  body  would  make  of  arms  in  their  hands  at  this  critical  juncture. 
That  we  are  a  respectable  body  is  certain,  when  it  is  considered  that  we  can  live  weeks 
without  bread  or  salt ;  that  we  can  sleep  in  the  open  air  without  any  covering  but  that  of 
the  canopy  of  heaven  ;  and  that  we  can  march  and  shoot  with  any  in  the  known  world. 
Blessed  with  these  talents,  let  us  solemnly  engage  to  one  another,  and  our  country  in  par- 
ticular, that  we  will  use  them  for  no  purpose  but  for  the  honor  and  advantage  of  America, 
and  of  Virginia  in  particular.  It  behooves  us,  then,  for  the  satisfaction  of  our  country,  that 
we  should  give  them  our  real  sentiments  by  way  of  resolves,  at  this  very  alarming  crisis. 

Whereupon  the  meeting  made  choice  of  a  committee  to  draw  up  and  prepare  resolves 
for  their  consideration  ;  who  immediately  withdrew,  and  after  some  time  spent  therein,  re- 
ported that  they  had  agreed  to  and  prepared  the  following  resolves,  which  were  read, 
maturely  considered,  and  agreed  to  nem.  con.  by  the  meeting,  and  ordered  to  be  published 
in  the  Virginia  Gazette  : 

Resolved,  That  we  will  bear  the  most  faithful  allegiance  to  his  majesty  King  George  the 
Third,  while  his  majesty  delights  to  reign  over  a  brave  and  a  free  people  ;  that  we  will,  at 
the  expense  of  life  and  every  thing  dear  and  valuable,  exert  ourselves  in  the  support  of  the 
honor  of  his  crown  and  the  dignity  of  the  British  empire.  But  as  the  love  of  liberty  and 
attachment  to  the  real  interests  and  just  rights  of  America  outweigh  every  other  considera- 
tion, we  resolve,  that  we  will  exert  every  power  within  us  for  the  defence  of  American 
liberty,  and  for  the  support  of  her  just  rights  and  privileges,  not  in  any  precipitous,  riotous, 
or  tumultuous  manner,  but  when  regularly  called  forth  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  our 
countrymen. 

Resolved,  That  we  entertain  the  greatest  respect  for  his  excellency  the  Rt.  Hon.  Lord 
Dunmore,  who  commanded  the  expedition  against  the  Shawanese,  and  who,  we  are  confi- 
dent, underwent  the  great  fatigue  of  this  singular  campaign  from  no  other  motive  than  the 
true  interests  of  the  country. 

Signed  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  whole  corps. 

Benjamin  Ashby,  Clerk. 

Notwithstanding  the  evidence  above  produced,  derived  from  the 
American  Archives,  it  is  said  that  the  troops,  who  had  wished  to  give 
an  efficient  blow,  reached  Virginia  highly  dissatisfied  with  the  gov- 
ernor and  the  treaty  :  the  conduct  of  the  governor  could  not  be  well 
explained  by  them,  "  except  by  supposing  him  to  act  with  reference 
to  the  expected  contest  with  England  and  her  colonies — a  motive 
which  the  colonists  regarded  as  little  less  than  treasonable."* 

Of  the  feeling  in  camp  towards  Dunmore  at  the  time  of  the  treaty, 
we  have  some  evidence  in  the  statement  of  the  late  venerable  Abrm. 
Thomas,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Miami  county,  published  in  the 
Troy  Times,  in  1839. 

We  (Dunmore's  army)  lay  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hocking  for  some  time.  One  day,  as 
I  was  going  down  to  the  boats,  I  met  Dunmore  just  leaving  them.  He  expressed  hia 
fears  that  Gen.  Lewis  was  attacked  by  the  Indians.  The  men  had  noticed  Dunmore  for 
several  days  with  his  ear  close  to  the  water,  but  did  not  then  suspect  the  reason.  He  told  me 
he  thought  he  heard  the  roaring  of  guns  upon  the  water,  and  requested  me  to  put  my  ear  to 
it,  and  although  it  was  ten  or  twelve  [28]  miles  distant,  I  distinctly  heard  the  roar  of  mus- 
ketry. The  next  day  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  Chillicothe,  up  the  Hockhocking. 
On  the  second  or  third  day,  some  Indians  came  running  into  the  camp,  beseeching  Dun- 
more to  stop  Lewis's  division,  which  had  crossed  the  Ohio  and  was  in  full  pursuit  of  the 
Indians ;  to  use  their  own  words,  "  like  so  many  devils,  that  would  kill  them  all."  This  was 
the  first  certain  information  our  men  had  of  that  battle.  On  the  solicitation  of  the  savages, 
Dunmore  twice  sent  orders  to  check  the  progress  of  Lewis,  but  he  refused  to  obey  them, 

*  Annals  of  the  West. 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY.  409 

until  Dunmore  himself  took  command  of  the  division  and  led  them  back  to  the  Ohio.  The 
troops  were  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  Dunmore,  and  believed  his  object  was  to  give  up 
both  divisions  of  the  army  to  the  Indians.  It  was  thought  he  knew  the  attack  would  be 
made  at  Point  Pleasant  about  the  time  it  took  place,  calculated  on  the  defeat  of  Lewis,  and 
Jed  our  army  into  the  defiles  of  the  Hocking,  that  they  might  the  more  easily  become  the 
prey  of  infuriated  savages,  flushed  with  recent  victory.  An  incident  occurred  here,  show- 
ing the  state  of  feeling  among  the  men.  At  the  time  the  Indians  who  came  into  the  camp 
were  sitting  with  Dunmore  in  his  tent,  a  backwoodsman  passing,  observed  them  and  stepped 
around  the  tent.  When  he  thought  he  had  them  in  range,  he  discharged  his  rifle  through 
the  canvass,  with  the  intention  of  killing  the  three  at  once.  It  was  a  close  cut — it  missed : 
the  man  escaped  through  the  crowd  and  no  one  knew  who  did  it.  From  this  time  until  he 
left  the  camp,  Dunmore  tried  to  conciliate  what  he  could  by  indulgence  and  talking  ;  but 
this  would  not  have  availed  him  had  he  not  taken  other  precautions,  for  many  in  the  camp 
believed  him  the  enemy  of  their  country  and  the  betrayer  of  the  army. 

The  chief,  Cornstalk,  whose  town  is  shown  on  the  map,  was  a  man 
of  true  nobility  of  soul,  and  a  brave  warrior. 

At  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  he  commanded  the  Indians  with  consummate  skill,  and 
if  at  any  time  his  warriors  were  believed  to  waver,  his  voice  could  be  heard  above  the  din 
of  battle,  exclaiming  in  his  native  tongue,  "  Be  strong! — be  strong!"  \VThen  he  returned 
to  the  Pickaway  towns,  after  the  battle,  he  called  a  council  of  the  nation  to  consult  what 
should  be  done,  and  upbraided  them  in  not  suffering  him  to  make  peace,  as  he  desired,  on 
the  evening  before  the  battle.  "  What,"  said  he,  "  will  you  do  now  ?  The  Big  Knife  is 
coming  on  us,  and  we  shall  all  be  killed.  Now  you  must  fight  or  we  are  undone."  But  no 
one  answering,  he  said,  "  then  let  us  kill  all  our  women  and  children,  and  go  and  fight  until 
we  die."  But  no  anwer  was  made,  when,  rising,  he  struck  his  tomahawk  in  a  post  of  the 
council  house  and  exclaimed,  "  I'll  go  and  make  peace,"  to  which  all  the  warriors  grunted 
"  ough  !  ough  !"  and  runners  were  instantly  dispatched  to  Dunmore  to  solicit  peace. 

In  the  summer  of  1777,  he  was  atrociously  murdered  at  Point  Pleasant.  As  his  mur- 
derers were  approaching,  his  son  Elinipsico  trembled  violently.  "  His  father  encouraged 
him  not  to  be  afraid,  for  that  the  Great  Man  above  had  sent  him  there  to  be  killed  and  die 
with  him.  As  the  men  advanced  to  the  door,  the  Cornstalk  rose  up  and  met  them :  they 
fired,  and  seven  or  eight  bullets  went  through  him.  So  fell  the  great  Cornstalk  warrior — 
whose  name  was  bestowed  upon  him  by  the  consent  of  the  nation,  as  their  great  strength 
and  support."  Had  he  lived,  it  is  believed  that  he  would  have  been  friendly  with  the 
Americans,  as  he  had  come  over  to  visit  the  garrison  at  Point  Pleasant  to  communicate 
the  design  of  the  Indians  of  uniting  with  tire  British.  His  grave  is  to  be  aeen  at  Point 
Pleasant  to  the  present  day. 

The  last  years  of.  Logan  were  truly  melancholy.  He  wandered 
about  from  tribe  to  tribe,  a  solitary  and  lonely  man  ;  deleted  and 
broken-hearted  by  the  loss  of  his  friends  and  the  decay  of  his  tribe, 
he  resorted  to  the  stimulus  of  strong  drink  to  drown  his  sorrow. 
He  was  at  last  murdered,  in  Michigan,  near  Detroit.  He  was,  at  the 
time,  sitting  with  his  blanket  over  his  head  before  a  camp  fire,  his 
elbows  resting  on  his  knees,  and  his  head  upon  his  hands,  buried  in 
profound  reflection,  when  an  Indian,  who  had  taken  some  offence, 
stole  behind  him  and  buried  his  tomahawk  in  his  brains.  Thus 
perished  the  immortal  Logan,  the  last  of  his  race.* 

Circleville,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Ohio  canal  and  Scioto 
river,  26  miles  s.  of  Columbus,  and  19  n.  of  Chillicothe.  It  was  laid 
out  in  1810  as  the  seat  of  justice,  by  Daniel  Dresbach,  on  land  origi- 
nally belonging  to  Zeiger  and  Watt,  and  the  first  lot  sold  on  the  10th 
of  September.  The  town  is  on  the  site  of  ancient  fortifications,  one  of 
which  having  been  circular,  originated  the  name  of  the  place.     The 

*  From  Henry  C.  Brish,  Esq.,  of  Tiffin,  Seneca  county,  who  derived  the  circumstances 
from  Good  Hunter,  an  aged  Mingo  chief,  and  a  familiar  acquaintance  of  Logan. 

52 


410 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY. 


old  court-house,  built  in  the  form  of  an  octagon,  and  destroyed  in 
1841,  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  circle.  Few,  if  any,  vestiges  remain 
of  these  forts,  but  we  find  them  described  at  length  in  the  Archaelo- 
gia  Americana,  published  in  1820.  The  description  and  accompany- 
ing cut  are  appended. 


Heck 


Ancient  Fortifications  at  Circleville. 

There  are  two  forts,  one  being  an  exact  circle,  the  other  an  exact  square.  The  formei 
is  surrounded  by  two  walls,  with  a  deep  ditch  between  them  ;  the  latter  is  encompassed 
by  one  wall,  without  any  ditch.  The  former  was  69  feet  in  diameter,  measuring  from  out- 
side to  outside  of  the  circular  outer  wall ;  the  latter  is  exactly  55  rods  square,  rheasuring 
the  same  way.  The  walls  of  the  circular  fort  were  at  least  20  feet  in  height,  measuring 
from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  before  the  town  of  Circleville  was  built.  The  inner  wall  was 
of  clay,  taken  up  probably  in  the  northern  part  of  the  fort,  where  was  a  low  place,  and  is 
still  considerably  lower  than  any  other  part  of  the  work.  The  outside  wall  was  taken  from 
the  ditch  which  is  between  these  walls,  and  is  alluvial,  consisting  of  pebbles,  worn  smooth 
in  water,  and  sand,  to  a  very  considerable  depth,  more  than  50  feet  at  least.  The  outside 
of  the  walls  is  about  five  or  six  feet  in  height  now  ;  on  the  inside,  the  ditch  is  at  present 
generally  not  more  than  15  feet.  They  are  disappearing  before  us  daily,  and  will  soon  be 
gone.  The  walls  of  the  square  fort  are  at  this  time,  where  left  standing,  about  10  feet  in 
height.  There  were  eight  gateways,  or  openings,  leading  into  the  square  fort,  and  only 
one  into  the  circular  fort.  Before  each  of  these  openings  was  a  mound  of  earth,  perhaps 
four  feet  high,  40  feet  perhaps  in  diameter  at  the  base,  and  20  or  upwards  at  the  summit. 
These  mounds,  for  two  rods  or  more,  are  exactly  in  front  of  the  gateways,  and  were  in- 
tended for  the  defence  of  these  openings. 

As  this  work  is  a  perfect  square,  so  the  gateways  and  their  watch-towers  were  equi- 
distant from  each  other.  These  mounds  were  in  a  perfectly  straight  line,  and  exactly  parallel 
with  the  wall.  Those  small  mounds  were  at  m,  m,  m,  m,  m,  m,  m.  The  black  line  at  d 
represents  the  ditch,  and  to,  w,  represent  the  two  circular  walls. 

D  [the  reader  is  referred  to  the  plate]  shows  the  site  of  a  once  very  remarkable  ancient 
mound  of  earth,  with  a  semi-circular  pavement  on  its  eastern  side,  nearly  fronting,  as  the 
plate  represents,  the  only  gateway  leading  into  this  fort.  This  mound  is  entirely  removed  ; 
but  the  outline  of  the  semi-circular  pavement  may  still  be  seen  in  many  places,  notwith- 
standing the  dilapidations  of  time  and  those  occasioned  by  the  hand  of  man. 

The  earth  in  these  walls  was  as  nearly  perpendicular  as  it  could  be  made  to  lie.  This 
fort  had  originally  but  one  gateway  leading  into  it  on  its  eastern  side,  and  that  was  defended 
by  a  mound  of  earth  several  feet  in  height,  at  m,  i.     Near  the  cejitre  of  this  work  was  a 


PICKAWAY    COUNTY. 


411 


mound,  with  a  semi-circular  pavement  on  its  eastern  side,  some  of  the  remains  of  which 
may  still  he  seen  by  an  intelligent  observer.  The  mound  at  m,  i,  has  been  entirely  removed, 
so  as  to  make  the  street  level,  from  where  it  once  stood. 

B  is  a  square  fort,  adjoining  the  circular  one,  as  represented  by  the  plate,  the  area  of 
which  has  been  stated  already.  The  wall  which  surrounds  this  work  is  generally  now 
about  10  feet  in  height,  where  it  has  not  been  manufactured  into  brick.  There  are  seven 
gateways  leading  into  this  fort,  besides  the  one  which  communicates  with  the  square  forti- 
fication— that  is,  one  at  each  angle,  and  another  in  the  wall,  just  half  way  between  the 
angular  ones.  Before  each  of  these  gateways  was  a  mound  of  earth  of  four  or  five  feet  in 
height,  intended  for  the  defence  of  these  openings. 

The  extreme  care  of  the  authors  of  these  works  to  protect  and  defend  every  part  of  the 
circle,  is  no  where  visible  about  this  square  fort.  The  former  is  defended  by  two  high 
walls — the  latter  by  one.  The  former  has  a  deep  ditch  encircling  it — this  has  none.  The 
former  could  be  entered  at  one  place  only — this  at  eight,  and  those  about  20  feet  broad. 
The  present  town  of  Circleville  covers  all  the  round  and  the  western  half  of  the  square  fort. 
These  fortifications,  where  the  town  stands,  will  entirely  disappear  in  a  few  years ;  and  I 
have  used  the  only  means  within  my  power  to  perpetuate  their  memory,  by  the  annexed 
drawing  and  this  brief  description. 


West  3Iain  Street,  Circleville. 

Another  writer  gives  some  aditional  facts.  Writing  in  1834,  he 
says : 

On  the  sw.  side  of  the  circle  stands  a  conical  hill,  crowned  with  an  artificial  mound.  In- 
deed so  much  does  the  whole  elevation  resemble  the  work  of  man,  that  many  have  mis- 
taken it  for  a  large  mound.  A  street  has  lately  been  opened  across  the  little  mound  which 
crowned  the  hill,  and  in  removing  the  earth,  many  skeletons  were  found  in  good  preserva- 
tion. A  cranium  of  one  of  them  was  in  my  possession,  and  is  a  noble  specimen  of  the  race 
which  once  occupied  these  ancient  walls.  It  has  a  high  forehead  and  large  and  bold 
features,  with  all  the  phrenological  marks  of  daring  and  bravery.  Poor  fellow,  he  died 
overwhelmed  by  numbers ;  as  the  fracture  of  the  right  parietal  bone  by  the  battle  axe,  and 
five  large  stone  arrows  sticking  in  and  about  his  bones,  still  bear  silent,  but  sure  testimony. 
The  elevated  ground  a  little  north  of  the  town,  across  Hargus  creek,  which  washes  the  base 
of  the  plain  of  Circleville,  appears  to  have  been  the  common  burying-ground.  Human 
bones  in  great  quantities  are  found  in  digging  away  the  gravel  for  repairing  the  streets,  and 
for  constructing  the  banks  of  the  canal  which  runs  near  the  base  of  the  highlands.  They 
were  buried  in  the  common  earth,  without  any  attempt  at  tumuli  ;  and  occupy  so  large  a 
space,  that  only  a  dense  population  and  a  long  period  of  time  could  have  furnished  such 
numbers. 

Circleville  is  a  thriving,  business  town,  surrounded  by  a  beautiful, 
level  country.  Opposite  the  town,  the  bottom  land  on  the  Scioto  is 
banked  up  for  several  miles,  to  prevent  being  overflowed  by  the 


412  PIKE    COUNTY. 

river.  Circleville  has  2  Presbyterian,  1  Lutheran,  1  Episcopal,  1 
Methodist  and  1  United  Brethren  church ;  an  elegant  court  house, 
recently  erected  ;  1  or  2  academies,  3  printing  offices,  about  20  mer- 
cantile stores,  1  bank,  9  warehouses  on  the  canal,  and  had  in  1830, 
1136,  and  in  1840,  2330  inhabitants:  it  now  has  over  3000.  The 
business  by  the  canal  is  heavy.  Of  the  clearances  made  from  this 
port  in  1846,  there  were  of  corn,  100,465  bushels;  wheat,  24,918 
bushels  ;  broom  corn,  426,374  pounds  ;  bacon  and  pork,  1277,212 
pounds,  and  lard,  1458,259  pounds. 

Tarleton,  9  miles  easterly  from  Circleville,  is  a  thriving  town,  con- 
taining 6  or  8  stores,  3  churches,  and  had  in  1840,  437  inhabitants. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  smaller  places,  with  their  distances  and 
direction  from  Circleville,  and  population  in  1840.  Bloomfield,  9  n., 
182;  Darbyville,  12  nw,  164;  New  Holland,  18  w.,  161  ;  Williams- 
port,  9  w.,  159;  Jefferson  85;  Palestine  63,  and  Millport  98.  The 
last  is  a  new  place,  on  the  canal,  and  has  several  mills,  and  much 
water  power  derived  from  the  canal.  At  Williamsport  is  a  chaly- 
beate spring  of  some  local  celebrity. 


PIKE. 


337 

Perry, 

565 

813 

Seal, 

1875 

504 

Sunfish, 

325 

Pike  was  organized  in  February,  1815,  and  named  from  General 
Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike,  who  was  born  at  Lamberton,  Mercer 
county,  N.  J.,  January  5th,  1779,  and  was  killed  at  the  storming  of 
York,  Upper  Canada,  April  25th,  1813.  Excepting  the  rich  bottom 
lands  of  the  Scioto  and  its  tributaries,  the  surface  is  generally  hilly. 
The  river  hills  abound  with  excellent  free-stone,  extensively  ex- 
ported for  building  purposes.  The  principal  productions  are  Indian 
corn,  oats  and  wheat.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

Beaver,  1075         Newton, 

Camp  Creek,     299         Pee  Pee, 

Jackson,  1096         Pebble, 

Mifflin,  645 

The  population  of  Pike  in  1820,  was  4253  ;  in  1830,  6024,  and  in 
1840,  7536,  or  18  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  first  permanent  settlers  in  the  county  were  Pennsylvanians 
and  Virginians.  Within  the  last  few  years  many  Germans  have 
settled  in  the  eastern  part.  The  first  settlement  in  the  vicinity  of 
Piketon,  was  made  on  the  Pee  Pee  prairie,  by  John  Noland  from 
Pennsylvania,  Abraham,  Arthur  and  John  Chenoweth,  three  brothers 
from  Virginia,  who  settled  there  about  the  same  time  Chillicothe 
was  laid  out,  in  1796. 

Piketon,  the  county  seat,  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1814.  It  is 
on  the  Scioto,  on  the  Columbus  and  Portsmouth  turnpike,  64  miles 
from  the  first,  26  from  the  last,  and  2  east  of  the  Ohio  canal.  Pike- 
ton contains   1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and  1  German  Lutheran 


PIKE    COUNTY. 


413 


church,  an  academy,  a  newspaper  printing  office,  4  mercantile  stores, 
and  had  in  1840,  507  inhabitants.     Piketon  was  originally  called 


View  in  Piketon. 

Jefferson,  and  was  laid  off  on  what  was  called  "  Miller's  Bank.'" 
The  origin  of  this  last  name  is  thus  given  in  the  American  Pioneer. 

About  the  year  1795,  two  parties  set  off  from  Mason  county,  Ky.,  to  locate  land  by 
making  improvements,  as  it  was  believed  the  tract  ceded  to  the  United  States,  east  of  the 
Scioto,  would  be  held  by  pre-emption.  One  of  these  parties  was  conducted  by  a  Mr. 
Miller,  and  the  other  by  a  Mr.  Kenton.  In  Kenton's  company  was  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Owens,  between  whom  and  Miller  there  arose  a  quarrel  about  the  right  of  settling  th;.« 
beautiful  spot.  In  the  fray  Owens  shot  Miller,  whose  bones  may  be  found  interred  near 
the  lower  end  of  the  high  bank.  His  death  and  burial  there,  gave  name  to  the  high  bank, 
which  was  then  in  Washington  county,  the  Scioto  being  then  the  line  between  Washington 
and  Adams  counties.     Owens  was  taken  to  Marietta,  where  he  was  tried  and  acquitted. 

A  short  distance  below  the  town  are  some  ancient  works.  There 
the  turnpike  passes  for  several  hundred  feet  between  two  parallel 
and  artificial  walls  of  earth,  about  15  feet  in  elevation,  and  near  six 
rods  apart.  On  Lewis  Evans'  map  of  the  middle  British  colonies;, 
published  in  1755,  is  laid  down,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  a  short 
distance  below  the  site  of  Piketon,  a  place  called  "  Hurricane 
Toms :"  it  might  have  been  the  abode  of  an  Indian  chief  or  a  French 
trader's  station. 

Waverly,  4  miles  above  Piketon  on  the  Scioto  river  and  Ohio 
canal,  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1829,  by  M.  Downing.  It  con- 
tains 1  Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  church,  4  stores,  and  had  in 
1840,  306  inhabitants.  Cynthiana  had  in  1840,  71,  Jasper  69,  and 
Sharonville  61  inhabitants. 


414  PORTAGE    COUNTY. 


PORTAGE. 

Portage  was  formed  from  Trumbull,  June  7th,  1807 ;  all  that  part 
of  the  Reserve  west  of  the  Cuyahoga  and  south  of  the  townships 
numbered  five,  was  also  annexed  as  part  of  the  county,  and  the  tem- 
porary seat  of  justice  appointed  at  the  house  of  Benj.  Tappan.  The 
name  was  derived  from  the  old  Indian  portage  path  of  about  7  miles 
in  length,  between  the  Cuyahoga  and  Tuscarawas,  which  was  within 
its  limits.  The  surface  is  slightly  rolling ;  the  upland  is  generally 
sandy  or  gravelly,  and  the  flat  land  to  a  considerable  extent  clay. 
The  county  is  wealthy  and  thriving.  The  dairy  business  is  largely 
carried  on,  and  nearly  1000  tons  of  cheese  annually  produced.  The 
principal  productions  are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  barley,  rye,  buckwheat, 
butter,  cheese  and  wool ;  of  the  last,  the  annual  exports  amount  to 
about  240,000  pounds.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

At  water,         756 

Aurora,  906 

Brimfield,      1154 

Charlestown,  851 

Deerfield,      1184 

Edinburgh,   1085 

Franklin,       1497         Randolph,  1649 

The  population  of  Portage  in  1820,  was  10,093;  in  1830,  18,792, 
and  in  1840,  23,107,  or  46  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Ravenna,  the  county  seat,  so  named  from  an  Italian  city,  is  34 
miles  se.  of  Cleveland  and  140  nw.  of  Columbus.  It  is  situated  on 
the  Cleveland  and  Pittsburgh  road,  on  the  crest  of  land  dividing 
the  waters  flowing  into  the  lakes  from  those  emptying  into  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico :  the  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  canal  runs  a  short  distance 
south  of  the  town. 

This  place  was  originally  settled  by  the  Hon.  Benj.  Tappan  in 
June,  1799,  at  which  time  there  was  but  one  white  person,  a  Mr. 
Honey,  residing  in  the  county.  A  solitary  log-cabin  in  each  place, 
marked  the  sites  of  the  flourishing  cities  of  Buffalo  and  Cleveland. 
On  his  journey  out  from  New  England,  Mr.  Tappan  fell  in  with  the 
late  David  Hudson,  the  founder  of  Hudson,  Summit  county,  at  Ger- 
ondaquet,  New  York,  and  "  assisted  him  on  the  journey  for  the  sake 
of  his  company.  After  some  days  of  tedious  navigation  up  the 
Cuyahoga  river,  he  landed  at  a  prairie,  where  is  now  the  town  of 
Boston,  in  the  county  of  Summit.  There  he  left  all  his  goods  under 
a  tent  with  one  K*#***  and  his  family  to  take  care  of  them,  and 
with  another  hired  man  proceeded  to  make  out  a  road  to  Ravenna. 
There  they  built  a  dray,  and  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  which  had  been 
driven  from  Connecticut  river,  and  were  found  on  his  arrival,  he 
conveyed  a  load  of  farming  utensils  to  his  settlement.  Returning 
for  a  second  load,  the  tent  was  found  abandoned  and  partly  plun- 


Freedom, 

888 

Ravenna, 

1542 

Hiram, 

1080 

Rootstown, 

1112 

Mantua, 

1187 

Shalersville, 

1281 

Nelson, 

1398 

Streetsborough, 

1136 

Palmyra, 

1359 

Suffield, 

1200 

Paris, 

931 

Windham, 

907 

PORTAGE    COUNTY. 


415 


dered  by  the  Indians.     He  soon  after  learned  that  Hudson  had  per- 
suaded K*****  to  join  his  own  settlement."* 

On  Mr.  Tappan's  "  removing  his  second  load  of  goods,  one  of  his  oxen  was  overheated 
and  died,  leaving  him  in  a  vast  forest,  distant  from  any  habitation,  without  a  team,  and  what 
was  still  worse,  with  but  a  single  dollar  in  money.  He  was  not  depressed  for  an  instant  by 
these  untoward  circumstances.  He  sent  one  of  his  men  through  the  woods,  with  a  compass, 
to  Erie,  in  Pa.,  a  distance  of  about  100  miles,  requesting  from  Capt.  Lyman,  the  commandant 
at  the  fort,  a  loan  of  money.  At  the  same  time,  he  followed  himself  the  township  lines  to 
Youngstown,  where  he  became  acquainted  with  Col.  James  Hillman,  (see  p.  338,)  who  did 
not  hesitate  to  sell  him  an  ox,  on  credit,  at  a  fair  price, — an  act  of  generosity  which  proved 
of  great  value,  as  the  want  of  a  team  must  have  broken  up  his  settlement.  The  unex- 
pected delays  upon  the  journey  and  other  hindrances,  prevented  them  from  raising  a  crop 
at  this  season,  and  they  had,  after  the  provisions  brought  with  him  were  exhausted,  to  de- 
pend for  meat  upon  their  skill  in  hunting  and  purchases  from  the  Indians,  and  for  meal 
upon  the  scanty  supplies  procured  from  western  Pennsylvania.  Having  set  out  with  the 
determination  to  spend  the  winter,  he  erected  a  log  cabin,  into  which  himself  and  one 
BLxby,  whom  he  had  agreed  to  give  100  acres  of  land  on  condition  of  settlement,  moved 
on  the  first  day  of  January,  1800,  before  which,  they  had  lived  under  a  bark  camp  and 
their  tent."* 


View  in  Ravenna. 

The  engraving  represents  the  public  buildings  in  the  central  part 
of  the  village  :  in  the  centre  is  seen  the  court  house  and  jail ;  on  the 
right  in  the  distance  the  Congregational,  and  on  the  left  the  Univer- 
salis! church.  Ravenna  contains  1  Congregational,  1  Disciples,  1 
Methodist  and  1  Universalist  church,  10  mercantile  stores,  an  acad- 
emy, 2  newspaper  printing  offices,  and  about  1200  inhabitants.  It 
is  a  thriving,  pleasant  village  and  is  noted  for  the  manufacture  of 
carriages. 

About  the  time  of  Mr.  Tappan's  settlement  at  Ravenna,  others  were 
commenced  in  several  of  the  townships  of  the  county.  The  sketches 
of  Deerfield  and  Palmyra  we  annex  from  the  Barr  mss. 

Deerfield  received  its  name  from  Deerfield,  Mass.,  the  native  place  of  the  mother  of 
Lewis  Day,  Esq.  Early  in  May,  1799,  Lewis  Day  and  his  son,  Horatio,  of  Granby,  Ct., 
and  Moses  Tibbals  and  Green  Frost,  of  Granville,  Mass.,  left  their  homes  in  a  one  horse 
wagon,  and  arrived  in  Deerfield  on  the  29th  of  the  same  month.     This  was  the  first  wagon 


From  the  sketch  of  Hon.  Benj.  Tappan,  in  the  Democratic  Review,  for  June,  1840. 


410 


PORTAGE    COUNTY. 


that  had  ever  penetrated  farther  westward  in  this  region  than  Canfield.  The  country  west 
of  that  place  had  been  an  unbroken  wilderness,  until  within  a  few  days.  Capt.  Caleb  At- 
water,  of  Wallingford,  Ct.,  had  hired  some  men  to  open  a  road  to  township  No.  1,  in  the 
7th  range,  of  which  he  was  the  owner.  This  road  passed  through  Deerfield,  and  was  com- 
pleted to  that  place  when  the  party  arrived  at  the  point  of  their  destination.  These  emi- 
grants selected  sites  for  their  future  dwellings,  and  commenced  clearing  up  the  land.  In 
July,  Lewis  Ely  and  family  arrived  from  Granville  and  wintered  here,  while  the  first 
named,  having  spent  the  summer  in  making  improvements,  returned  east.  On  the  4th 
of  March,  1800,  Alva  Day,  (son  of  Lewis,)  John  Campbell  and  Joel  Thrall,  all  arrived 
in  company.  In  April,  George  and  Robert  Taylor  and  James  Laughlin,  from  Pennsylva- 
nia, with  their  families,  made  permanent  settlements.  Mr.  Laughlin  built  a  grist  mill, 
which,  on  the  succeeding  year,  was  a  great  convenience  to  the  settlers.  On  the  29th  of 
June,  Lewis  Day  returned  from  Connecticut,  accompanied  by  his  family,  and  his  brother- 
in-law,  Major  Rogers,  who  the  next  year  also  brought  out  his  family. 

Much  suffering  was  experienced  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  provisions.  They  were 
supplied  from  settlements  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Ohio,  the  neafrest  of  which  was  George- 
town, 40  miles  distant.  These  were  conveyed  on  pack-horses  through  the  wild-erness. 
On  the  22d  of  August,  Mrs.  Alva  Day  gave  birth  to  the  first  child — a  female — born  in  the 
township,  and  on  the  7th  of  November,  the  first  wedding  took  place.  John  Campbell  and 
Sarah  Ely — daughter  of  Lewis — were  joined  in  wedlock  by  Calvin  Austin,  Esq.,  of  War- 
ren. He  was  accompanied  from  Warren,  a  distance  of  27  miles,  by  the  late  Judge  Pease, 
then  a  young  lawyer  of  that  place.  They  came  on  foot — there  not  being  any  road — and 
as  they  threaded  their  way  through  the  woods,  young  Pease  taught  the  justice  the  mar- 
riage ceremony,  by  oft  repetition. 

The  first  civil  organization  was  effected  in  1802,  under  the  name  of  Franklin  township, 
embracing  all  of  the  present  Portage  and  parts  of  Trumbull  and  Summit  counties.  About 
this  time,  the  settlement  received  accessions  from  New  England,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Badger,  the  missionary  of  the  Presbyterians, 
preached  here  as  early  as  February  16, 1801.  In  1803,  Dr.  Shadrac  Bostwick  organized 
an  Episcopal  Methodist  society.  The  Presbyterian  society  was  organized,  Oct.  8th,  1818, 
and  that  of  the  Disciples  in  1828. 

In  1806,  there  was  an  encampment  of  seven  Mohawk  Indians  in 
Deerfield,  with  whom  a  serious  difficulty  occurred.  John  Diver,  it 
is  thought,  in  a  horse  trade  over-reached  one  of  these  Indians,  named 
John  Nicksaw.  There  was  much  dissatisfaction  expressed  by  these 
Indians  at  the  bargain,  and  Nicksaw  vainly  endeavored  to  effect  a 
re-exchange  of  horses. 

On  stating  his  grievances  to  Squire  Lewis  Day,  that  gentleman  advised  him  to  see  Diver 
again  and  persuade  him  to  do  justice.  Nicksaw  replied,  "  No  !  you  speak  him  !  me  no 
speak  him  again  !"  and  immediately  left.  On  this  very  evening — Jan.  20th,  1806 — there 
was  a  sleighing  party  at  the  house  of  John  Diver.  Early  in  the  evening  while  amusing 
themselves,  they  were  interrupted  by  the  rude  entrance  of  five  Indians,  John  Nicksaw, 
John  Mohawk,  Bigson  and  his  two  sons,  from  the  encampment. 

They  were  excited  with  whiskey,  and  endeavered  to  decoy  John  Diver  to  their  camp,  on 
some  frivolous  pretence.  Failing  in  this  stratagem,  they  became  more  and  more  boisterous, 
but  were  quieted  by  the  mildness  of  Daniel  Diver.  They  changed  their  tone,  reciprocated 
his  courteousness,  and  vainly  urged  him  to  drink  whiskey  with  them.  They  now  again 
resumed  their  impudent  manner,  and  charging  Daniel  with  stealing  their  guns,  declared 
they  would  not  leave  until  he  returned  them.  With  much  loss  of  time  and  altercation,  he 
at  last  got  them  out  of  the  house.  Shortly  after,  John  Diver  opened  the  door  and  was  on 
the  point  of  stepping  out,  when  he  espied  Mohawk  standing  in  front  of  him,  with  uplifted 
tomahawk,  in  the  attitude  of  striking.  Diver  shrunk  back  unobserved  by  the  company, 
and  not  wishing  to  alarm  them,  said  nothing  at  the  time  about  the  circumstance. 

About  10  o'clock,  the  moon  shining  with  unusual  brightness,  the  night  being  cold  and 
clear,  with  snow  about  two  feet  deep,  Daniel  observed  the  Indians,  standing  in  a  ravine 
several  rods  from  the  house.  He  ran  up  and  accosted  them  in  a  friendly  manner.  They 
treacherously  returned  his  salutation,  said  they  had  found  their  guns,  and  before  returning 
to  camp,  wished  to  apologize  for  their  conduct  and  part  good  friends.  Passing  along  the 
line  he  took  each  and  all  by  the  hand,  until  he  came  to  Mohawk,  who  was  the  only  one 
that  had  a  gun  in  his  hands.  He  refused  to  shake  hands,  and  at  the  moment  Diver  turned 
for  the  house,  he  received  a  ball  through  Iris  temples  destroying  both  of  his  eyes.     He  im 


PORTAGE    COUNTT.  417 

mediately  fell.  On  the  report  of  the  gun,  John  Diver  ran  to  the  spot,  by  which  time  Daniel 
had  regained  his  feet  and  was  staggering  about.  Mohawk  was  standing  a  few  paces  off, 
looking  on  in  silence,  but  his  companions  had  fled.  John  eagerly  inquired  of  his  brother 
what  was  the  matter?  "  I  am  shot  by  Mohawk,"  was  the  reply.  John  instantly  darted  at 
Mohawk,  intending  to  make  him  atone  in  a  frightful  manner  for  the  injury  done  his  brother. 
The  savage  fled  towards  the  camp,  and  as  Diver  gained  rapidly  upon  him,  Mohawk  threw 
himself  from  the  road  into  the  woods,  uttering  a  horrid  yell.  Diver  now  perceiving  the 
other  Indians  returning  toward  him,  fled  in  turn  to  his  brother,  and  took  him  into  the  house. 
The  wound,  although  dangerous,  was  not  mortal,  and  he  was  living  as  late  as  1847. 

The  Indians  hurried  to  their  encampment,  and  from  thence  fled 
in  a  northwest  direction  The  alarm  spread  throughout  the  settle- 
ment, and  in  a  few  hours  there  were  twenty-five  men  on  the  spot, 
ready  for  the  pursuit.  Before  daylight  this  party — among  which 
was  Alva  Day,  Major  H.  Rogers,  Jas.  Laughlin,  Alex.  K.  Hubbard, 
and  Ira  Mansfield — were  in  hot  pursuit  upon  their  trail.  The  wea- 
ther being  intensely  cold,  and  the  settlements  far  apart,  they  suf- 
fered exceedingly.  Twenty  of  them  had  their  feet  frozen,  and 
many  of  them  were  compelled  to  stop ;  but  their  number  was  kept 
good  by  additions  from  the  settlements  through  which  they  passed. 

On  the  succeeding  night  the  party  came  up  with  the  fugitives, 
encamped  on  the  west  side  of  the  Cuyahoga,  in  the  present  town  of 
Boston.  The  whites  surrounded  them  ;  but  Nicksaw  and  Mohawk 
escaped.  They  were  overtaken  and  commanded  to  surrender,  or 
be  shot.  Continuing  their  flight,  Williams,  of  Hudson,  fired,  and 
Nicksaw  fell  dead  ;  but  Mohawk  escaped.  The  whites  returned  to 
Deerfield  with  Bigson  and  his  two  sons.  A  squaw  belonging  to 
them  was  allowed  to  escape,  and,  it  is  said,  perished  in  the  snow. 
On  arriving  at  the  centre  of  Deerfield,  where  the  tragedy  had  been 
acted,  Bigson  appeared  to  be  overpowered  with  grief,  and  giving 
vent  to  a  flood  of  tears,  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  his  sons,  ex- 
pecting here  to  lose  his  life  according  to  a  custom  of  the  Indians. 
They  were  taken  before  Lewis  Day,  Esq.,  who,  after  examination, 
committed  them  to  prison  at  Warren. 

Mr.  Cornelius  Feather,  in  the  papers  of  the  Ashtabula  Historical 
Society,  says : 

It  was  heart-rending  to  visit  this  group  of  human  misery,  at  War- 
ren, and  hear  their  lamentations.  The  poor  Indians  were  not  con- 
fined, for  they  could  not  run  away.  The  narrator  has  seen  this  old 
frost-crippled  chief  Bigson,  who  had  been  almost  frozen  to  death, 
sitting  with  the  others  on  the  bank  of  the  Mahoning,  and  heard  him, 
in  the  Indian  tongue,  with  deep  touching  emotions,  in  the  highest 
strain  of  his  native  oratory,  addressing  his  companions  in  misery — 
speaking  the  language  of  his  heari ;  pointing  towards  the  rising, 
then  towards  the  setting  sun,  to  the  north,  to  the  south,  till  sobs 
choked  his  utterance,  and  tears  followed  tears  down  his  sorrow- 
worn  cheeks. 

We  now  return  to  the  Barr  mss.  for  another  incident  of  early 
times,  exhibiting  something  of  Indian  gratitude  and  customs. 

53 


418  PORTAGE    COUNTY. 

John  Hendricks,  an  Indian,  for  some  time  lived  in  a  camp  on  the  bank  of  the  Mahoning, 
with  his  family— -a  wife  and  two  sons — and  was  much  respected  by  the  settlers.  Early  in 
1802,  one  of  his  sons,  a  child  about  4  years  of  age,  was  taken  sick,  and  during  his  illness 
was  treated  with  great  kindness  by  Mr.  Jas.  Laughlin  and  lady,  who  lived  near.  He  died 
on  the  4th  of  March,  and  his  father  having  expressed  a  desire  to  have  him  interred  in  the 
place  where  the  whites  intended  to  bury  their  dead,  a  spot  was  selected  near  the  residence 
of  Lewis  Day,  which  is  to  this  time  used  as  a  grave -yard.  A  coffin  was  prepared  by  Mr. 
Laughlin  and  Alva  Day,  and  he  was  buried  according  to  the  custom  of  the  whites.  Ob- 
serving the  earth  to  fall  upon  the  board  and  not  upon  the  body  of  his  deceased  son,  Hen- 
dricks exclaimed  in  a  fit  of  ecstacy,  "  Body  no  broken  !" 

Some  days  after,  Mr.  Day  observed  these  Indians  near  the  grave,  apparently  washing 
some  clothing,  and  then  digging  at  the  grave.  After  they  had  retired,  prompted  by  curi- 
osity, Mr.  Day  examined  the  grave  and  found  the  child's  clothes  just  washed  and  carefully 
deposited  with  the  body.  Shortly  after,  he  inquired  of  Hendricks  why  he  had  not  buried 
them  at  the  funeral.  "Because  they  were  not  clean,"  replied  he.  These  Indians  soon 
left  the  neighborhood,  and  did  not  return  for  one  or  two  years.  Meeting  with  Mr.  Laugh- 
lin, Hendricks  ran  towards  him,  and  throwing  himself  into  his  arms,  embraced  and  kissed 
him  with  the  deepest  affection,  exclaiming,  "  body  no  broke  !  body  no  broke  '." 

The  first  improvements  in  Palmyra  were  made  in  1799,  by  David 
Daniels,  from  Salisbury,  Ct.  The  succeeding  year  he  brought  out 
his  family.  E.,  N.  and  W.  Bacon,  E.  Cutler,  A.  Thurber,  A.  Pres- 
ton, N.  Bois,  J.  T.  Baldwin,  T.  and  C.  Gilbert,  D.,  A.  and  S.  Waller, 
N.  Smith,  Joseph  Fisher,  J.  Tuttle,  and  others  came  not  long  after. 

On  the  first  settlement  of  the  township,  there  were  several  families  of  Onondaga  and 
Oneida  Indians  who  carried  on  a  friendly  intercourse  with  the  people,  until  the  difficulty  at 
Deerfield,  in  1806,  in  the  shooting  of  Diver. 

When  this  region  was  first  settled,  there  was  an  Indian  trail  commencing  at  Fort  M'ln- 
tosh,  (where  Beaver,  Pa.,  now  is,)  and  extending  westward  to  Sandusky  and  Detroit.  This 
trail  followed  the  highest  ground.  It  passed  by  the  Salt  Springs,  in  Howland,  Trumbull 
county,  and  running  through  the  northern  part  of  Palmyra,  crossed  Silver  creek  in  Edin- 
burgh, 1£  miles  north  of  the  centre  road.  Along  this  trail,  parties  of  Indians  were  fre- 
quently seen  passing,  for  several  years  after  the  white  settlers  came.  In  fact,  it  seemed  to 
be  the  great  thoroughfare  from  Sandusky  to  Ohio  river  and  Du  Quesne.  There  are  several 
large  piles  of  stones  by  this  trail  in  Palmyra,  under  which  human  skeletons  have  been  dis- 
covered. These  are  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  Indians  slain  in  war,  or  murdered  by 
their  enemies  ;  as  tradition  says,  it  is  an  Indian  practice  for  each  one  to  cast  a  stone  upon 
the  grave  of  an  enemy,  whenever  he  passes  by.  These  stones  appear  to  have  been  picked 
up  along  the  trail,  and  cast  upon  the  heaps  at  different  times. 

At  the  point  where  this  trail  crosses  Silver  creek,  Frederick  Daniels  and  others  in  1814, 
discovered  painted  on  several  trees  various  devices,  evidently  the  work  of  Indians.  The 
bark  was  carefully  shaved  off  two-thirds  of  the  way  around,  and  figures  cut  upon  the  wood. 
On  one  of  these  was  delineated  seven  Indians,  equipped  in  a  particular  manner,  one  of 
which  was  without  a  head.  This  was  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  a  party  on  their  re- 
turn westward,  to  give  intelligence  to  their  friends  behind,  of  the  loss  of  one  of  their  party 
at  this  place  ;  and  on  making  search  a  human  skeleton  was  discovered  near  by. 

Franklin  Mills  is  6  miles  west  of  Ravenna  on  the  Cleveland  road, 
Cuyahoga  river  and  Mahoning  canal.  In  the  era  of  speculation  a 
large  town  was  laid  out  here,  great  prices  paid  for  "  city  lots,"  and  in 
the  event  large  quantities  of  money  exchanged  hands.  It  however 
possesses  natural  resources  that  in  time  may  make  it  an  important 
manufacturing  town,  the  Cuyahoga  having  here  tw.o  falls,  one  of  17 
and  the  other  of  25  feet.  The  village  is  much  scattered.  It  con- 
tains 1  Congregational,  1  Baptist,  1  Episcopal  and  1  Methodist 
church,  4  mercantile  stores,  2  flouring  mills,  2  woollen  factories,  and 
about  400  inhabitants. 

The  noted  Indian  fighter,  Brady,  made  his  celebrated  leap  across 
the  Cuyahoga  about  200  yards  above  the  bridge  at  this  place.     The 


PORTAGE    COUNTY.  416 

appearance  of  the  locality  has  been  materially  altered  by  blasting 
rocks  for  the  canal.  Brady's  pond — so  called  from  being  the  place 
where  he  secreted  himself  on  the  occasion  related  below,  from  a 


Brady's  Pond. 

published  source — is  about  2\  miles  from  the  village,  and  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  north  of  the  road  to  Ravenna.  It  is  a  small  but  beauti- 
ful sheet  of  water,  the  shores  of  which  are  composed  of  a  white 
sand,  finely  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of  glass. 

Capt.  Samuel  Brady  seems  to  have  been  as  much  the  Daniel  Boone  of  the  northeast  part 
of  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  as  the  other  was  of  the  southwest,  and  the  country  is  equally  full 
of  traditionary  legends  of  his  hardy  adventures  and  hair-breadth  escapes.  From  undoubted 
authority,  it  seems  the  following  incident  actually  transpired  in  this  vicinity.  Brady's  resi- 
dence was  on  Charter's  creek  on  the  south  side  of  the  Ohio,  and  being  a  man  of  herculean 
strength,  activity  and  courage,  he  was  generally  selected  as  the  leader  of  the  hardy  border- 
ers in  all  their  incursions  into  the  Indian  territory  north  of  the  river.  On  this  occasion, 
which  was  about  the  year  1780,  a  large  party  of  warriors  from  the  falls  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga and  the  adjacent  country,  had  made  an  inroad  on  the  south  side  of  the  Ohio  river,  in 
the  lower  part  of  what  is  now  Washington  county,  on  which  was  then  known  as  the  set- 
tlement of  "  Catfish  Camp,"  after  an  old  Indian  of  that  name  who  lived  there  when  he 
whites  first  came  into  the  country  on  the  Monongahela  river.  This  party  had  murdered 
several  families,  and  with  the  "  plunder"  had  recrossed  the  Ohio  before  effectual  pursuit 
could  be  made.  By  Brady  a  party  was  directly  summoned,  of  his  chosen  followers,  who 
hastened  on  after  them,  but  the  Indians  having  one  or  two  days  the  start,  he  could  not 
overtake  them  in  time  to  arrest  their  return  to  their  villages.  Near  the  spot  where  the  town 
of  Ravenna  now  stands,  the  Indians  separated  into  two  parties,  one  of  which  went  to  the 
north,  and  the  other  west,  to  the  falls  of  the  Cuyahoga.  Brady's  men  also  divided  ;  a  part 
pursued  the  northern  trail,  and  a  part  went  with  their  commander  to  the  Indian  village,  lying 
on  the  river  in  the  present  township  of  Northampton,  in  Summit  county.  Although  Brady 
made  his  approaches  with  the  utmost  caution,  *he  Indians,  expecting  a  pursuit,  were  on  the 
look-out,  and  ready  to  receive  him,  with  numbers  four-fold  to  those  of  Brady's,  whose  only 
safety  was  in  hasty  retreat,  which,  from  the  ardor  of  the  pursuit,  soon  became  a  perfect 
flight.  Brady  directed  his  men  to  separate,  and  each  one  to  take  care  of  himself;  but  the 
Indians  knowing  Brady,  and  having  a  most  inveterate  hatred  and  dread  of  him,  from 
the  numerous  chastisements  which  he  had  inflicted  upon  them,  left  all  the  others,  and 
with  united  strength  pursued  him  alone.  The  Cuyahoga  here  makes  a  wide  bend  to  the 
south,  including  a  large  tract  of  several  miles  of  surface,  in  the  form  of  a  peninsula  :  within 
this  tract  the  pursuit  was  hotly  contested.  The  Indians,  by  extending  their  line  to  the 
right  and  left,  forced  him  on  to  the  bank  of  the  stream.     Having,  in  peaceable  times,  often 


420  PREBLE    COUNTY. 

hunted  over  this  ground  with  the  Indians,  and  knowing  every  turn  of  the  Cuyahoga  as  fa- 
miliarly as  the  villager  knows  the  streets  of  his  own  hamlet,  Brady  directed  his  course  to 
the  river,  at  a  spot  where  the  whole  stream  is  compressed,  by  the  rocky  cliffs,  into  a  narrow 
channel  of  only  22  feet  across  the  top  of  the  chasm,  although  it  is  considerably  wider  be- 
neath, near  the  water,  and  in  height  more  than  twice  that  number  of  feet  above  the  cur- 
rent. Through  this  pass  the  water  rushes  like  a  race-horse,  chafing  and  roaring  at  the 
confinement  of  its  current  by  the  rocky  channel,  while,  a  short  distance  above,  the  stream 
i3  at  least  fifty  yards  wide.  As  be  approached  the  chasm,  Brady,  knowing  that  life  or 
death  was  in  the  effort,  concentrated  his  mighty  powers,  and  leaped  the  stream  at  a  single 
bound.  It  so  happened,  that  on  the  opposite  cliff,  the  leap  was  favored  by  a  low  place, 
into  which  he  dropped,  and  grasping  the  bushes,  he  thus  helped  himself  to  ascend  to  the 
top  of  the  cliff.  The  Indians,  for  a  few  moments,  were  lost  in  wonder  and  admiration, 
and  before  they  had  recovered  their  recollection,  he  was  half  way  up  the  side  of  the  oppo- 
site hill,  but  still  within  reach  of  their  rirles.  They  could  easily  have  shot  him  at  any 
moment  before,  but  being  bent  on  taking  him  alive,  for  torture,  and  to  glut  their  long-delayed 
revenge,  they  forbore  to  use  the  rifle  ;  but  now  seeing  him  likely  to  escape,  they  all  fired  upon 
aim  ;  one  bullet  severely  wounded  him  in  the  hip,  but  not  so  badly  as  to  prevent  his  pro- 
gress. The  Indians  having  to  make  a  considerable  circuit  before  they  could  cross  the 
jtream,  Brady  advanced  a  good  distance  ahead.  His  limb  was  growing  stiff  from  the 
ivound,  and  as  the  Indians  gained  on  him,  he  made  for  the  pond  which  now  bears  his 
name,  and  plunging  in,  swam  under  water  a  considerable  distance,  and  came  up  under 
the  trunk  of  a  large  oak,  which  had  fallen  into  the  pond.  This,  although  leaving  only  a 
pniall  breathing  place  to  support  life,  still  completely  sheltered  him  from  their  sight.  The 
Indians,  tracing  him  by  the  blood  to  the  water,  made  diligent  search  all  round  the  pond, 
i>ut  finding  no  signs  of  his  exit,  finally  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  had  sunk  and  was 
drowned.  As  they  were  at  one  time  standing  on  the  very  tree,  beneath  which  he  was 
concealed, — Brady,  understanding  their  language,  was  very  glad  to  hear  the  result  of  their 
deliberations,  and  after  they  had  gone,  weary,  lame  and  hungry,  he  made  good  his  retreat 
t.o  his  own  home.  His  followers  also  returned  in  safety.  The  chasm  across  which  he 
leaped  is  in  sight  of  the  bridge  where  we  crossed  the  Cuyahoga,  and  is  known  in  all  that 
\  ?gion  by  the  name  of  "  Brady's  Leap." 

Garrettsville,  12  miles  ne.  of  Ravenna,  on  the  Mahoning  river, 
■where  there  is  considerable  water  power,  has  4  churches,  4  stores, 
1  woollen,  1  chair  and  1  axe  factory,  2  flouring  mills,  and  about  400 
inhabitants.  Campbellsport,  3  miles  se.  of  Ravenna,  has  1  linseed 
oil,  1  woollen  factory  and  several  warehouses,  it  being  an  important 
point  of  shipment  on  the  canal.  Mogadore,  14  or  15  miles  sw.  of 
R.,  on  the  line  of  Summit,  has  about  200  inhabitants,  and  is  noted 
for  its  extensive  stone- ware  manufactories.  Deerfield,  15  se.  of  R., 
has  a  Methodist  and  Disciple's  church,  and  about  200  inhabitants. 
Windham,  13  miles  n.  e.  of  R.  has  1  academy,  3  churches,  3  stores, 
and  about  400  inhabitants. 


PREBLE. 

Preble  was  formed  from  Montgomery  and  Butler,  March  1st, 
1808 :  it  was  named  from  Capt.  Edward  Preble,  who  was  born  at 
Portland,  Maine,  August  15th,  1701,  and  distinguished  himself  as  a 
naval  commander  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  particularly  in 
the  Tripolitan  war,  and  died  on  the  25th  of  August,  1806.  The  soil 
is  various:  the  southern  part  is  a  light  rich  soil,  and  is  interspersed 
by  numerous  streams :  the  remainder  of  the  county  is  upland,  in 
places  wet,  but  fertile  when  brought  under  cultivation.     There  is  an 


PREBLE    COUNTV 


421 


abundance  of  water  power  for  milling  purposes,  and  large  quanti- 
ties of  flour  are  manufactured.  The  principal  productions  are  corn, 
oats,  wheat,  swine,  wool,  flax-seed  and  beef  cattle.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Dixon,        1281         Israel,         1538         Monroe,  1176 

Gasper,       836         Jackson,     1257         Somers,  1823 

Gratis,       1950         Jefferson,  2165         Twin,  1676 

Harrison,  1696         Lanier,       1624         Washington,   2459 
The  population  of  Preble,  in  1820,  was  10,237;  in  1830,  16,296; 
and  in  1840,  19,481,  or  47  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Eaton,  the  county  seat,  is  24  miles  west  of  Dayton,  94  west  of 
Columbus,  and  9  east  of  the  state  line.     It  was  laid  out  in  1806,  by 


County  Buildings  at  Eaton. 

William  Bruce,  then  proprietor  of  the  soil.  It  was  named  from 
Gen.  Wm.  Eaton,  who  was  born  in  Woodstock,  Ct.,  in  1764,  served 
in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1790, 
was  appointed  a  captain  under  Wayne,  in  1792,  also  consul  at  Tunis 
in  1798 ;  in  April,  1804,  he  was  appointed  navy  agent  of  the 
United  States,  with  the  Barbary  powers  to  co-operate  with  Hamet, 
bashaw,  in  the  war  against  Tripoli,  in  which  he  evinced  great  energy 
of  character:  he  died  in  1811.  He  was  brave,  patriotic  and  gen- 
erous. 

The  turnpike  from  Dayton  west  leads  through  Eaton,  and  one  also 
connects  the  place  with  Hamilton.  The  village  contains  1  Presby- 
terian, 1  Methodist  and  1  Public  church,  1  book,  2  grocery  and  4  dry 
goods  stores,  1  or  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  1  woollen  factory, 
1  saw  mill,  and  about  1000  inhabitants.  Near  the  town  is  an  over- 
flowing well  of  strong  sulphur  water,  possessing  medicinal  properties. 
About  two  miles  south  is  Halderman's  quarry,  from  which  is  ob- 
tained a  beautiful  grey  clouded  stone :  at  the  village  is  a  limestone 
quarry,  and  the  county  abounds  in  fine  building  stone. 

About  a  mile  west  of  Eaton  is  the  site  of  Fort  St.  Clair,  erected 
in  the  severe  winter  of  1791-2.  At  this  time,  Fort  Jefferson  was 
the  farthest  advanced  post,  being  forty-four  miles  from  Fort  Ham- 


422  FEEBLE    COUNTY. 

ilton.  This  spot  was  chosen  as  a  place  of  security,  and  to  guard 
the  communication  between  them.  General  Wilkinson  sent  Major 
John  S.  Gano,  belonging  to  the  militia  of  the  territory,  with  a  party 
to  build  the  work.  General  Harrison,  then  an  ensign,  commanded 
a  guard,  every  other  night,  for  about  three  weeks,  during  the  build- 
ing of  the  fort.  They  had  neither  fire  nor  covering  of  any  kind, 
and  suffered  much  from  the  intense  cold.  It  was  a  stockade,  and 
had  about  20  acres  cleared  around  it.  The  outline  can  yet  be  dis- 
tinctly traced. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1792,  a  severe  battle  was  fought  almost 
under  the  cover  of  the  guns  of  Fort  St.  Clair,  between  a  corps  of 
riflemen  and  a  body  of  Indians.  Judge  Joel  Collins  of  Oxford,  who 
was  in  the  action,  gives  the  following  facts  respecting  it,  in  a  letter 
to  James  M'Bride,  dated  June  20th,  1843. 

The  parties  engaged  were  a  band  of  250  Mingo  and  Wyandot  warriors,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  celebrated  chief  Little  Turtle,  and  an  escort  of  100  mounted  riflemen  of  the 
Kentucky  militia,  commanded  by  Capt.  John  Adair,  subsequently  governor  of  Kentucky. 
These  men  had  been  called  out  to  escort  a  brigade  of  pack-horses,  under  an  order  from 
General  Wilkinson.  They  could  then  make  a  trip  from  Fort  Washington  past  Fort  St. 
Clair,  to  Fort  Jefferson,  and  return  in  six  days,  encamping  each  night  under  the  walls  of 
one  of  these  military  posts,  for  protection. 

The  Indians  being  elated  by  the  check  they  had  given  our  army  the  previous  year,  in 
defeating  St.  Clair,  determined  to  make  a  descent  upon  the  settlement  then  forming  at 
Columbia,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami.  Some  time  in  September,  250  warriors 
struck  the  tear  pole,  and  took  up  their  line  of  march.  Fortunately  for  the  infant  settle- 
ment, in  passing  Fort  Hamilton  they  discovered  a  fatigue  party,  with  a  small  guard,  chop- 
ping fire-wood,  east  of  the  fort.  While  the  men  were  gone  to  dinner,  the  Indians  formed 
an  ambuscade,  and  on  their  return  captured  two  of  the  men.  The  prisoners  informed  the 
Indians,  that  on  the  morning  previous — which  must  have  been  on  Friday — that  a  brigade 
of  some  50  or  100  pack-horses,  leaded  with  supplies  for  the  two  military  posts  in  advance, 
had  left  Fort  Hamilton,  escorted  by  a  company  of  riflemen,  mounted  on  fine  horses,  and 
that  if  they  made  their  trip  in  the  usual  time,  they  would  be  at  Fort  Hamilton,  on  their 
return,  Monday  night.  Upon  this  information,  Little  Turtle  abandoned  his  design  of 
breaking  up  the  settlement  above  Cincinnati,  and  fell  back  some  12  or  15  miles,  with  a 
view  of  intercepting  the  brigade  on  its  return.  He  formed  an  ambuscade  on  the  trace,  at 
a  well-selected  position,  which  he  occupied  through  the  day  that  he  expected  the  return  of 
the  escort.  But  as  Captain  Adair  arrived  at  Fort  Jefferson  on  Saturday  night,  he  per- 
mitted his  men  and  horses  to  rest  themselves  over  Sunday,  and  thus  escaped  the  ambus- 
cade. On  Monday  night,  when  on  their  return,  they  encamped  within  a  short  distance  of 
Fort  St.  Clair.  The  judge  says:  "  The  chief  of  the  band  of  Indians  being  informed  of  oui 
position,  by  his  ninners,  concluded  that  by  a  night  attack,  he  could  drive  us  out  of  our  en- 
campment. Accordingly  he  left  his  ambush,  and  a  short  time  before  day-break,  on  Tues- 
day morning,  the  Indians,  by  a  discharge  of  rifles  and  raising  the  hideous  yells  for  which 
they  are  distinguished,  made  a  simultaneous  attack  on  three  sides  of  the  encampment, 
lc  aving  that  open  next  to  the  fort.  The  horses  became  frightened,  and  numbers  of  them 
broke  from  their  fastenings.  The  camp,  in  consequence  of  this,  being  thrown  into  some  con- 
fusion, Captain  Adair  retired  with  his  men,  and  formed  them  in  three  divisions,  just  beyond 
the  shine  of  the  fires,  on  the  side  next  the  fort;  and  while  the  enemy  were  endeavoring  to 
secure  the  horses  and  plunder  the  camp — which  seemed  to  be  their  main  object — they  were 
in  turn  attacked  by  us,  on  their  right,  by  the  captain  and  his  division  ;  on  the  left,  by  Lieut. 
George  Madison,  and  in  their  centre,  by  Lieut.  Job  Hale,  with  their  respective  divisions. 
The  enemy,  however,  were  sufficiently  strong  to  detail  a  fighting  party,  double  our  num- 
bers, to  protect  those  plundering  the  camp  and  driving  off  the  horses,  and  as  we  had  left 
the  side  from  the  fort  open  to  them,  they  soon  began  to  move  off,  taking  all  with  them. 

"  As  soon  as  the  day  dawn  afforded  light  sufficient  to  distinguish  a  white  man  from  an 
Indian,  there  ensued  some  pretty  sharp  fighting,  so  close,  in  some  instances,  as  to  bring  in 
use  the  war-club  and  tomahawk.  Here  Lieut.  Hale  was  killed  and  Lieut.  Madison 
wounded.  As  the  Indians  retreated,  the  white  men  hung  on  their  rear,  but  when  we 
pressed  them  too  close,  they  would  turn  and  drive  us  back.     In  this  way  a  kind  of  running 


PBEBL.E    COUNTY.  423 

fight  was  kept  up  until  after  sun-rising,  when  we  lost  sight  of  the  enemy  and  nearly  all  our 
horses,  some  where  about  where  the  town  of  Eaton  now  stands.  On  returning  from  the 
pursuit,  our  camp  presented  rather  a  discouraging  appearance.  Not  more  than  six  or  eight 
horses  were  saved  ;  some  twenty  or  thirty  lay  dead  on  the  ground  The  loss  of  the  enemy 
remains  unknown :  the  bodies  of  two  Indians  were  found  among  the  dead  horses.  We 
gathered  up  our  wounded,  six  in  number,  took  them  to  the  fort,  where  a  room  was  assigned 
them  as  a  hospital,  and  their  wounds  dressed  by  Surgeon  Boyd,  of  the  regular  army.  The 
wound  of  one  man,  John  James,  consisted  of  little  more  than  the  loss  of  his  scalp.  It 
appeared  from  his  statement,  that  in  the  heat  of  the  action,  he  received  a  blow  on  the  side 
of  his  head  with  a  war-club,  which  stunned  so  as  to  barely  knock  him  down,  when  two  or 
three  Indians  fell  to  skinning  his  head,  and  in  a  very  short  time  took  from  him  an  unusually 
large  scalp,  and  in  the  hurry  of  the  operation,  a  piece  of  one  of  his  ears.  He  recovered, 
and  I  understood,  some  years  afterwards,  that  he  was  then  living.  Another  of  the 
wounded,  Luke  Vores,  was  a  few  years  since  living  in  Preble  county. 

"  By  sunset  on  the  day  of  the  action,  we  had  some  kind  of  rough  coffins  prepared  for 
the  slain.  For  the  satisfaction  of  surviving  friends,  I  will  name  them,  and  state  that  in 
one  grave,  some  fifty  paces  west  of  the  site  of  Fort  St.  Clair,  are  the  remains  of  Captain 
Joab  Hale  ;  next  to  him,  on  his  left,  we  laid  our  orderly  sergeant,  Matthew  English  ;  then 
followed  the  four  privates,  Robert  Bowling,  Joseph  Clinton,  Isaac  Jett  and  John  Williams. 
Dejection  and  even  sorrow  hung  on  the  countenances  of  every  member  of  the  escort,  as 
we  stood  around  or  assisted  in  the  interment  of  these,  our  fellow  comrades.  Hale  was  a 
noble  and  brave  man,  fascinating  in  his  appearance  and  deportment  as  an  officer.  It  was 
dusk  in  the  evening  before  we  completed  the  performance  of  this  melancholy  duty.  What 
a  change  !  The  evening  before,  nothing  within  the  encampment  was  to  be  seen  or  heard 
but  life  and  animation.  Of  those  not  on  duty,  some  were  measuring  their  strength  and 
dexterity  at  athletic  exercises ;  some  nursing,  rubbing  and  feeding  their  horses ;  others 
cooking,  &.c.  But  look  at  us  now,  and  behold  the  ways,  chances  and  uncertainties  of 
war.  I  saw  and  felt  the  contrast  then,  and  feel  it  still,  but  am  unable  further  to  describe 
it  here  I" 

Between  the  site  of  F  >rt  St.  Clair  and  Eaton  is  the  village  grave- 
yard. This  cemetery  is  adorned  with  several  beautiful  monu- 
ments. Among  them  is  one  to  the  memory  of  Fergus  Holderman, 
who  died  in  1838.  Upon  it  are  some  exquisitely  beautiful  devices, 
carved  by  "  the  lamented  Clevenger,"  which  are  among  his  first 
attempts  at  sculpture.  The  principal  object  of  attraction,  however, 
is  the  monument  to  the  memory  of  Lieut.  Lowry  and  others,  who 
fell  with  him  in  an  engagement  with  a  party  of  Indians  commanded 
by  Little  Turtle,  at  Ludlow's  spring,  near  the  Forty  Foot  Pitch  in 
this  county,  on  the  17th  of  October,  1793.  This  monument  has 
recently  been  constructed  by  La'Dow  &  Hamilton,  of  Dayton,  at  an 
expense  of  about  $300,  contributed  by  public-spirited  individuals  of 
this  vicinity.  It  is  composed  of  the  elegant  Rutland  marble,  is  about 
12  feet  in  height,  and  stands  upon  one  of  those  small  artificial  mounds 
common  in  this  region.  The  view  was  taken  from  the  east,  beyond 
which,  in  the  extreme  distance  in  the  forest,  on  the  left,  is  the  site 
of  Fort  St.  Clair.  This  Lieut.  Lowry  was  a  brave  man.  His  last 
words  were :  "  My  brave  boys,  all  you  that  can  fight,  now  display 
your  activity  and  let  your  balls  fly  !"  The  slain  in  the  engagement 
were  buried  at  the  fort.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1822,  the  remains  of 
Lowry  were  taken  up  and  re-interred,  with  the  honors  of  war,  in 
this  grave  yard,  twelve  military  officers  acting  as  pall-bearers,  fol- 
lowed by  the  orator,  chaplain  and  physicians,  under  whose  direction 
the  removal  was  made,  with  a  large  concourse  of  citizens  and  two 
military  companies.  The  remains  of  the  slain  commander  and 
soldiers  have  been  recently  removed  to  the  mound,  which,  with  the 


424 


PREBLE    COUNTY. 


monument,  will  "  mark  their  resting  place,  and  be  a  memento  of 
their  glory  for  ages  to  come." 


Lowry's  Monument. 

We  give  a  letter  narrating  an  account  of  this  action,  written  by 
Gen.  Wayne  to  the  secretary  of  war,  and  dated  "  Camp,  southwest 
branch  of  the  Miami,  six  miles  advanced  of  Fort  Jefferson,  Octobei 
23d,  1793." 

The  greatest  difficulty  which  at  present  presents,  is  that  of  furnishing  a  sufficient  escort 
to  secure  our  convoy  of  provisions  and  other  supplies  from  insult  and  disaster ;  and  at  the 
same  time  retain  a  sufficient  force  in  camp  to  sustain  and  repel  the  attacks  of  the  enemy 
who  appear  desperate  and  determined.  We  have  recently  experienced  a  little  check  to 
our  convoys,  which  may  probably  be  exaggerated  into  something  serious  by  the  tongue  of 
fame,  before  this  reaches  you.  The  following,  however,  is  the  fact,  viz :  Lieut.  Lowry,  of 
the  2d  sub-legion,  and  Ensign  Boyd,  of  the  1st,  with  a  command  consisting  of  90  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  privates,  having  in  charge  20  wagons  belonging  to  the  quarter-master 
general's  department,  loaded  with  grain,  and  one  of  the  contractor's,  [wagons,]  loaded  with 
stores,  were  attacked  early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  inst.,  about  7  miles  advanced  of 
Fort  St.  Clair,  by  a  party  of  Indians.  Those  gallant  young  gentlemen — who  promised  at 
a  future  day  to  be  ornaments  to  their  profession — together  with  13  non-commissioned  offi- 
cers and  privates,  bravely  fell,  after  an  obstinate  resistance  against  superior  numbers,  being 
abandoned  by  the  greater  part  of  the  escort  upon  the  first  discharge.  The  savages  killed 
or  carried  off  about  70  horses,  leaving  the  wagons  and  stores  standing  in  the  road,  which 
have  all  been  brought  to  this  camp  without  any  other  loss  or  damage,  except  some  trifling 
articles. 

Little  Turtle,  whose  name  has  been  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
pages,  was  a  distinguished  chief  and  counsellor  of  the  Miamis,  by 
whom  he  was  called  Meshekenoghqua.  He  commanded  the  Indians 
at  St.  Clair's  defeat.  We  annex  a  sketch  of  him  from  Drake's  In- 
dian Biography. 

It  has  been  generally  said,  that  had  the  advice  of  this  chief  been  taken  at  the  disastrous 


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i^— I'iiililiiii'ilililil! 

PREBLE  COUNTY.  425 

fight  afterwards  with  General  Wayne,  there  is  but  little  doubt  but  he  had  met  as  ill-succesa 
as  General  St.  Clair.  He  was  not  for  fighting  General  Wayne  at  Presque  Isle,  and  inclined 
rather  to  peace  than  fighting  him  at  all.  In  a  council  held  the  night  before  the  battle,  he 
argued  as  follows:  "  We  have  beaten  the  enemy  twice,  under  separate  commanders.  We 
cannot  expect  the  same  good  fortune  always  to  attend  us.  The  Americans  are  now  led  by 
a  chief  who  never  sleeps  ;  the  night  and  the  day  are  alike  to  him.  And  during  all  the  time 
that  he  has  been  marching  upon  our  villages,  notwithstanding  the  watchfulness  of  our 
young  men,  we  have  never  been  able  to  surprise  him.  Think  well  of  it.  There  is  some- 
thing whispers  me,  it  would  be  prudent  to  listen  to  his  offers  of  peace."  For  holding  this 
language,  he  was  reproached  by  another  chief  with  cowardice,  which  put  an  end  to  all 
farther  discourse.  Nothing  wounds  the  feelings  of  a  warrior  like  the  reproach  of  cowardice, 
but  he  stifled  his  resentment,  did  his  duty  in  the  battle,  and  its  issue  proved  him  a  truer 
prophet  than  his  accuser  believed. 

Little  Turtle  lived  some  years  after  the  war,  in  great  esteem  among  men  of  high  stand- 
ing. He  was  alike  courageous  and  humane,  possessing  great  wisdom.  "  And,"  says 
Schoolcraft,  "  there  has  been  few  individuals  among  aborigines  who  have  done  so  much  to 
abolish  the  rites  of  human  sacrifice.  The  grave  of  this  noted  warrior  is  shown  to  visitors, 
near  Fort  Wayne.  It  is  frequently  visited  by  the  Indians  in  that  part  of  the  country,  by 
whom  his  memory  is  cherished  with  the  greatest  respect  and  veneration." 

When  the  philosopher  and  famous  traveller,  Volney,  was  in  America,  in  the  winter  of 
1797,  Little  Turtle  came  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  then  was,  and  who  sought  immediate 
acquaintance  with  the  celebrated  chief,  for  highly  valuable  purposes,  which  in  some  measure 
he  effected.  He  made  a  vocabulary  of  his  language,  which  he  printed  in  the  appendix  to 
his  travels.  A  copy  in  manuscript,  more  extensive  than  the  printed  one,  is  in  the  library  of 
the  Philosophical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

Having  become  convinced  that  all  resistance  to  the  whites  was  vain,  he  brought  his 
nation  to  consent  to  peace,  and  to  adopt  agricultural  pursuits.  And  it  was  with  the  view 
of  soliciting  congress  and  the  benevolent  society  of  Friends  for  assistance  to  effect  this 
latter  purpose,  that  he  now  visited  Philadelphia.  While  here  he  was  inoculated  for  the 
small  pox,  and  was  afflicted  with  the  gout  and  rheumatism. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Volney's  interview  with  him  for  information,  he  took  no  notice  of  the 
conversation  while  the  interpreter  was  communicating  with  Mr.  Volney,  for  he  did  not 
understand  English,  but  walked  about,  plucking  out  his  beard  and  eye-brows.  He  was 
dressed  now  in  English  clothes.  His  skin,  where  not  exposed,  Mr.  Volney  says,  was  as 
white  as  his ;  and  on  speaking  upon  the  subject,  Little  Turtle  said:  "  I  have  seen  Span- 
iards in  Louisiana,  and  found  no  difference  of  color  between  them  and  me.  And  why 
should  there  be  any?  In  them,  as  in  us,  it  is  the  work  of  the  father  of  colors,  the  sun 
that  burns  us.  You  white  people  compare  the  color  of  your  face  with  that  of  your  bodies." 
Mr.  Volney  explained  to  him  the  notion  of  many,  that  his  race  was  descended  from  the 
Tartars,  and  by  a  map  showed  him  the  supposed  communication  between  Asia  and  America. 
To  this,  Little  Turtle  replied :  "  Why  should  not  these  Tartars,  who  resemble  us,  have 
come  from  America  ?  Are  there  any  reasons  to  the  contrary  ?  Or  why  should  we  not 
both  have  been  in  our  own  country  V  It  is  a  fact  that  the  Indians  give  themselves  a  name 
which  is  equivalent  to  our  word  indigine,  that  is,  one  sprung  from  the  soil,  or  natural 
to  it. 

When  Mr.  Volney  asked  Little  Turtle  what  prevented  him  from  living  among  the  whites, 
and  if  he  were  not  more  comfortable  in  Philadelphia  than  upon  the  banks  of  the  Wabash, 
he  said :  "  Taking  all  things  together  you  have  the  advantage  over  us ;  but  here  I  am  deaf 
and  dumb.  I  do  not  talk  your  language  ;  I  can  neither  hear,  nor  make  myself  heard. 
When  I  walk  through  the  streets,  I  see  every  person  in  his  shop  employed  about  something  : 
one  makes  shoes,  another  hats,  a  third  sells  cloth,  and  every  one  lives  by  his  labor.  I  say 
to  myself,  which  of  all  these  things  can  you  do  ?  Not  one.  I  can  make  a  bow  or  an 
arrow,  catch  fish,  kill  game,  and  go  to  war:  but  none  of  these  is  of  any  use  here.  To 
learn  what  is  done  here  would  require  a  long  time."  "  Old  age  comes  on."  "  I  should  be 
a  piece  of  furniture  useless  to  my  nation,  useless  to  the  whites,  and  useless  to  myself."  "  I 
must  return  to  my  own  country." 

Col.  John  Johnston  has  given  in  his  "  Recollections,"  published  in 
Cist's  Advertiser,  some  anecdotes  of  Little  Turtle. 

Little  Turtle  was  a  man  of  great  wit,  humor  and  vivacity,  fond  of  the  company  of  gen- 
tlemen, and  delighted  in  good  eating.  When  I  knew  him,  he  had  two  wives  living  with 
him  under  the  same  roof  in  the  greatest  harmony  ;  one,  an  old  woman,  about  his  own 
age — fifty — the  choice  of  his  youth,  who  performed  the  drudgery  of  the  house  ;  the  other 

54 


426  PUTNAM    COUNTY. 

a  young  and  beautiful  creature  of  eighteen,  who  was  his  favorite  ;  yet  it  never  was  dis- 
covered by  any  one  that  the  least  unkind  feeling  existed  between  them.  This  distinguished 
chief  died  at  Fort  Wayne  about  twenty-five  years  ago,  of  a  confirmed  case  of  the  gout, 
brought  on  by  high  living,  and  was  buried  with  military  honors  by  the  troops  of  the  United 
States.  The  Little  Turtle  used  to  entertain  us  with  many  of  his  war  adventures,  and  would 
laugh  immoderately  at  the  recital  of  the  following : — A  white  man,  a  prisoner  of  many 
years  in  the  tribe,  had  often  solicited  permission  to  go  on  a  war  party  to  Kentucky,  and  had 
been  refused.  It  never  was  the  practice  with  the  Indians  to  ask  or  encourage  white  prisoners 
among  them  to  go  to  war  against  their  countrymen.  This  man,  however,  had  so  far 
acquired  the  confidence  of  the  Indians,  and  being  very  importunate  to  go  to  war,  the  Turtle 
at  length  consented,  and  took  him  on  an  expedition  into  Kentucky.  As  was  their  practice, 
they  had  reconnoitered  during  the  day,  and  had  fixed  on  a  house  recently  built  and  occu- 
pied, as  the  object  to  be  attacked  next  morning  a  little  before  the  dawn  of  day.  The  house 
was  surrounded  by  a  clearing,  there  being  much  brush  and  fallen  timber  on  the  ground.  At 
the  appointed  time,  the  Indians,  with  the  white  man,  began  to  move  to  the  attack.  At  all 
such  times  no  talking  or  noise  is  to  be  made.  They  crawl  along  the  ground  on  hands  and 
feet ;  all  is  done  by  signs  from  the  leader.  The  white  man  all  the  time  was  striving  to  be 
foremost,  the  Indians  beckoning  him  to  keep  back.  In  spite  of  all  their  efforts  he  would 
keep  foremost,  and  having  at  length  got  within  running  distance  of  the  house,  he  jumped 
to  his  feet  and  went  with  all  his  speed,  shouting,  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  Indians !  Indiaus ! 
The  Turtle  and  his  party  had  to  make  a  precipitate  retreat,  losing  forever  their  white  com- 
panion, and  disappointed  in  their  fancied  conquest  of  the  unsuspecting  victims  of  the  log 
cabin.  From  that  day  forth  this  chief  would  never  trust  a  white  man  to  accompany  him 
again  to  war. 

During  the  presidency  of  Washington,  the  Little  Turtle  visited  that  great  and  just  man 
at  Philadelphia,  and  during  his  whole  life  after,  often  spoke  of  the  pleasure  which  that  visit 
afforded  him.  Kosciusko,  the  Polish  chief,  was  at  the  time  in  Philadelphia,  confined  by 
sickness  to  his  lodgings,  and  hearing  of  the  Indians  being  in  the  city,  he  sent  for  them, 
and  after  an  interview  of  some  length,  he  had  his  favorite  brace  of  pistols  brought  forth, 
and  addressing  the  chief,  Turtle,  said — I  have  carried  and  used  these  in  many  a  hard  fought 
battle  in  defence  of  the  oppressed,  the  weak  and  the  wronged  of  my  own  race,  and  I  now 
present  them  to  you  with  this  injunction,  that  with  them  you  shoot  dead  the  first  man  that 
ever  comes  to  subjugate  you  or  despoil  you  of  your  country.  The  pistols  were  of  the  best 
quality  and  finest  manufacture,  silver  mounted,  with  gold  touch-holes. 

New  Paris,  about  11  miles  nw.  of  Eaton,  on  the  east  fork  of 
White  Water  river,  is  a  flourishing  town :  it  contains  2  or  3  churches, 
4  stores,  1  woollen  factory,  3  flouring  and  some  saw  mills,  and 
about  600  inhabitants.  In  the  neighborhood  are  limestone  quarries, 
from  which  large  quantities  of  excellent  lime  are  made.  Camden, 
a  thriving  town,  8  miles  s.  of  Eaton,  on  the  Hamilton  turnpike,  has 
2  churches,  3  dry  goods  stores,  3  flouring  and  2  or  3  saw  mills,  and 
about  450  inhabitants.  West  Alexandria,  5  miles  e.  of  E.,  on  the 
Dayton  turnpike,  Euphenia,  on  the  national  road,  1 1  ne.,  Lewisburg, 
10  ne.,  and  Winchester,  9  se.,  are  villages  having  each  more  or  less 
churches  and  stores,  and  about  50  dwellings.  Fair  Haven,  West- 
ville,  New  Florence  and  Rising  Sun  are  small  places. 


PUTNAM. 

Putnam  was  formed  from  Old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820, 
and  named  from  Gen.  Israel  Putnam,  who  was  born  at  Salem,  Mass., 
January  7th,  1718,  and  died  at  Brooklyn,  Conn.,  May  29th,  1790. 
The  surface  is  generally  level,  and  much  of  the  land  being  within 
the  Black  Swamp  district,  is  wet,  but  when  cleared  and  drained, 
very  fertile.     The  principal  productions  are  corn,  wheat,  potatoes. 


PUTNAM    COUNTY.  427 

• 

oats  and  pork.     The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840, 
with  their  population. 

Blanchard,       670         Monroe,    518         Richland,        387 
Greensburgh,  275         Ottawa,     690         Riley,  621 

Jennings,         350         Perry,       266         Sugar  Creek,  505 
Liberty,  125         Pleasant,  325         Union,  400 

The  population  of  Putnam,  in  1830,  was  230,  and  in  1840,  5132, 
or  9  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  population  is  from  eastern  Ohio,  and 
of  Pennsylvania  extraction.  In  Ottawa,  Greensburgh,  Riley  and 
Jennings  are  many  natives  of  Germany.  The  site  of  old  Fort  Jen- 
nings is  in  the  southwest  part.  There  were  two  Indian  towns  in  the 
county  of  some  note :  the  upper  'Tawa  town  was  on  Blanchard's 
fork ;  two  miles  below,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Ottawa  village, 
was  the  lower  'Tawa  town. 

Kalida,  the  county  seat,  is  on  Ottawa  river,  114  miles  northwest 
of  Columbus.  It  was  laid  out  in  1834,  as  the  seat  of  justice,  and 
named  from  a  Greek  word,  signifying  "  beautiful?  It  contains  a 
Methodist  church,  4  stores,  a  newspaper  printing  office,  and  36 
dwellings. 

In  Riley  is  a  settlement  of  "  Aymish  or  Ornish,"  a  sect  of  the 
"Memnonites  or  Harmless  Christians."  They  derive  their  name 
from  Aymen,  their  founder,  and  were  originally  known  as  Aymenites. 
This  sect  wear  long  beards,  and  reject  all  superfluities  in  dress,  diet 
and  property.  They  have  ever  been  remarkable  for  industry,  fru- 
gality, temperance  and  simplicity.  At  an  early  day  many  of  the 
Ornish  emigrated  from  Germany  to  Pennsylvania.  When  they  first 
came  to  the  country  they  had  neither  churches  nor  grave  yards. 
"  A  church,"  said  they,  "  we  do  not  require,  for  in  the  depth  of  the 
thicket,  in  the  forest,  on  the  water,  in  the  field  and  in  the  dwelling, 
God  is  always  present."  Many  of  their  descendants,  deviating  from 
the  practice  of  their  forefathers,  have  churches  and  burial  grounds. 

The  view,  "  a  home  in  the  wilderness,"  represents  a  log  tavern  in 
the  western  part  of  the  county,  on  the  road  to  Charloe.  It  was  built 
about  30  years  since  by  two  men,  assisted  by  a  female.  It  has  long 
been  a  favorite  stopping  place  for  travellers,  as  many  as  twenty  or 
thirty  having,  with  their  horses,  frequently  tarried  here  over  night, 
when  journeying  through  the  wilderness.  The  situation  is  charm- 
ing. It  is  on  the  banks  of  the  Auglaize,  which  flows  in  a  ravine 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  below.  All  around  stand  massive  trees, 
with  foliage  luxuriantly  developed  by  the  virgin  fertility  of  the  soil, 
while  numerous  branches  lave  in  the  passing  waters.  We  came 
suddenly  upon  the  place  on  a  pleasant  day  in  June,  1846,  and  were 
so  much  pleased  with  its  primitive  simplicity  and  loveliness,  as  to 
stop  and  make  a  more  familiar  acquaintance.  We  alighted  from  our 
faithful  "  Pomp,"  turned  him  loose  among  the  fresh  grass,  drew  our 
portfolio  from  our  saddle-bags,  and  while  he  was  rolling  amid  the 
clover  in  full  liberty,  and  the  ladies  of  the  house  were  seated  sewing 
in  the  open  space  between  the  parts  of  the  cabin,  fanned  by  a  gentle 


428 


RICHLAND    COUNTY. 


breeze,  and  perhaps  listening  to  the  warblings  of  the  birds  and  mur- 
murings  of  the  waters, — we  took  a  sketch,  as  a  memorial  of  a  scene 
we  shall  never  forget,  and  to  present  to  our  readers  a  view  of  "  a 
home  in  the  wilderness." 

Gil  boa,  Pendleton,  Ottawa,  Columbus,  Grove,  Madeira  and  Glan- 
dorff  are  all  small  places  in  this  county,  the  largest  of  which,  Gilboa, 
contains  about  35  dwellings. 


RICHLAND. 


Richland  was  organized  March  1st,  1813,  and  named  from  the 
character  of  its  soil.  About  one-half  of  the  county  is  level,  inclining 
to  clay,  and  adapted  to  grass.  The  remainder  is  rolling,  adapted  to 
wheat,  and  some  parts  to  corn,  and  well  watered.  The  principal 
agricultural  products  are  wheat,  oats,  corn,  hay  and  potatoes  ;  all  of 
which  are  raised  in  great  abundance — and  rye,  hemp,  barley,  flax- 
seed, &c.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
the  county  was  much  reduced  in  1846,  by  the  creation  of 


population 

Ashland. 
Auburn,  1020 

Bloomfield,  1294 

Blooming  Grove,  1495 


Clear  Creek, 

1653 

Congress, 

1248 

Franklin, 

1668 

Green, 

2007 

Hanover, 

1485 

Jefferson, 

2325 

Madison,  3206 

Mifflin,  1800 

Milton,  1861 

Monroe,  1627 

Montgomery,  2445 

Orange,  1840 

Perry,  1852 

Plymouth,  1934 


Sandusky, 

1465 

Sharon, 

1675 

Springfield, 

1685 

Troy,  m 

1939 

Vermilion, 

2402 

Vernon, 

1040 

Washington, 

1915 

Worthington,  1942 


The  population  of  Richland,  in  1820,  was  9168;  in  1830,  24,007: 
and  in  1840,  44,823,  or  49  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  early  settlers  of  Richland  emigrated  from  Pennsylvania,  many 
of  whom  were  of  German  origin.  It  was  first  settled,  about  the  year  1809,  on  branches  of 
the  Mohiccan.  The  names  of  the  first  settlers,  as  far  as  recollected,  are,  Henry  M'Cart, 
Andrew  Craig,  James  Cunningham,  Abm.  Baughman,  Henry  Nail,  Samuel  Lewis,  Peter 
Kinney,  Calvin  Hill,  John  Murphy,  Thomas  Coulter,  Melzer  Tannehill,  Isaac  Martin,  Ste- 
phen Van  Schoick,  Archibald  Gardner  and  James  M'Clure, 

In  September,  1812,  shortly  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain,  two 
block-houses  were  built  in  Mansfield.  One  stood  about  six  rods  west  of  the  site  of  the  court 
house,  and  the  other  a  rod  or  two  north.  The  first  was  built  by  a  company  commanded  by 
Capt.  Shaeffer,  from  Fairfield  county,  and  the  other  by  the  company  of  Col.  Chas.  Williams, 
of  Coshocton,     A  garrison  was  stationed  at  the  place,  until  after  the  battle  of  the  Thames. 

At  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  there  was  a  settlement  of  friendly  Indians,  of  the 
Delaware  tribe,  at  a  place  called  Greentown,  about  12  miles  southeast  of  Mansfield,  within 
the  present  township  of  Green.  It  was  a  village  consisting  of  some  60  cabins,  with  a  coun- 
cil-house about  60  feet  long,  25  wide,  one  story  in  height,  and  built  of  posts  and  clapboarded. 
The  village  contained  several  hundred  persons.  As  a  measure  of  safety,  they  were  col- 
lected, in  August,  1812,  and  sent  to  some  place  in  the  western  part  of  the  state,  under  pro- 
tection of  the  government.  They  were  first  brought  to  Mansfield,  and  placed  under  guard, 
near  where  the  tan-yard  now  is,  on  the  run.  While  there,  a  young  Indian  and  squaw  came 
up  to  the  block-house,  with  a  request  to  the  chaplain,  Rev.  James  Smith  of  Mount  Vernon, 
to  marry  them  after  the  manner  of  the  whites.  In  the  absence  of  the  guard,  who  had  come 
up  to  witness  the  ceremony,  an  old  Indian  and  his  daughter,  aged  about  12  years,  who 


RICHLAND    COUNTY.  429 

were  from  Indiana,  took  advantage  of  the  circumstance  and  escaped.  Two  spies  from 
Coshocton,  named  Morrison  and  M'Culloch,  met  them  near  the  run,  about  a  mile  north- 
west of  Mansfield,  on  what  is  now  the  farm  of  E.  P.  Sturges.  As  the  commanding  offi- 
cer, Col.  Kratzer,  had  given  orders  to  shoot  all  Indians  found  out  of  the  bounds  of  the  place, 
under  an  impression  that  all  such  must  be  hostile,  Morrison,  on  discovering  them,  shot 
the  father  through  the  breast.  He  fell  mortally  wounded,  then  springing  up.  ran  about  200 
yards,  and  fell  to  rise  no  more.  The  girl  escaped.  The  men  returned  and  gave  the  infor- 
mation. A  party  of  12  men  were  ordered  out,  half  of  whom  were  under  Serjeant  John  C. 
Gilkison,  now  of  Mansfield.  The  men  flanked  on  each  side  of  ihe  run.  As  Gilkison  came 
up,  he  found  the  fallen  Indian  on  the  north  side  of  the  run,  and  at  every  breath  he  drew, 
blood  flowed  through  the  bullet  hole  in  his  chest.  Morrison  next  came  up,  and  called  to 
M'Culloch  to  come  and  take  revenge.  Gilkison  then  asked  the  Indian  who  he  was:  he  re- 
plied, "a  friend."  M'Culloch,  who  by  this  time  had  joined  them,  exclaimed  as  he  drew 
his  tomahawk,  "  d — n  you !  I'll  make  a  friend  of  you  !"  and  aimed  a  blow  at  his  head  ; 
but  it  glanced,  and  was  not  mortal.  At  this  he  placed  one  foot  on  the  neck  of  the  pros- 
trate Indian,  and  drawing  out  his  tomahawk,  with  another  blow  buried  it  in  his  brain?. 
The  poor  fellow  gave  one  quiver,  and  then  all  was  over. 

Gilkison  had  in  vain  endeavored  to  prevent  this  inhuman  deed,  and  now  requested  M'Cul- 
loch to  bury  the  Indian.  "  D — n  him  !  no !"  was  the  answer ;  "  they  killed  two  or  three 
brothers  of  mine,  and  never  buried  them."  The  second  day  following,  the  Indian  was 
buried,  but  it  was  so  slightly  done  that  his  ribs  were  seen  projecting  above  ground  for  two  or 
three  years  after. 

This  M'Culloch  continued  an  Indian  fighter  until  his  death.  He  made  it  a  rule  to  kill 
every  Indian  he  met,  whether  friend  or  foe.  Mr.  Gilkison  saw  him  some  time  after,  on  his 
way  to  Sandusky,  dressed  as  an  Indian.  To  his  question,  "  where  are  you  going  V  he  re- 
plied, "  to  get  more  revenge  !" 

There  was  living  at  this  time,  on  the  Black  Fork  of  the  Mohiccan,  about  half  a  mile  west 
of  where  Petersburgh  now  is,  a  Mr.  Martin  Ruffner.  Having  removed  his  family  for  safety, 
no  person  was  with  him  in  his  cabin,  excepting  a  bound  boy.  About  two  miles  southeast 
stood  the  cabin  of  the  Seymours.  This  family  consisted  of  the  parents — both  very  old  peo- 
ple— a  maiden  daughter  Catharine,  and  her  brother  Philip,  who  was  a  bachelor. 

One  evening  Mr.  Ruffner  sent  out  the  lad  to  the  creek  bottom,  to  bring  home  the 
cows,  when  he  discovered  four  Indians  and  ran.  They  called  to  him,  saying  that  they 
would  not  harm  him,  but  wished  to  speak  to  him.  Having  ascertained  from  him  that  the 
Seymours  were  at  home,  they  left,  and  he  hurried  back  and  told  Ruffner  of  the  circumstance  ; 
upon  which  he  took  down  his  rifle  and  started  for  Seymour's.  He  arrived  there,  and  was 
advising  young  Seymour  to  go  to  the  cabin  of  a  Mr.  Copus,  and  get  old  Mr.  Copus  and  his 
son  to  come  up  and  help  take  the  Indians  prisoners,  when  the  latter  were  seen  approaching. 
Upon  this  young  Seymour  passed  out  of  the  back  door  and  hurried  to  Copus's,  while  the  In- 
dians entered  the  front  door,  with  their  rifles  in  hand. 

The  Seymours  received  them  with  an  apparent  cordiality,  and  the  daughter  spread  the 
table  for  them.  The  Indians,  however,  did  not  appear  to  be  inclined  to  eat,  but  soon  arose 
and  commenced  the  attack.  Ruffner,  who  was  a  powerful  man,  made  a  desperate  resist- 
ance. He  clubbed  his  rifle,  and  broke  the  stock  to  pieces ;  but  he  fell  before  superior  num- 
bers, and  was  afterwards  found  dead  and  scalped  in  the  yard,  with  two  rifle  balls  through 
him,  and  several  fingers  cut  off  by  a  tomahawk.  The  old  people  and  daughter  were  found 
tomahawked  and  scalped  in  the  house. 

In  an  hour  or  so  after  dark,  young  Seymour  returned  with  Mr.  Copus  and  son,  making 
their  way  through  the  woods  by  the  light  of  a  hickory  bark  torch.  Approaching  the  cabi'n, 
they  found  all  dark  and  silent  within.  Young  Seymour  attempted  to  open  the  door,  when 
it  flew  back.  Reaching  forward,  he  touched  the  corpse  of  the  old  man,  and  exclaimed  in 
tones  of  anguish, "  here  is  the  blood  of  my  poor  father!"  Before  they  reached  the  place, 
they  heard  the  Indians  whistling  on  their  powder  chargers,  upon  which  they  put  out  the  light 
and  were  not  molested.* 

These  murders,  supposed  to  have  been  committed  by  some  of  the  Greentown  Indians, 
spread  terror  among  the  settlers,  who  immediately  fortified  their  cabins  and  erected  several 
block-houses.  Among  the  block-houses  erected  was  Nail's  on  the  Clear  fork  of  the  Mo- 
hiccan ;  Beems's  on  the  Rocky  fork  ;  one  on  the  site  of  Ganges,  and  a  picketed  house  on 
the  Black  fork,  owned  by  Thomas  Coulter. 

Shortly  after  this,  a  party  of  12  or  14  militia  from  Guernsey  county,  who  were  out  on  a 
scout,  without  any  authority  burnt  the  Indian  village  of  Greentown,  at  this  time  deserted. 

*  From  Mr.  Henry  Nail. 


430  RICHLAND    COUNTY. 

At  night  they  stopped  at  the  cabin  of  Mr.  Copus,  on  the  Black  fork,  about  9  miles  from 
Mansfield.  The  next  morning,  as  four  of  them  were  at  a  spring  washing,  a  few  rods  from 
the  cabin,  they  were  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians  in  ambush.  They  all  ran  for  the  house, 
except  Warnock,who  retreated  in  another  direction,  and  was  afterwards  found  dead  in  the 
woods,  about  half  a  mile  distant.  His  body  was  resting  against  a  tree,  with  his  handker- 
chief stuffed  in  the  wound  in  his  bowels.  Two  of  the  others,  George  Shipley  and  John 
Tedrick,  were  killed  and  scalped  between  the  spring  and  the  house.  The  fourth  man,  Robert 
Dye,  in  passing  between  the  shed  and  cabin,  suddenly  met  a  warrior  with  his  uplifted  toma- 
hawk.    He  dodged  and  escaped  into  the  house,  carrying  with  him  a  bullet  in  his  thigh. 

Mr.  Copus  at  the  first  alarm  had  opened  the  door,  and  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  rifle 
ball  in  his  breast.  He  was  laid  on  the  bed,  and  the  Indians  shortly  attacked  the  cabin. 
"  Fight  and  save  my  family,"  exclaimed  he,  "  for  I  am  a  dead  man."  The  attack  was 
fiercely  made,  and  several  balls  came  through  the  door,  upon  which  they  pulled  up  the  pun- 
cheons from  the  floor  and  placed  against  it.  Mrs.  Copus  and  her  daughter  went  up  into 
the  loft  for  safety,  and  the  last  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  thigh,  from  a  ball  fired  from  a 
neighboring  hill.  One  of  the  soldiers,  George  Launtz,  was  in  the  act  of  removing  a  chunk 
of  wood  to  fire  through,  when  a  ball  entered  the  hole  and  broke  his  arm.  After  this,  he 
watched  and  saw  an  Indian  put  his  head  from  behind  a  stump.  He  fired,  and  the  fellow's 
brains  were  scattered  over  it.  After  about  an  hour,  the  Indians  having  suffered  severe  loss, 
retreated.*  Had  they  first  attacked  the  house,  it  is  probable  an  easy  victory  would  have 
been  gained  by  them. 

Mr.  Levi  Jones  was  shot  by  some  Greentown  Indians  in  the  northern  part  of  Mansfield, 
in  the  succeeding  autumn,  somewhere  near  the  site  of  Riley's  mill.  He  kept  a  store  in 
Mansfield,  and  when  the  Greentown  Indians  left,  refused  to  give  up  some  rifles  they  had 
left  as  security  for  debt.  He  was  waylaid,  and  shot  and  scalped.  The  report  of  the  rifles 
being  heard  in  town,  a  party  went  out  and  found  his  body  much  mutilated,  and  buried  him 
in  the  old  grave  yard. 

After  the  wrar,  some  of  the  Greentown  Indians  returned  to  the  county  to  hunt,  but  their 
town  having  been  destroyed,  they  had  no  fixed  residence.  Two  of  them,  young  men  by 
the  names  of  Seneca  John  and  Quilipetoxe,  came  to  Mansfield  one  noon,  had  a  frolic  in 
Williams's  tavern,  on  the  site  of  the  North  American  Hotel,  and 'quarreled  with  some  whites. 
About  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  left,  partially  intoxicated.  The  others,  five  in  num- 
ber, went  in  pursuit,  vowing  revenge.  They  overtook  them  about  a  mile  east  of  town,  shot 
them  down,  and  buried  them  at  the  foot  of  a  large  maple  on  the  edge  of  the  swamp,  by 
thrusting  their  bodies  down  deep  in  the  mud.  The  skeletons  remain  to  this  day.  The 
place  is  known  as  "  Spook  Hollow." 

Mansfield,  the  county  seat,  is  68  miles  northerly  from  Columbus, 
25  from  Mount  Vernon,  and  about  45  from  Sandusky  City.  Its  situ- 
ation is  beautiful,  upon  a  commanding  elevation,  overlooking  a 
country  handsomely  disposed  in  hills  and  valleys.  The  streets  are 
narrow,  and  the  town  is  compactly  built,  giving  it  a  city-like  appear- 
ance. The  completion  of  the  railroad  through  here  to  Sandusky 
City  has  added  much  to  its  business  facilities,  and  it  is  now  thriving 
and  increasing  rapidly. 

It  was  laid  out  in  1808,  by  James  Hedges,  Jacob  Newman  and 
Joseph  H.  Larwill.  The  last  named  gentleman  pitched  his  tent  on 
the  rise  of  ground  above  the  Big  Spring,  and  opened  the  first  sale  of 
lots,  on  the  8th  of  October.  The  country  all  around  was  then  a  wil- 
derness, with  no  roads  through  it.  The  first  purchasers  came  in 
from  the  counties  of  Knox,  Columbiana,  Stark,  &c.  Among  the 
first  settlers  were  George  Coffinberry,  William  Winship,  Rollin  Wel- 

*  We  have  three  different  accounts  of  this  affair :  one  from  Wyatt  Hutchinson,  of  Guern- 
sey, then  a  lieutenant  in  the  Guernsey  militia  ;  one  from  Henry  Nail,  who  was  with  some 
of  the  wounded  men  the  night  following  ;  and  the  last  from  a  gentleman  living  in  Mansfield 
at  the  time.  Each  differs  in  some  essential  particulars.  Much  experience  has  taught  us 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  perfectly  accurate  verbal  narrations  of  events  that  have 
taken  place  years  since,  and  which  live  only  in  memory. 


RICHLAND    COUNTY. 


431 


don,  J.  C.  Gilkison,  John  Wallace  and  Joseph  Middleton.  In  1817, 
about  20  dwellings  were  in  the  place — all  cabins,  except  the  frame 
tavern  of  Samuel  Williams,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  North 
American,  and  is  now  the  private  residence  of  Joseph  Hildreth,  Esq. 
The  only  store  at  that  time  was  that  of  E.  P.  Sturges,  a  small  frame 
which  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  public  square,  on  the 
spot  where  the  annexed  view  was  taken.  The  Methodists  erected 
the  first  church. 


Public  Square,  Mansfield. 

Mansfield  contains  1  Baptist,  1  Union,  1  Seceder,  1  Disciples',  1 
Methodist,  1  Presbyterian  and  1  Congregational  church — the  last  of 
which  is  one  of  the  most  substantial  and  elegant  churches  in  Ohio — 
two  newspaper  printing  offices,  two  hardware,  1  book  and  20  dry 
goods  stores,  and  had,  in  1840,  1328  inhabitants,  and  in  1846,  2330, 
since  which  it  has  much  increased. 

Mansfield  derived  its  name  from  Col.  Jared  Mansfield,  who  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  about  the  year  1759.  He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1777,  taught  school  first  at 
New  Haven,  and  afterwards  at  Philadelphia.  Becoming  known  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  he  received 
the  appointment  of  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  at  the  U.  S.  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point.  The  publication  of  his  Mathematical  and  Physical  Essays  about  this  time  enhanced 
his  reputation,  and  he  took  a  high  stand  among  the  scientific  men  of  the  nation.  About  the 
year  1803,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Jefferson,  Surveyor  General  of  the  United  States 
for  the  Northwestern  Territories,  an  office  before  held  by  Gen.  Rufus  Putnam.  While  in 
this  office,  he  introduced  many  improvements  in  the  mode  of  effecting  surveys  by  rectangu- 
lar co-ordinates,  which  have  been  since  followed  and  received  the  sanction  of  law.  Col. 
Mansfield  subsequently  resumed  the  Professorship  of  Natural  Philosophy  at  the  Military 
Academy,  where  he  continued  until  a  few  years  previous  to  his  death,  when  he  retired  to 
Cincinnati,  and  subsequently  died  while  on  a  visit  to  his  native  city,  Feb.  3d,  1830,  aged 
71  years. 

Col.  Mansfield  was  distinguished  for  extraordinary  mathematical  genius  and  rare  attain- 
ments.    He  was  a  man  of  unexceptionable  moral  character,  generous  and  sincere. 

At  an  early  day,  there  was  a  very  eccentric  character  who  fre- 
quently was  in  this  region,  well  remembered  by  the  early  settlers. 
His  name  was  Jonathan  Chapman,  but  he  was  usually  known  as 


432  RICHLAND    COUNTY. 

Johnny  Appleseed.     He  was  originally,  it  is  supposed,  from  New 
England. 

He  had  imbibed  a  remarkable  passion  for  the  rearing  and  cultivation  of  apple  trees  from 
the  seed.  He  first  made  his  appearance  in  western  Pennsylvania,  and  from  thence  made  his 
way  into  Ohio,  keeping  on  the  outskirts  of  the  settlements,  and  following  his  favorite  pursuit. 
He  was  accustomed  to  clear  spots  in  the  loamy  lands  on  the  banks  of  the  streams,  plant  his 
seeds,  enclose  the  ground,  and  then  leave  the  place  until  the  trees  had  in  a  measure  grown. 
When  the  settlers  began  to  (lock  in  and  open  their  "  clearings,"  Johnny  was  ready  for  them 
with  his  young  trees,  which  he  either  gave  away  or  sold  for  some  trifle,  as  an  old  coat,  or 
any  article  of  which  he  could  make  use.  Thus  he  proceeded  for  many  years,  until  the 
whole  country  was  in  a  measure  settled  and  supplied  with  apple  trees,  deriving  self-satisfac- 
tion amounting  to  almost  delight,  in  the  indulgence  of  his  engrossing  passion.  About  20 
years  since  he  removed  to  the  far  west,  there  to  enact  over  again  the  same  career  of  hum- 
ble usefulness. 

His  personal  appearance  was  as  singular  as  his  character.  He  was  a  small  "chunked" 
man,  quick  and  restless  in  his  motions  and  conversation  ;  his  beard  and  hair  were  long  and 
dark,  and  his  eye  black  and  sparkling.  He  lived  the  roughest  life,  and  often  slept  in  the 
woods.  His  clothing  was  mostly  old,  being  generally  given  to  him  in  exchange  for  apple 
trees.  He  went  bare-footed,  and  often  travelled  miles  through  the  snow  in  that  way.  In 
doctrine  he  was  a  follower  of  Swedenbourg,  leading  a  moral,  blameless  life,  likening  himself 
to  the  primitive  Christians,  literally  taking  no  thought  for  the  morrow.  Wherever  he  went 
he  circulated  Swedenborgian  works,  and  if  short  of  them,  would  tear  a  book  in  two  and 
give  each  part  to  different  persons.  He  was  careful  not  to  injure  any  animal,  and  thought 
hunting  morally  wrong.  He  was  welcome  every  where  among  the  settlers,  and  treated 
with  great  kindness  even  by  the  Indians.  We  give  a  few  anecdotes,  illustrative  of  his 
character  and  eccentricities. 

On  one  cool  autumnal  night,  while  lying  by  his  camp-fire  in  the  woods,  he  observed  that 
the  musquitoes  flew  in  the  blaze  and  were  burnt.  Johnny,  who  wore  on  his  head  a  tin 
utensil  which  answered  both  as  a  cap  and  a  mush  pot,  filled  it  with  water  and  quenched 
the  fire,  and  afterwards  remarked,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  build  a  fire  for  my  comfort, 
that  should  be  the  means  of  destroying  any  of  his  creatures."  Another  time  he  made 
his  camp-fire  at  the  end  of  a  hollow  log  in  which  he  intended  to  pass  the  night,  but  finding 
it  occupied  by  a  bear  and  her  cubs,  he  removed  his  fire  to  the  other  end,  and  slept  on  the 
snow  in  the  open  air,  rather  than  to  disturb  the  bear.  He  was  one  morning  in  a  prairie,  and 
was  bitten  by  a  rattlesnake.  Some  time  after,  a  friend  inquired  of  him  about  the  matter. 
He  drew  a  long  sigh  and  replied,  "  Poor  fellow  !  he  only  just  touched  me,  when  I  in  an  un- 
godly passion,  put  the  heel  of  my  scythe  on  him  and  went  home.  Some  time  after  I  went 
there  for  my  scythe,  and  there  lay  the  poor  fellow  dead."  He  bought  a  coffee  bag,  made  a 
hole  in  the  bottom,  through  which  he  thrust  his  head  and  wore  it  as  a  cloak,  saying  it  was 
as  good  as  any  thing.  An  itinerant  preacher  was  holding  forth  on  the  public  square  in 
Mansfield,  and  exclaimed,  "  where  is  the»bare-footed  Christian,  travelling  to  heaven  V 
Johnny,  who  was  lying  on  his  back  on  some  timber,  taking  the  question  in  its  literal  sense, 
raised  his  bare  feet  in  the  air,  and  vociferated  "  here  he  is.'" 

Shelby,  11  miles  nw.  of  Mansfield,  on  the  railroad,  Lexington,  6  sw., 
Ganges,  1 1  n.,  Belleville,  9  s.  on  the  Mount  Vernon  road,  and  New- 
ville,  12  se.,  are  thriving  villages,  containing  each  from  40  to  80  dwel- 
lings. Olivesburg,  Rome,  Windsor,  Lucas,  Johnsville,  Woodbury, 
Williamsport,  Ontario,  Bloominggrove,  Newcastle,  Millsborough, 
Shenandoah,  London,  Lafayette  and  Washington,  are  also  small 
villages. 


ROSS. 


Ross  was  formed  by  proclamation  of  Gov.  St.  Clair,  August  20th, 
1798,  being  the  sixth  county  formed  in  the  North  Western  Territory. 
Its  original  limits  were  very  extensive.     It  was  named  from  the 


ROSS    COUNTY. 

Hon.  James  Ross,  of  Alleghany  county,  Pa.,  who  at  that  time  was 
the  unsuccessful  candidate  of  the  Federalists  for  the  office  of  gover- 
nor of  that  state.  Much  of  the  surface  off  from  the  valleys  is  hilly  ; 
the  land  is  generally  good,  and  on  the  streams  extremely  fertile. 
The  bottoms  of  the  Scioto  and  Paint  creek  are  famous  for  their 
abundant  crops  of  corn.  Much  water  power  is  furnished  by  the  va- 
rious streams.  The  principal  crops  are  corn,  wheat  and  oats.  It  is 
also  famed  for  its  fine  breeds  of  cattle,  and  has  many  swine.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Buckskin,         1729         Green,  1820         Paxton,         1226 

Colerain,  1281         Harrison,  631         Scioto,  5354 

Concord,         2548         Huntington,    1159         Springfield,  1062 
Deerfield,        1235         Jefferson,  871         Twin,  2195 

Eagle,  411         Liberty,  1256         Union,  2631 

Franklin,  582         Paint,  1380 

The  population  of  Ross  in  1820,  was  20,610  ;  in  1830,  25,150,  and 
in  1840,  27,460,  or  40  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

Such  glowing  descriptions  of  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  and  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  in  the  Scioto  country,  having  been  circulated 
through  Kentucky,  by  Massie  and  others,  who  had  explored  it  in 
1792,  that  portions  of  the  Presbyterian  congregations  of  Caneridge 
and  Concord,  in  Bourbon,  under  Rev.  Robert  W.  Finley,  determined 
to  emigrate  thither  in  a  body.  They  were  in  a  measure  induced  to 
this  step  by  their  dislike  of  slavery,  and  the  uncertainty  that  existed 
in  regard  to  the  validity  of  the  land  titles  in  that  state.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Finley,  as  a  preliminary  step,  liberated  his  slaves,  and  addressed 
a  letter  of  inquiry  to  Col.  Nathaniel  Massie,  in  December,  1794. 

That  letter  induced  Col.  Massie,  who  was  a  large  landholder,  to  visit  Mr.  Finley  in  the 
succeeding  March.  A  large  concourse  of  people  who  wished  to  engage  in  the  enterprize, 
assembled  on  the  occasion,  and  fixed  on  a  day  to  meet  at  the  Three  Islands  in  Manchester, 
and  proceed  on  an  exploring  expedition.  Mr.  Finley  also  wrote  to  his  friends  in  western 
Pennsylvania  informing  them  of  the  time  and  place  of  rendezvous. 

About  sixty  men  met  according  to  appointment,  who  were  divided  into  three  companies, 
under  Massie,  Finley  and  Falenash.  They  proceeded  on  their  route  without  interruption, 
until  they  struck  the  falls  of  Paint  creek  and  proceeded  a  short  distance  down  that  stream, 
when  they  found  themselves  in  the  vicinity  of  some  Indians  who  had  encamped  at  Reeves' 
crossings,  near  Bainbridge.  The  Indians  were  of  those  who  had  refused  to  attend  Wayne's 
treaty,  and  it  was  determined  to  give  them  battle,  it  being  too  late  to  retreat  with  safety. 
The  Indians  on  being  attacked  soon  fled  with  the  loss  of  two  killed  and  several  wounded. 
One  of  the  whites  only,  Joshua  Robinson,  was  mortally  wounded,  and  during  the  action  a 
Mr.  Armstrong,  a  prisoner  with  the  Indians,  escaped  to  his  own  people.  The  party  gath- 
ered up  all  the  plunder  and  retreated  as  far  as  Scioto  Brush  creek,  where  they  were,  ac- 
cording to  expectation,  attacked  early  the  next  morning.  Only  one  man  of  the  whites  was 
wounded,  Allen  Gilfillan,  and  the  party  the  next  day  reached  Manchester  and  separated  for 
their  several  homes. 

After  Wayne's  treaty,  Col.  Massie  and  several  of  the  old  explorers  again  met  at  the 
house  of  Rev.  Mr.  Finley,  formed  a  company  and  agreed  to  form  a  settlement  in  the  en- 
suing spring,  (1796,)  and  raise  a  crop  of  corn  at  the  mouth  of  Paint  creek.  According  to 
agreement,  they  met  at  Manchester  about  the  first  of  April,  to  the  number  of  forty  and 
upwards,  from  Mason  and  Bourbon.  Among  them  were  Joseph  M'Coy,  Benj.  and  Wm. 
Rodgers,  David  Shelby,  James  Harrod,  Henry,  Bazil  and  Reuben  Abrams,  Wm.  Jamison, 
Jas.  Crawford,  Samuel,  Anthony  and  Robert  Smith,  Trios.  Dick,  Wm.  and  Jas.  Kerr,  Geo. 
and  James  Kilgore,  John  Brown,  Samuel  and  Robt.  Templeton,  Ferguson  Moore,  Wm. 
Nicholson  and  J.  B.  Finley,  now  a  Methodist  clergyman.  They  divided  into  two  companies, 
one  of  which  struck  across  the  country  and  the  other  came  on  in  pirogues.     The  first  ar- 

55 


484  ROSS    COUNTY. 

rived  the  earliest  on  the  spot  of  their  intended  settlement,  and  had  commenced  erecting  log 
huts  above  the  mouth  of  Paint,  at  "  the  Prairie  station,"  before  the  others  had  come  on  by 
water.     About  300  acres  of  the  prairie  were  cultivated  in  corn  that  season. 

In  August  of  this  year,  1796,  Chillicothe  was  laid  out  by  Col.  Nathaniel  Massie,  in  a 
dense  forest.  He  gave  a  lot  gratis  to  each  of  the  first  settlers,  and  by  the  last  of  autumn 
about  twenty  cabins  were  erected.  Not  long  after,  a  ferry  was  established  across  the  Scioto 
at  the  north  end  of  Walnut  street.  The  opening  of  Zane's  trace,  very  soon  afterwards, 
produced  a  great  change  in  the  course  of  travel  west,  it  having  previously  been  along  the 
Ohio  in  keel  boats  or  canoes,  or  by  land  over  the  Cumberland  mountains,  through  Crab  Or- 
chard in  Kentucky. 

The  emigrants  brought  up  some  corn-meal  in  their  pirogues,  and  after  that  was  gone, 
their  principal  meal,  until  the  next  summer,  was  that  pounded  in  hommony  mortars,  which 
when  made  into  bread  and  anointed  with  bear's  oil,  was  quite  palatable. 

When  the  settlers  first  came,  whiskey  was  $4  50  per  gallon  ;  but  in  the  spring  of  1797, 
when  the  keel  boats  began  to  run,  the  Monongahela  whiskey  makers  having  found  a  good 
market  for  their  fire-water,  rushed  it  in,  in  such  quantities,  that  the  cabins  were  crowded 
with  it,  and  it  soon  fell  to  50  cents.  Men,  women  and  children,  with  some  exceptions, 
drank  it  freely,  and  many  who  had  been  respectable  and  temperate  became  inebriates. 
Many  of  Wayne's  soldiers  and  camp-women  settled  in  the  town,  so  that  it  for  a  time  be- 
came a  town  of  drunkards  and  a  sink  of  corruption.  There  was  a  little  leaven,  which  in 
a  few  months  began  to  develope  itself. 

In  the  spring  of  '97,  one  Brannon  stole  a  great  coat,  handkerchief  and  shirt.  He  and 
his  wife  absconded,  were  pursued,  brought  back,  and  a  formal  trial  had.  Samuel  Smith 
was  appointed  judge,  a  jury  empannelled,  one  attorney  appointed  by  the  judge  to  manage 
the  prosecution  and  another  the  defence,  witnesses  were  examined,  the  cause  argued  and 
the  evidence  summed  up  by  the  judge.  The  jury  having  retired  a  few  minutes,  returned 
with  a  verdict  of  guilty,  and  that  the  culprit  be  sentenced  according  to  the  discretion  of  the 
judge  ;  who  soon  announced  that  he  should  have  ten  lashes  on  his  naked  back,  or  that  he 
should  sit  on  a  bare  pack-saddle  on  his  poney,  and  that  his  wife — who  was  supposed  to 
have  had  some  agency  in  the  theft — should  lead  the  poney  to  every  house  in  the  village, 
and  proclaim,  "  this  is  Brannon,  who  stole  the  great  coat,  handkerchief  and  shirt ;"  and 
that  James  B.  Finley — now  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Finley,  chaplain  of  the  Ohio  penitentiary — 
should  see  the  sentence  faithfully  executed."  Brannon  chose  the  latter,  and  the  ceremony, 
"  this  is  Brannon  who  stole  the  great-coat,  handkerchief  and  shirt,"  was  at  the  door  of 
every  cabin  in  the  village,  in  due  form  proclaimed  by  his  wife,  he  sitting  on  a  bare  pack- 
saddle  on  his  poney.  It  was  performed  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Finley,  and  when  it  was 
over,  Brannon  and  his  wife  made  off. 

Dr.  Edw.  Tiffin  and  Mr.  Thomas  Worthington  of  Berkeley  county,  Va.,  were  brothers- 
in-law,  and  being  moved  by  abolition  principles  liberated  their  slaves,  intending  to  remove 
into  the  Territory.  For  the  purpose  of  making  preparations  for  their  removal  in  the  spring, 
Mr.  Worthington,  in  1797,  visited  Chillicothe  and  purchased  several  of  the  in  and  out  lots 
of  the  town,  and  on  one  of  the  former  he  erected  a  two  story  frame-house,  the  same  in 
which  Mr.  Campbell  now  resides  on  Second  street,  which  was  the  first  frame-house  erected 
in  Chillicothe.  On  his  return  to  Virginia,  having  purchased  a  part  of  the  farm  on  which 
his  widow  now  resides,  and  another  at  the  north  fork  of  Paint,  he  contracted  with  a  Mr. 
Joseph  Yates,  a  mill-wright,and  a  Mr.  Geo.  Haines,  a  blacksmith,  to  come  out  with  him  in 
the  following  winter  or  spring,  and  erect  for  him  a  grist  and  a  saw-mill  on  his  north  fork 
tract.  The  summer,  fall  and  following  winter  of  that  year,  was  marked  with  a  rush  of 
emigration,  which  spread  over  the  high  bank  prairie,  Pea-pea,  Westfall,  and  a  few  miles  up 
Paint  and  Deer  creeks. 

Nearly  all  the  first  settlers  were  either  regular  members,  or  had  been  raised  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  Towards  the  fall  of  1797,  the  leaven  of  piety  retained  by  a  portion  of 
the  first  settlers  began  to  diffuse  itself  through  the  mass,  and  a  large  log  meeting-house  was 
erected  near  the  old  grave-yard  on  this  side  of  the  bridge,  and  the  Rev.  Wm.  Speer,  a 
Presbyterian  clergyman  from  Pennsylvania  took  charge.  The  sleepers  served  as  seats  for 
the  hearers,  and  a  split  log  table  was  used  as  a  pulpit.  Mr.  Speer  was  a  gentlemanly, 
moral  man,  tall  and  cadaverous  in  person,  and  wore  the  cocked  hat  of  the  revolutionary  era. 

Thomas  James  arrived  in  February,  1798,  bringing  with  him  the  first  load  of  bar-iron 
in  the  Scioto  valley,  and  about  the  same  time  arrived  Maj.  EliasLangham,  an  officer  of  the 
revolution.  Dr.  Tiffin  and  his  brother  Joseph  arrived  the  same  month  from  Virginia,  and 
opened  a  store  not  far  from  the  log  meeting-house.  A  store  was  also  opened  previously  by 
John  M'Dougal.  On  the  17th  of  April,  the  families  of  Col.  Worthington  and  Dr.  Tiffin 
arrived,  at  which  time  the  first  marriage  in  the  Scioto  valley  was  celebrating  ;  the  parties 


ROSS    COUNTY.  435 

were  George  Kilgore  and  Elizabeth  Cochran.  The  ponies  of  the  attendants  of  the  wed- 
ding were  hitched  to  the  trees  along  the  streets,  which  then  were  not  cleared  out,  nearly 
the  whole  town  being  a  wilderness.  Mr.  Joseph  Yates,  Mr.  George  Haines,  and  two  or 
three  others  also  arrived  with  the  families  of  Tiffin  and  Worthington. 

Col.  Worthington  was  appointed  by  Gen.  Rufus  Putnan,  surveyor  general  of  the  N.  W. 
Territory,  surveyor  of  a  large  district  of  congress  lands,  then  to  be  surveyed  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Scioto,  and  Maj.  Langham  and  a  Mr.  Matthews  were  appointed  to  survey  the 
residue  of  the  lands,  which  afterward  composed  the  Chillicothe  land  district. 

On  their  arrival,  there  were  but  four  shingled-roof  houses  in  town,  on  one  of  which  the 
shingles  were  fastened  with  pegs.  Col.  Worthington's  was  then  the  only  house  in  town 
with  glass  windows.     The  sash  of  the  hotel  was  filled  with  greased  paper. 

The  same  season  settlements  were  made  about  the  Walnut  Plains,  by  Samuel  M'Culloch 
and  others  ;  Springer,  Osbourn,  Thomas  and  Elijah  Chenowith  and  Dyer,  settled  on  Darby 
creek:  Lamberts  and  others  on  Sippo  ;  on  Foster's  bottom,  by  Samuel  Davis,  the  Fosters 
and  others.  The  following  families  also  settled  in  and  about  Chillicothe  ;  John  Crouse, 
Wm.  Keys,  Wm.  Lamb,  John  Carlisle,  John  M'Lanberg,  Wm.  Candless,  the  Stocktons, 
the  Gregg's,  the  Bates's  and  others. 

Dr.  Tiffin  and  his  wife  were  the  first  Methodists  that  resided  in  the  Scioto  valley.  He 
was  a  local  preacher.  In  the  fall,  Worthington's  grist  and  saw  mills,  on  the  north  fork  of 
the  Paint  were  finished — the  first  mills  worthy  of  the  name  in  the  valley. 

Chillicothe  was  the  point  from  which  the  settlements  in  the  valley  diverged.  In  May, 
1799,  a  post-office  was  established  at  Chillicothe,  and  Joseph  Tiffin  appointed  post-master. 
Mr.  Tiffin  and  Thomas  Gregg  opened  taverns  ;  the  first  under  the  sign  of"  Gen.  Anthony 
Wayne,''  was  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Walnut  streets  ;  and  the  last  under  the  sign  of 
"the  Green  Tree,"  was  on  the  corner  of  Paint  and  Water  streets.  In  1801,  Nathaniel 
Willis  moved  in  and  established  "  the  Scioto  Gazette." 

In  1801,  the  settlers  along  the  west  side  of  the  Scioto  from  Chillicothe  to  its  mouth, 
were  Joseph  Kerr,  Hugh  Cochran,  Joseph  Campbell,  the  Johnsons,  James  Crawford,  the 
Kirkpatricks,  Chandlers,  Beshongs,  Montgomerys,  Mountz's,  Fosters,  Pancakes,  Davis's, 
Chenowiths,  Sargents,  Downings,  Combess,  Barnes's,  Utts',  Noels,  Lucas's,  Swaynes's, 
Williams  and  Collins,  at  Alexandria.  On  the  east  side  of  the  Scioto,  the  Noels',  Thomp- 
son, Marshall,  M'Quart,  the  Miller's,  Boylston,  Talbot,  Mustard,  Clark,  the  Claypoles, 
Renicks,  Harness's,  Carnes's,  and  many  others  not  recollected.* 

Chillicothe,-]-  the  seat  of  justice  for  Ross  county,,  is  situated  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Scioto  and  on  the  line  of  the  Ohio  canal,  45  miles 
s.  of  Columbus,  93  from  Cincinnati,  73  from  Zanesville  and  45  from 
the  Ohio  river  at  Portsmouth.  The  site  is  a  level  plain  elevated 
about  30  feet  above  the  river.  The  Scioto  curves  around  it  on  the 
north,  and  Paint  creek  flows  on  the  south.  The  plan  and  situation 
of  Chillicothe,  have  been  described  as  nearly  resembling  that  of 
Philadelphia,  the  Scioto  river  and  Paint  creek  representing  in  this 
case  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill  rivers,  and  both  towns  being  level 
and  regularly  laid  out  into  squares.  But  here  the  comparison  ter- 
minates. The  scenery  around  Philadelphia  is  dissimilar  and  far  infe- 
rior, as  the  view  shown  in  the  annexed  engraving  testifies.  In  trutn. 
there  are  but  few  places  in  the  country  where  the  scenery  partakes 
so  much  of  the  beautiful  and  magnificent  as  in  this  vicinity. 

*  The  preceding  facts  respecting  the  settlement  of  this  county,  are  derived  from  the  mss. 
of  Hon.  Thomas  Scott,  of  Chillicothe. 

t  Chillicothe  appears  to  have  been  a  favorite  name  with  the  Indians  for  their  towns, 
there  having  been  several  of  that  name,  viz:  one  on  the  site  of  Frankfort  in  this  county  ; 
one  on  the  site  of  Westfall  in  Pickaway  ;  one  three  miles  north  of  Xenia  in  Greene  ;  one 
on  the  site  or  Piqua,  Miami  county,  and  one  on  the  Maumee. 

Col.  John  Johnston  says,  "  Chillicothe  is  the  name  of  one  of  the  principal  tribes  of  the 
Shawanoese.  The  Shawanoese  would  say,  Chillicothe  otany,  i.  e.,  Chillicothe  town. 
The  Wyandots  would  say  for  Chillicothe  town,  Tat,q,ra,ra-DoJia,  or  town  at  the  leaning 
bank." 


436 


ROSS    COUNTY 


In  1800,  the  seat  of  government  of  the  N.  W.  Territory  was  re- 
moved by  law  of  congress  from  Cincinnati  to  Chillicothe.  The 
sessions  of  the  territorial  legislature  in  that  year  and  in  1801,  were 
held  in  a  small  two  story  hewed  log  house,  which  stood  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Second  and  Walnut  streets,  and  was  erected  in  1798,  by  Mr. 
Bazil  Abrams.  To  the  main  building,  extending  along  Walnut 
street  towards  the  Scioto,  was  attached  a  hewed  log  wing  of  two 
stories  in  height.  In  the  lower  room  of  the  wing,  Col.  Thos.  Gib- 
son, then  auditor  for  the  territory  kept  his  office,  and  in  the  upper 
lived  a  small  family.  In  the  upper  room  of  the  main  Iniilding  was 
a  billiard  table  and  a  place  of  resort  for  gamblers ;  the  lower  room 
was  used  by  the  legislature,  and  as  a  court  room,  as  a  church,  and 
a  singing  school.  In  the  war  of  1812,  the  building  was  a  rendez- 
vous and  barracks  for  soldiers,  and  in  1840  was  pulled  down. 

In  1800,  the  old  state  house  was  commenced,  and  finished  the  next 
year,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  legislature  and 
courts.  It  is  believed  that 
it  was  the  first  public  stone 
edifice  erected  in  the  terri- 
tory. The  mason  work 
was  done  by  Major  Wm. 
Rutledge,  a  soldier  of  the 
revolution,  and  the  carpen- 
tering by  William  Guthrie. 
The  territorial  legislature 
held  their  session  in  it  for 
the  first  time  in  1801.  The 
convention  that  framed  the 
constitution  of  Ohio  was 
held  in  it,  the  session  com- 
mencing on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  November,  1802. 
In  April,  1803,  the  first  state 
legislature  met  in  the  house, 
and  held  their  sessions  until  1810.  The  sessions  of  1810-11,  and 
1811-12,  were  held  at  Zanesville,  and  from  there  removed  back  to 
Chillicothe  and  held  in  this  house  until  1816,  when  Columbus  became 
the  permanent  capitol  of  the  state.  This  time-honored  edifice  is 
yet  standing  in  the  central  part  of  the  town,  and  is  used  as  a  court 
house  for  the  county.* 

Chillicothe  was  incorporated  January  4th,  1802,  and  the  following 
officers  appointed  :  Samuel  Finley,  Ed.  Tiffin,  James  Ferguson, 
Alexander  M'Laughlin,  Arthur  Stewart,  John  Carlisle  and  Reuben 
Adams,  members  of  the  select  council  ;  Everard  Harr,  assessor ; 
Isaac  Brink,  supervisor  ;  Wm.  Wallace,  collector ;  Joseph  Tiffin, 
town  marshal]. 

In  1807,  Chillicothe  had  14  stores,  6  hotels,  2  newspaper  printing 

*  American  Pioneer. 


Old  Slate  House,  Chillicothe. 


ROSS    COUNTY.  437 

offices,  a  Presbyterian  and  a  Methodist  church,  both  brick  buildings, 
on  Main  street,  and  202  dwelling  houses.* 

In  the  war  of  1812,  Chillicothe  was  a  rendezvous  for  United  States 
troops.  They  were  stationed  at  Camp  Bull,  a  stockade  1  mile  n.  of 
the  town,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Scioto.  A  large  number  of  British 
prisoners,  amounting  to  several  hundred,  were  at  one  time  confined 
at  the  camp.  On  one  occasion,  a  conspiracy  was  formed  between 
the  soldiers  and  their  officers  who  were  confined  in  jail.  The  plan 
was  for  the  privates  in  camp  to  disarm  their  guard,  proceed  to  the 
jail,  release  the  officers,  burn  the  town  and  escape  to  Canada.  The 
conspiracy  was  disclosed  by  two  senior  British  officers,  upon  which, 
as  a  measure  of  security,  the  officers  were  sent  to  the  penitentiary 
in  Frankfort,  Ky.f 

Four  deserters  were  shot  at  camp  at  one  time.  The  ceremony  was  impressive  and  hor- 
rible. The  soldiers  were  all  marched  out  under  arms  with  music  playing,  to  witness  the 
death  of  their  comrades,  and  arranged  in  one  long  extended  line  in  front  of  the  camp,  facing 
the  river.  Close  by  the  river  bank  at  considerable  distances  apart,  the  deserters  were 
placed,  dressed  in  full  uniform,  with  their  coats  buttoned  up  and  caps  drawn  over  their  faces. 
They  were  confined  to  stakes  in  a  kneeling  position  behind  their  coffins,  painted  black, 
which  came  up  to  their  waists,  exposing  the  upper  part  of  their  persons  to  the  fire  of  their 
fellow-soldiers.  Two  sections  of  six  men  each  were  marched  before  each  of  the  doomed. 
Signals  were  given  by  an  officer  instead  of  words  of  command,  so  that  the  unhappy  men 
should  not  be  apprised  of  the  moment  of  their  death.  At  the  given  signal,  the  first  sec- 
tions raised  their  muskets  and  poured  the  fatal  volleys  into  the  breasts  of  their  comrades. 
Three  of  the  four  dropped  dead  in  an  instant  ;  but  the  fourth  sprang  up  with  great  force  and 
gave  a  scream  of  agony.  The  reserve  section  stationed  before  him  were  ordered  to  their 
places,  and  another  volley  completely  riddled  his  bosom.  Even  then  the  thread  of  life 
seemed  hard  to  sunder. 

On  another  occasion,  an  execution  took  place  at  the  same  spot,  under  most  melancholy 
circumstances.  It  was  that  of  a  mere  youth  of  nineteen,  the  son  of  a  widow.  In  a  frolic 
he  had  wandered  several  miles  from  camp,  and  was  on  his  return  when  he  stopped  at  an  inn 
by  the  way-side.  The  landlord,  a  fiend  in  human  shape,  apprised  of  the  reward  of  $50 
offered  for  the  apprehension  of  deserters,  persuaded  him  to  remain  over  night,  with  the 
offer  of  taking  him  into  camp  in  the  morning,  at  which  he  stated  he  had  business.  The 
youth  unsuspicious  of  any  thing  wrong,  accepted  the  offer  made  with  so  much  apparent 
kindness,  when  lo !  on  his  arrival  the  next  day  with  the  landlord,  he  surrendered  him  as  a 
deserter,  swore  falsely  as  to  the  facts,  claimed  and  obtained  the  reward.  The  court-mar- 
tial, ignorant  of  the  circumstances,  condemned  him  to  death,  and  it  was  not  until  he  was 
no  more,  that  his  innocence  was  known. 

The  corpses  of  the  deserters  were  placed  in  rough  coffins  made  of  poplar,  and  stained 
with  lamp-black,  and  buried  on  the  river  margin.  After  a  lapse  of  years,  the  freshets  wash- 
ing away  the  earth,  exposed  their  remains,  and  they  were  subsequently  re-interred  in  a 
mound  in  the  vicinity. 

Chillicothe  contains  2  Presbyterian,  1  Associate  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian, 2  Methodist,  1  Methodist  Reformed,  1  Episcopal,  1  Catho- 
lic, 1  Baptist,  1  German  Lutheran,  1  German  Methodist,  1  colored 
Baptist  and  1  colored  Methodist  church,  1  male  academy  and  1  fe- 
male seminary,  38  retail  and  2  wholesale  dry  goods,  4  wholesale 
grocery,  3  hardware,  and  2  book  stores,  8  forwarding  houses,  5 
weekly  newspapers,  1  bank,  4  merchant  mills,  making  10,000  bbls.  of 
flour  annually,  and  4  establishments  which  pack  annually  about 
45,000  bbls.  of  pork.  It  is  the  centre  of  trade  in  the  Scioto  valley, 
and  is  connected  with  the  river  by  the  Ohio  canal,  which  is  rarely 
closed  by  ice.    It  has  hydraulic  works  bui't  at  an  expense  of  $75,000, 

*  Notes  of  a  Traveller.  t  Newspaper  of  the  time. 


438 


ROSS    COUNTY. 


which  furnish  water  power  in  addition  to  that  afforded  by  the  canal. 
It  lies  on  the  route  of  the  contemplated  railroad  from  Cumberland 
to  Cincinnati,  and  is  at  present  progressing  with  a  healthful  and 
steady  pace.  On  the  hill  west  of  the  town  is  a  mineral  spring,  said 
to  possess  line  medicinal  properties.  A  beautiful  cemetery,  contain 
ing  14  acres,  has  recently  been  laid  out,  and  it  is  contemplated  tc 
supply  the  city  with  water  from  Paint  creek,  by  hydraulic  power, 
Its  population  in  1807,  was  about  1200  ;  in  1820,  2416  ;  in  1830, 
2840  ;  in  1840,  3977,  and  in  1847,  about  6220. 


Adena. 

Two  or  three  miles  nw.  of  Chillicothe,  on  a  beautiful  elevation 
commanding  a  magnificent  view  of  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Scioto 
and  its  bounding  hills,  is  Adena,  the  seat  of  the  late  Gov.  Worthing- 
ton.  The  mansion  itself  is  of  stone,  is  embosomed  in  shrubbery, 
and  has  attached  a  fine  garden.  It  was  erected  in  1806,  at  which 
time  it  was  the  most  elegant  mansion  in  this  part  of  the  west,  and 
crowds  came  to  view  it,  in  whose  estimation  the  name  of  the  place 
Adena,  which  signifies  "Paradise,"  did  not  perhaps  appear  hyper- 
bolical. The  large  panes  of  glass,  and  the  novelty  of  papered  walls 
appeared  especially  to  attract  attention.  Its  architect  was  the  elder 
Latrobe,  of  Washington  city,  from  which  place  the  workmen  also 
were.  Nearly  all  the  manufactured  articles  used  in  its  construction, 
as  the  nails,  door  knobs,  hinges,  glass,  &c,  were  from  east  of  the 
mountains.  The  glass  was  made  at  the  works  of  Albert  Gallatin  and 
Mr.  Nicholson,  at  Geneva,  Pa.  The  fire-place  fronts  were  of  Phil- 
adelphia marble,  which  cost  $7  per  hundred  for  transportation.  The 
whole  edifice  probably  cost  double  what  it  would  have  done  if 
erected  at  the  present  day.  It  is  now  the  residence  of  the  widow 
of  the  late  governor,  of  whom  we  annex  a  brief  notice. 

Thomas  Worthington,  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  distinguished  pioneers  of  Ohio,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  county,  Virginia,  about  the  year  1769,  and  settled  in  Ross  county  in  1798. 
He  brought  from  Virginia  a  large  number  of  slaves,  whom  he  emancipated,  and  some  of 
their  descendants  yet  remain  in  Chillicothe.  A  man  of  ardent  temperament,  of  energy  of 
mind,  and  correct  habits  of  life,  he  soon  became  distinguished  both  in  business  and  in  politi- 
cal stations.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  of  1803,  to  form  a  state  constitution, 
in  which  he  was  both  able  and  active.     Soon  after  that,  he  became  a  senator  in  congress 


ROSS   COUNTY.  439 

from  the  new  state,  and  was  a  participant  in  the  most  important  measures  of  the  adminis- 
trations of  Jefferson  and  Madison.  At  the  close  of  his  career  in  congress,  he  was  elected 
governor  of  the  state,  in  which  capacity  he  was  the  friend  and  aid  of  all  the  liberal  and  wise 
measures  of  policy  which  were  the  foundation  of  the  great  prosperity  of  Ohio.  After  his 
retirement  from  the  gubernatorial  chair,  he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  first  board  of 
canal  commissioners,  in  which  capacity  he  served  till  his  death.  A  large  landholder,  en- 
gaged in  various  and  extensive  business,  and  for  thirty  years  in  public  stations,  no  man  in 
Ohio  did  more  to  form  its  character  and  promote  its  prosperity.     He  died  in  1827. 

Near  Adena,  in  a  beautiful  situation,  is  Fruit  Hill,  the  seat  of  the 
late  Gen.  Duncan  M'Arthur,  and  latterly  the  residence  of  his  son-in- 
law,  the  Hon.  Wm.  Allen. 

Duncan  M'Arthur,  who  was  of  Scotch  parentage,  was  born  in  Dutchess  county,  New 
York,  in  1772,  and  when  8  years  of  age,  his  father  removed  to  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania. 
His  father  was  in  indigent  circumstances,  and  Duncan,  when  of  sufficient  age,  hired  out  as 
a  laborer.  At  the  age  of  18  years,  he  was  a  volunteer  in  Harmar's  campaign.  In  1792, 
he  was  a  private  in  the  company  of  Capt.  Wm.  Enoch,  and  acted  with  so  much  intrepidity 
in  the  battle  of  Captina,  (see  p.  56,)  as  to  render  him  very  popular  with  the  frontier  men. 
After  this,  he  was  for  a  while  a  laborer  at  some  salt-works  near  Maysville,  Ky.,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1793,  engaged  as  a  chain-bearer  to  Gen.  Nathaniel  Massie,  and  penetrated  with 
him  and  others  into  the  Scioto  valley  to  make  surveys,  at  a  time  when  such  an  enterprizs 
was  full  of  danger  from  the  Indians.  He  was  afterwards  employed  as  a  spy  against  the  In- 
dians on  the  Ohio,  and  had  some  adventures  with  them,  elsewhere  detailed  in  this  volume. 
He  was  again  in  the  employment  of  Gen.  Massie  ;  and  after  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  studied 
surveying,  became  an  assistant  surveyor  to  Gen.  Massie,  and  aided  him  to  lay  out  Chilli- 
cothe.  He,  in  the  course  of  this  business,  became  engaged  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
lands,  by  which  he  acquired  great  landed  wealth. 

In  1805,  he  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  Ross,  in  1806,  elected  colonel,  and  in 
1808,  major-general  of  the  state  militia.  In  May,  1812,  he  was  commissioned  colonel  in 
the  Ohio  volunteers,  afterwards  marched  to  Detroit,  and  himself  and  regiment  were  included 
in  Hull's  surrender.  He  was  second  in  command  on  this  unfortunate  expedition  ;  but  such 
was  the  energy  he  displayed,  that,  notwithstanding,  after  his  return  as  a  prisoner  of  war  on 
parole,  the  democratic  party,  in  the  fall  of  1812,  elected  him  to  congress  by  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority.  In  March,  1813,  he  was  commissioned  a  brigadier-general  in  the  army,  and 
having  been  regularly  exchanged  as  prisoner  of  war,  soon  after  resigned  his  seat  in  congress 
to  engage  in  active  service. 

About  the  time  the  enemy  were  preparing  to  attack  Fort  Stephenson,  the  frontiers  were 
in  great  danger,  and  Harrison  sent  an  express  to  M'Arthur  to  hurry  on  to  the  scene  of 
action  with  all  the  force  he  could  muster.  Upon  this,  he  ordered  the  second  division  to 
march  in  mass.  "  This  march  of  the  militia  was  named  the  '  general  call.'  As  soon  as 
Governor  Meigs  was  advised  of  the  call  made  by  General  M'Arthur,  he  went  forward  and 
assumed  in  person  the  command  of  the  militia  now  under  arms.  General  M'Arthur  went 
forward  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  the  militia  followed  in  thousands.  So  promptly  were 
his  orders  obeyed,  that  in  a  few  days  the  Sandusky  plains  were  covered  with  nearly  eight 
thousand  men,  mostly  from  Scioto  valley.  This  rush  of  militia  to  defend  the  exposed  fron- 
tier of  our  country,  bore  honorable  testimony  that  the  patriotism  of  the  citizens  of  the  Scioto 
valley  did  not  consist  of  noisy  professions,  but  of  practical  service  in  defence  of  their  coun- 
try. This  general  turn-out  of  the  militia  proves  that  General  Massie,  and  the  few  pioneers 
who  followed  him  into  the  wilderness,  and  assisted  him  in  making  the  first  settlements  in 
the  fertile  valley  of  the  Scioto  river,  had  infused  their  own  daring  and  enterprizing  spirit 
into  the  mass  of  the  community.  Among  these  eight  thousand  militia  were  found  in  the 
ranks,  as  private  soldiers,  judges,  merchants,  lawyers,  preachers,  doctors,  mechanics,  farm- 
ers, and  laborers  of  every  description  ;  all  anxious  to  repulse  the  ruthless  invaders  of  our 
soil.  Indeed,  the  Scioto  country  was  so  stripped  of  its  male  population  on  this  occasion, 
that  the  women,  in  their  absence,  were  compelled  to  carry  their  grain  to  mill,  or  let  their 
children  suffer  for  want."  These  troops  having  arrived  at  Upper  Sandusky,  formed  what 
was  called  the  "  grand  camp  of  Ohio  militia."  Gen  M'Arthur  was  detailed  to  the  command 
of  Fort  Meigs.  The  victory  of  Perry,  on  the  10th  of  September,  gave  a  fresh  impetus  to 
the  army,  and  Harrison  concentrated  his  troops  at  Portage  river,  where,  on  the  20th,  the 
brigade  of  M'Arthur,  from  Fort  Meigs,  joined  him.  On  the  27th,  the  army  embarked  in 
boats  and  crossed  over  to  Maiden,  and  a  few  days  after,  Gen.  M'Arthur,  with  the  greater 
part  of  the  troops,  was  charged  with  the  defence  of  Detroit. 


440  ROSS    COUNTY. 

After  the  resignation  of  Harrison,  in  the  spring  of  1814,  M' Arthur,  being  the  senior  briga 
dier  general,  the  command  of  the  N.  W.  army  devolved  on  him.  As  the  enemy  had  re 
tired  discomfited  from  the  upper  end  of  Lake  Erie,  and  most  of  the  Indians  were  suing  for 
peace,  the  greater  part  of  the  regular  troops  under  his  command  were  ordered  to  the 
Niagara  frontier.  M'Arthur  had  a  number  of  small  forts  to  garrison  along  the  frontier, 
while  he  kept  his  main  force  at  Detroit  and  Maiden,  to  overawe  the  Canadians  and  the 
scattering  Indians  still  in  the  British  interest.  The  dull  monotony  of  going  from  post  to 
post  was  not  the  most  agreeable  service  to  his  energetic  mind.  He  projected  an  expedition 
into  Canada,  on  which  he  was  absent  about  a  fortnight  from  Detroit,  with  650  troops  and 
70  Indians.  At  or  near  Malcolm's  mill,  the  detachment  had  an  action  with  a  force  of 
about  500  Canadian  militia,  in  which  they  defeated  them  with  a  loss  of  27  killed  and 
wounded,  and  made  111  prisoners;  while  the  American  loss  was  only  1  killed  and  6 
wounded.  In  this  excursion,  the  valuable  mills  of  the  enemy,  in  the  vicinity  of  Grand 
river,  were  destroyed,  and  their  resources  in  that  quarter  essentially  impaired.  After  re- 
turning from  this  successful  expedition,  the  war  languished  in  the  northwest.  General 
M' Arthur  continued  in  service,  and  was  at  Detroit  when  peace  was  declared. 

In  the  fall  of  1815,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  legislature.  In  1816,  he  was  appointed 
commissioner  to  negotiate  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  Springwell,  near  Detroit ;  he  acted 
in  the  same  capacity  at  the  treaty  of  Fort  Meigs,  in  Sept.,  1817,  and  also  at  the  treaty  at 
St.  Mary's,  in  the  succeeding  year.  In  1817,  upon  being  elected  to  the  legislature,  he  was 
a  competitor  with  the  late  Charles  Hammond,  Esq.,  for  the  speaker's  chair,  and  triumphed 
by  a  small  majority.  The  next  summer,  the  party  strife  on  the  United  States'  bank  ques- 
tion, which  had  commenced  the  previous  session,  was  violent.  M'Arthur  defended  the 
right  of  that  institution  to  place  branches  wherever  it  chose  in  the  state,  and  on  this 
issue  was  again  a  candidate  for  the  legislature  and  was  defeated.  "  A  considerable  ma- 
jority of  members  elected  this  year  were  opposed  to  the  United  States  bank.  Mr.  Ham- 
mond was  again  elected  a  member  of  the  assembly,  and  by  his  talents,  and  readiness  in 
wielding  his  pen,  together  with  his  strong  and  confident  manner  of  speaking,  was  able  to 
dictate  law  to  this  assembly.  A  law  was  passed  at  this  session  of  the  legislature,  taxing 
each  branch  of  the  United  States'  bank,  located  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
When  the  time  arrived  for  collecting  this  tax,  the  branch  banks  refused  to  pay.  Mr.  Ham- 
mond had  provided  in  the  law  for  a  case  of  this  kind  :  the  collector  was  authorized,  in  case 
the  bank  refused  to  pay  the  tax,  to  employ  armed  force,  and  enter  the  banking  house  and 
seize  on  the  money,  and  this  was  actually  done  ;  the  collector,  with  an  armed  force,  entered 
the  branch  bank  in  the  town  of  Chillicothe  and  took  what  money  he  thought  proper. 

"  The  bank  brought  suit  in  the  United  States'  circuit  court  against  all  the  state  officers 
concerned  in  this  forcible  collection.  Mr.  Hammond,  a  distinguished  lawyer,  with  other 
eminent  counsel,  were  employed  by  the  state  of  Ohio  to  defend  this  important  cause.  The 
district  court  decided  the  law  of  Ohio,  levying  the  tax,  unconstitutional,  and,  of  course,  null 
and  void  ;  and  made  a  decree,  directing  the  state  to  refund  to  the  bank  the  money  thus 
forcibly  taken.  The  cause  was  appealed  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Hammond  defended  the  suit  in  all  its  stages.  The  supreme  court  decided  this  cause  against 
the  state  of  Ohio.  Thus  was  settled  this  knotty  and  vexatious  question,  which,  for  a  time, 
threatened  the  peace  of  the  Union." 

In  1819,  M'Arthur  was  again  elected  to  the  legislature.  In  1822,  he  was  again  chosen 
to  congress,  and  became  an  undeviating  supporter  of  what  was  then  called  the  American 
system.  "  While  General  M'Arthur  remained  a  member  of  congress,  he  had  considerable 
influence  in  that  body.  His  persevering  industry,  his  energetic  mind,  his  sound  judgment, 
and  practical  business  habits,  rendered  him  a  very  efficient  member.  He  would  sometimes 
make  short,  pithy  remarks  on  the  business  before  the  house,  but  made  no  attempts  at  those 
flourishes  of  eloquence  which  tickle  the  fancy  and  please  the  ear.  After  having  served 
two  sessions  in  congress,  he  declined  a  re-election,  being  determined  to  devote  all  his  efforts 
to  arrange  his  domestic  concerns.  He  left  the  field  of  politics  to  others,  and  engaged  with 
an  unremitted  attention  to  settle  his  land  business." 

In  1830,  M'Arthur  was  elected  governor  of  Ohio  by  the  anti- Jackson  party,  and  on  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  office  was  a  candidate  for  congress,  and  lost  his  election,  which 
terminated  his  political  career.  By  an  unfortunate  accident,  in  June,  1830,  M'Arthur  was 
horribly  bruised  and  maimed.  From  this  severe  misfortune  his  bodily  and  mental  powers 
constantly  declined,  until  death,  several  years  after,  closed  his  career. 

Duncan  M'Arthur  was  a  strong-minded,  energetic  man,  and  possessed  an  iron  will.  He 
was  an  hospitable  man,  close  in  business,  and  had  many  bitter  and  severe  enemies.  His 
life  adds  another  to  the  many  examples  of  the  workings  of  our  free  institutions,  of  one 
rising  from  obscurity  to  the  highest  offices  in  the  gift  of  a  state. 


ROSS    COUNTY.  44 

The  preceding  biography,  with  that  which  follows  of  Genera. 
Nathaniel  Massie,  is  derived  from  M'Donald's  sketches. 

Nathaniel  Massie  was  born  in  Goochland  county,  Virginia,  Dec.  28th,  1763.  His 
father,  a  farmer  in  easy  circumstances,  and  of  plain  good  sense,  educated  his  sons  for  the 
practical  business  of  life.  In  1780,  Nathaniel,  then  being  17  years  of  age,  was  for  a  short 
time  in  the  revolutionary  army.  After  his  return,  he  studied  surveying,  and  in  1783  left  to 
seek  his  fortunes  in  Kentucky.  He  first  acted  as  a  surveyor,  but  soon  joined  with  it  the 
locating  of  lands.  "  Young  Massie  soon  became  an  expert  surveyor,  and  it  was  a  matter 
of  astonishment  (as  he  was  raised  in  the  dense  population  east  of  the  mountains)  how  soon 
he  acquired  the  science  and  habits  of  the  backwoodsmen.  Although  he  never  practised  the 
art  of  hunting,  he  was  admitted  by  all  who  knew  his  qualifications  as  a  woodsman,  to  be  of 
the  first  order.  He  could  steer  his  course  truly  in  clear  or  cloudy  weather,  and  compute 
distances  more  correctly  than  most  of  the  old  hunters.  He  could  endure  fatigue  and  hun- 
ger with  more  composure  than  the  most  of  those  persons  who  were  inured  to  want  on  the 
frontier.  He  could  live  upon  meat  without  bread,  and  bread  without  meat,  and  was  per- 
fectly cheerful  and  contented  with  his  fare.  In  all  the  perilous  situations  in  which  he  was 
placed,  he  was  always  conspicuous  for  his  good  feeling  and  the  happy  temperament  of  his 
mind.  His  courage  was  of  a  cool  and  dispassionate  character,  which,  added  to  great  cir- 
cumspection in  times  of  danger,  gave  him  a  complete  ascendancy  over  his  companions,  who 
were  always  willing  to  follow  when  Massie  led  the  way." 

He  also  soon  became  interested  with  Gen.  James  Wilkinson  in  speculations  in  salt,  then 
an  article  of  great  scarcity  in  the  west — with  what  pecuniary  success,  however,  is  unknown. 
He  was  employed  as  a  surveyor  by  Col.  R.  C.  Anderson,  principal  surveyor  of  the  Virginia 
military  lands,  and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in  writing  in  the  office  of  Col.  Anderson,  who 
had  the  control  of  the  land  warrants,  placed  in  his  hands  by  his  brother  officers  and  soldiers. 
"  A  very  large  amount  of  these,  so  soon  as  the  act  of  congress  of  August,  1790,  removed 
all  further  obstruction,  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  Massie,  to  enter  and  survey  on  such  terms 
as  he  could  obtain  from  the  holders  of  them.  As  the  risk  of  making  entries  was  great,  and 
as  it  was  desirable  to  possess  the  best  land,  the  owners  of  warrants,  in  most  cases,  made 
liberal  contracts  with  the  surveyors.  One-fourth,  one-third,  and  sometimes  as  much  as 
one-half  acquired  by  the  entry  of  good  lands,  were  given  by  the  proprietors  to  the  surveyors. 
If  the  owners  preferred  paying  money,  the  usual  terms  were  ten  pounds,  Virginia  currency, 
for  each  thousand  acres  entered  and  surveyed,  exclusive  of  chainmen's  expenses.  These 
terms  cannot  appear  extravagant,  when  we  consider  that  at  that  time  the  danger  encoun- 
tered was  great,  the  exposure  during  the  winter  severe,  and  that  the  price  of  first-rate  land 
in  the  west  was  low,  and  an  immense  quantity  in  market. 

"  The  locations  of  land  warrants  in  the  Virginia  military  district  between  the  Scioto  and 
the  Little  Miami,  prior  to  1790,  were  made  by  stealth.  Every  creek  which  was  explored, 
every  line  that  was  run,  was  at  the  risk  of  life  from  the  savage  Indians,  whose  courage  and 
perseverance  was  only  equalled  by  the  perseverance  of  the  whites  to  push  forward  their 
settlements." 

In  1791,  Massie  made  the  first  settlement  within  the  Virginia  military  district  at  Man- 
chester. (See  p.  21.)  During  the  winter  of '92-93,  he  continued  to  locate  and  survey  the 
best  land  within  a  reasonable  distance  of  the  station  of  Manchester. 

"In  the  fall  of  the  year  1793,  Massie  determined  to  attempt  a  surveying  tour  on  the 
Scioto  river.  This,  at  this  time,  was  a  very  dangerous  undertaking  ;  yet  no  danger,  unless 
very  imminent,  could  deter  him  from  making  the  attempt.  For  that  purpose,  he  employed 
about  thirty  men,  of  whom  he  chose  three  as  assistant  surveyors.  These  were  John  Beas- 
ley,  Nathaniel  Beasley,  and  Peter  Lee.  It  was  in  this  expedition  Massie  employed,  for  the 
first  time,  Duncan  M'  Arthur  as  a  chainman  or  marker. 

"  In  the  month  of  October,  some  canoes  were  procured,  and  Massie  and  his  party  set  off 
by  water.  They  proceeded  up  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  thence  up  the  Scioto 
to  the  mouth  of  Paint  creek.  While  meandering  the  Scioto,  they  made  some  surveys  on 
the  bottoms.  After  reaching  the  mouth  of  Paint  creek,  the  surveyors  went  to  work. 
Many  surveys  were  made  on  the  Scioto,  as  far  up  as  Westfall.  Some  were  made  on  Main, 
and  others  on  the  north  fork  of  Paint  creek,  and  the  greatest  parts  of  Ross  and  Pickaway 
counties  in  the  district  were  well  explored  and  partly  surveyed.  Massie  finished  his  in- 
tended work  without  meeting  with  any  disturbance  from  the  Indians.  But  one  Indian  wa3 
seen  during  the  excursion,  and  to  him  they  gave  a  hard  chase.  He,  however,  escaped. 
The  party  returned  home  delighted  with  the  rich  country  of  the  Scioto  valley,  which  they 
had  explored. 

"  During  the  winter  of  1793-4,  Massie,  m  the  midst  of  the  most  appalling  dangers,  ex- 

56 


442  R0S9    COUNTY. 

plored  the  different  branches  to  their  sources,  which  run  into  the  Little  Miami  river,  and 
thence  passed  in  a  northeastern  direction  to  the  heads  of  Paint  and  Clear  creeks,  and  the 
branches  that  form  those  streams.  By  these  expeditions  he  had  formed,  from  personal  ob- 
servation, a  correct  knowledge  of  the  geographical  situation  of  the  country  composing  the 
Virginia  military  district. 

"  During  the  winter  of  1794-5,  Massie  prepared  a  party  to  enter  largely  into  the  survey- 
ing business.  Nathaniel  Beasley,  John  Beasley,  and  Peter  Lee  were  again  employed  as 
the  assistant  surveyors.  The  party  set  off  from  Manchester,  well  equipped,  to  prosecute 
their  business,  or  should  occasion  offer,  give  battle  to  the  Indians.  They  took  the  route  oi 
Logan's  trace,  and  proceeded  to  a  place  called  the  deserted  camp,  on  Tod's  fork  of  the 
Little  Miami.  At  this  point  they  commenced  surveying,  and  surveyed  large  portions  of 
land  on  Tod's  fork,  and  up  the  Miami  to  the  Chillicothe  town,  (now  in  Clark  county,)  thence 
up  Massie's  creek  and  Caesar's  creek  nearly  to  their  heads.  By  the  time  the  party  had  pro- 
gressed thus  far,  winter  had  set  in.  The  ground  was  covered  with  a  sheet  of  snow  from 
six  to  ten  inches  deep.  During  the  tour,  which  continued  upwards  of  thirty  days,  the  party 
had  no  bread.  For  the  first  two  weeks  a  pint  of  flour  was  distributed  to  each  mess  once  a 
day,  to  mix  with  the  soup  in  which  meat  had  been  boiled.  When  night  came,  four  fires 
were  made  for  cooking — that  is,  one  for  each  mess.  Around  these  fires,  till  sleeping  time 
arrived,  the  company  spent  their  time  in  the  most  social  glee,  singing  songs  and  telling 
stories.  When  danger  was  not  apparent  or  immediate,  they  were  as  merry  a  set  of  men 
as  ever  assembled.  Resting  time  arriving,  Massie  always  gave  the  signal,  and  the  whole 
party  would  then  leave  their  comfortable  fires,  carrying  with  them  their  blankets,  their  fire- 
arms, and  their  little  baggage,  walking  in  perfect  silence  two  or  three  hundred  yards  from 
their  fires.  They  would  then  scrape  away  the  snow  and  huddle  down  together  for  the 
night.  Each  mess  formed  one  bed  ;  they  would  spread  down  on  the  ground  one  half  of 
the  blankets,  reserving  the  other  half  for  covering.  The  covering  blankets  were  fastened 
together  by  skewers,  to  prevent  them  from  slipping  apart.  Thus  prepared,  the  whole  party 
crouched  down  together  with  their  rifles  in  their  arms,  and  their  pouches  under  their  heads 
for  pillows  ;  lying  spoon-fashion,  with  three  heads  one  way  and  four  the  other,  their  feet 
extending  to  about  the  middle  of  their  bodies.  When  one  turned  the  whole  mass  turned, 
or  else  the  close  range  would  be  broken  and  the  cold  let  in.  In  this  way  they  lay  till  broad 
day  light,  no  noise  and  scarce  a  whisper  being  uttered  during  the  night.  When  it  was  per- 
fectly light,  Massie  would  call  up  two  of  the  men  in  whom  he  had  most  confidence,  and 
send  them  to  reconnoiter  and  make  a  circuit  around  the  fires,  lest  an  ambuscade  might  be 
formed  by  the  Indians  to  destroy  the  party  as  they  returned  to  the  fires.  This  was  an  in- 
variable custom  in  every  variety  of  weather.  Self-preservation  required  this  circumspec- 
tion." Some  time  after  this,  while  surveying  on  Cassar's  creek,  his  men  attacked  a  party  of 
Indians,  and  they  broke  and  fled. 

After  the  defeat  of  the  Indians  by  Wayne,  the  surveyors  were  not  interrupted  by  the 
Indians  ;  but  on  one  of  their  excursions,  still  remembered  as  "  the  starving  tour,"  the  whole 
party,  consisting  of  28  men,  suffered  extremely  in  a  driving  snow-storm  for  about  four  days. 
They  were  in  a  wilderness,  exposed  to  this  severe  storm,  without  hut,  tent,  or  covering, 
and  what  was  still  more  appalling,  without  provision  and  without  any  road  or  even  track 
to  retreat  on,  and  were  nearly  100  miles  from  any  place  of  shelter.  On  the  third  day  of 
the  storm,  they  luckily  killed  two  wild  turkeys,  which  were  boiled  and  divided  into  28  parts, 
and  devoured  with  great  avidity,  heads,  feet,  entrails  and  all. 

In  1796,  Massie  laid  the  foundation  of  the  settlement  of  the  Scioto  valley,  by  laying  out 
on  his  own  land  the  now  large  and  beautiful  town  of  Chillicothe.  The  progress  of  the 
settlements  brought  large  quantities  of  his  land  into  market. 

Massie  was  high  in  the  confidence  of  St.  Clair ;  and  having  received  the  appointment  of 
colonel,  it  was  through  him  that  the  militia  of  this  region  were  first  organized.  Colonel 
Massie  was  an  efficient  member  of  the  convention  which  formed  the  state  'constitution. 
He  was  afterwards  elected  senator  from  Ross,  and  at  the  first  session  of  the  state  legisla- 
ture, was  chosen  speaker.  He  was  elected  the  first  major  general  of  the  second  division  of 
the  Ohio  militia  under  the  new  constitution. 

Gen.  Massie  was  at  this  time  one  of  the  largest  landholders  in  Ohio,  and  selected  a  resi- 
dence at  the  falls  of  Paint  creek,  in  this  county,  where  he  had  a  large  body  of  excellent  land. 
"  In  the  year  1807,  General  Massie  and  Colonel  Return  J.  Meigs  were  competitors  for  the 
office  of  governor  of  Ohio.  They  were  the  most  popular  men  in  the  state.  Col.  Meigs 
received  a  small  majority  of  votes.  The  election  was  contested  by  Massie  on  the  ground 
that  Col.  Meigs  was  ineligible  by  the  constitution,  in  consequence  of  his  absence  from  the 
state,  and  had  not  since  his  return  lived  in  the  state  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  regain  his 
citizenship.     The  contest  was  carried  to  the  general  assembly,  who,  after  hearing  the  te«ti- 


ROSS    COUNTY. 


443 


mony,  decided  that '  Col.  Meigs  was  ineligible  to  the  office,  and  that  Gen.  Massie  was  duly 
elected  governor  of  the  state  of  Ohio.'  Massie,  however  desirous  he  might  have  been  to 
hold  the  office,  was  too  magnanimous  to  accept  it  when  his  competitor  had  a  majority  of 
votes.     After  the  decision  in  his  favor  he  immediately  resigned." 

After  this,  he,  as  often  as  his  leisure  would  permit,  represented  Ross  county  in  the  legis- 
lature. He  died  Nov.  3d,  1813,  and  was  buried  on  his  farm.  "  His  character  was  well 
suited  for  the  settlement  of  a  new  country  ;  distinguished  as  it  was  by  an  uncommon  de- 
gree of  energy  and  activity  in  the  business  in  which  he  was  engaged.  His  disposition  was 
ever  marked  with  liberality  and  kindness." 


*  Cave  of  the  Scioto  Hermit. 

About  eleven  miles  south  of  Chillicothe,  on  the  road  to  Portsmouth, 
is  the  cave  of  the  hermit  of  the  Scioto.  When  built,  many  years 
ago,  it  was  in  the  wilderness,  the  road  having  since  been  laid  out  by 
it.  It  is  a  rude  structure,  formed  by  successive  layers  of  stone, 
under  a  shelving  rock,  which  serves  as  a  back  and  roof.  Over  it  is 
a  monument,  bearing  the  following  inscription : 


WILLIAM  HEWIT, 

THE   HERMIT, 

occupied  this  cave  14  years,  while  all 
was  wilderness  around  him. 

He  died  in  1834,  aged  70  years. 


But  little  is  known  of  the  history  of  the  hermit  fre  was,  it  is 
said,  a  Virginian,  and  married  eariy  in  life  into  a  family  of  respecta- 
bility. Returning  one  night  from  a  journey,  he  had  occular  proof 
of  the  infidelity  of  his  wife,  killed  her  paramour,  and  instantly  fled  tc 


444  ROSS   COUNTY. 

the  woods,  never  to  return  or  associate  with  mankind.*  He  eventu- 
ally settled  in  the  Scioto  valley  and  built  this  cave,  where  he  passed 
a  solitary  life,  his  rifle  furnishing  him  with  provisions  and  clothing, 
which  consisted  of  skins  of  animals.  As  the  country  gradually  filled 
up,  he  became  an  object  of  curiosity  to  the  settlers.  He  was  mild 
and  inoffensive  in  his  address,  avoided  companionship  with  those 
around,  and  if  any  allusion  was  made  to  his  history,  evaded  the  sub- 
ject. Occasionally  he  visited  Chillicothe,  to  exchange  the  skins  of 
his  game  for  ammunition,  when  his  singular  appearance  attracted 
observation.  In  person,  he  was  large  and  muscular ;  the  whole  of 
his  dress,  from  his  cap  to  his  moccasons,  was  of  deerskin  ;  his  beard 
was  long  and  unshaven,  and  his  eye  wild  and  piercing.  In  passing 
from  place  to  place,  he  walked  in  the  street  to  avoid  encountering 
his  fellow  men.     Many  anecdotes  are  related  of  him. 

He  planted  an  orchard  on  government  land,  which  afterwards 
became  the  property  of  a  settler  ;  but  so  sensitive  was  he  in  regard 
to  the  rights  of  others,  that  he  would  not  pluck  any  of  the  fruit  with- 
out first  asking  liberty  of  the  legal  owner.  While  sitting  concealed 
in  the  recesses  of  the  forest,  he  once  observed  a  teamster  deliberately 
cut  down  and  carry  off  some  fine  venison  he  had  placed  to  dry  on  a 
limb  of  a  tree  before  his  cave.  He  wit  followed,  got  before  him, 
and  as  he  came  up,  suddenly  sprang  from  behind  some  bushes  beside 
the  road,  and  presenting  his  rifle  to  his  bosom,  with  a  fierce  and  de- 
termined manner  bade  him  instantly  return  and  replace  the  venison. 
The  man  tremblingly  obeyed,  receiving  the  admonition,  "never 
again  to  rob  the  hermit."  A  physician  riding  by,  stopped  to  gratify 
the  curiosity  of  his  companions.  He  found  the  hermit  ill,  admin- 
istered medicine,  visited  him  often  gratuitously  during  his  illness, 
and  effected  a  cure.  The  hermit  ever  after  evinced  the  warmest 
gratitude. 

Bainbridge  is  on  Paint  creek  and  the  Maysville  and  Chillicothe 
turnpike,  19  miles  sw.  from  Chillicothe.  It  was  laid  out  in  1805  by 
Nathaniel  Massie,  and  will  become  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  pro- 
jected county  of  Massie,  in  case  it  is  established.  It  is  surrounded 
by  a  beautiful  country,  and  contains  2  churches,  a  forge,  1  newspaper 
printing  office,  8  stores,  and  about  80  dwellings.  About  a  mile 
nw.  of  the  town  is  a  small,  natural  tunnel,  about  150  feet  in  length, 
through  which  courses  a  little  sparkling  rill.  Frankfort,  on  the 
north  fork  of  Paint  creek,  11  miles  nw.  of  Chillicothe,  and  Kingston, 
10  ne.  of  Chillicothe,  are  also  large  and  important  villages.  Bourne- 
ville,  11  miles  sw.  of  Chillicothe,  on  the  above  named  turnpike,  South 
Salem,  16  sw.,  Richmond,  13  se.,  and  Aldelphi,  17  ne.,  have  each 
from  30  to  60  dwellings.  There  are  other  small  villages  in  Ross, 
but  none  of  much  note.  In  the  county,  in  the  valley  of  the  Scioto 
and  Paint  creek,  ancient  works  and  mounds  are  very  numerous. 

*  From  Col.  John  M'Donald,  to  whose  father  this  fact  was  communicated  by  Hewit. 


SANDUSKY    COUNTY.  445 


SANDUSKY. 

Sandusky  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820. 
The  soil  is  fertile,  and  the  surface  is  generally  level.  The  Black 
Swamp  covers  the  western  part.  Its  first  settlers  were  principally 
of  New  England  origin,  since  which  many  have  moved  in  from 
Pennsylvania  and  Germany.  The  principal  productions  are  Indian 
corn,  wheat,  oats,  potatoes  and  pork.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its 
townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Ballville,  1007       Rice,  385       Townsend,         692 

Green  Creek,    1180       Riley,  426       Washington,     1074 

Jackson,  929       Sandusky,     1696       Woodville,         486 

Madison,  316       Scott,  684       York,  1301 

The  population  of  Sandusky,  in  1830,  was  2851,  and  in  1840. 
10,182,  or  24  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  signification  of  the  name  of  this  county  has  frequently  been  a 
matter  of  dispute.  John  H.  James,  Esq.,  in  the  American  Pioneer, 
truly  says : 

I  have  a  note  of  a  conversation  with  William  Walker  at  Columbus,  in  1835-G,  at  which 
time  he  was  principal  chief  of  the  Wyandotts  at  Upper  Sandusky,  in  which  I  asked  the 
meaning  of  the  word  Sandusky.  He  said  it  meant  "  at  the  cold  water,"  and  should  be 
sounded  San-doos-tee.  He  said  it  "  carried  with  it  the  force  of  a  preposition."  The  Upper 
Cold  Water  and  the  Lower  Cold  Water,  then,  were  descriptive  Indian  names,  given  long 
before  the  presence  of  the  trader  Sowdowsky.  In  the  vocabulary  of  Wyandott  words,  given 
by  John  Johnston,  Esq.,  formerly  Indian  agent  in  Ohio,  as  printed  in.  Archaeologia  Ameri- 
cana, vol.  i.  p.  295,  the  word  water  is  given  Sa,  un-dus-tee,  and  in  page  297  he  gives  the 
name  of  Sandusky  river  as  Sa,  undustee,  or  water  within  water  pools. 

This  region  of  country  was  once  a  favorite  residence  of  the  In- 
dians. Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  in  his  discourse  before  the  Historical  So- 
ciety of  Michigan,  delivered  Sept.  18th,  1829,  gives  some  interesting 
statements  respecting  a  tribe  called  "  the  Neutral  Nation." 

Upon  the  Sandusky  river,  and  near  where  the  town  of  Lower  Sandusky  now  stands,  lived  a 
band  of  the  Wyandotts,  called  the  Neutral  Nation.  They  occupied  two  villages,  which  were 
cities  of  refuge,  where  those  who  sought  safety  never  failed  to  find  it.  During  the  long  and 
disastrous  contests  which  preceded  and  followed  the  arrival  of  the  Europeans,  in  which  the 
Iroquois  contended  for  victory,  and  their  enemies  for  existence,  this  little  band  preserved  the 
integrity  of  their  territories  and  the  sacred  character  of  peace  makers.  All  who  met  upon 
their  threshold  met  as  friends,  for  the  ground  on  which  they  stood  was  holy.  It  was  a  beau- 
tiful institution,  a  calm  and  peaceful  island  looking  out  upon  a  world  of  waves  and  tempests. 

The  annexed  is  a  note  from  the  above. 

This  Neutral  Nation,  so  called  by  Father  Seguard,  was  still  in  existence  two  centuries- 
ago,  when  the  French  missionaries  first  reached  the  upper  lakes.  The  details  of  their  his- 
tory, and  of  their  character  and  privileges,  are  meager  and  unsatisfactory  ;  and  this  is  the 
more  to  be  regretted,  as  such  a  sanctuary  among  the  barbarous  tribes,  is  not  only  a  singular 
institution,  but  altogether  at  variance  with  that  reckless  spirit  of  cruelty  with  which  their 
wars  are  usually  prosecuted.  The  Wyandott  tradition  represents  them  as  having  separated 
from  the  parent  stock  during  the  bloody  wars  between  their  own  tribe  and  the  Iroquois,  and 
having  fled  to  the  Sandusky  river  for  safety.  That  they  here  erected  two  forts,  within  a 
short  distance  of  each  other,  and  assigned  one  to  the  Iroquois  and  the  other  to  the  Wyan- 
dotts and  their  allies,  where  their  war  parties  might  find  security  and  hospitality,  whenever 
they  entered  their  country.  Why  so  unusual  a  proposition  v\as  made  and  acceded  to,  tra- 
dition does  not  tell.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  superstition  lent  its  aid  to  the  institution, 
and  that  it  may  have  been  indebted  for  its  origin  to  the  feasts  and  dreams  and  juggling 


446  SANDUSKY    COUNTY. 

ceremonies  which  constituted  the  religion  of  the  aborigines.  No  other  motive  was  suffi- 
ciently powerful  to  restrain  the  hand  of  violence  and  to  counteract  the  threat  of  vengeance. 
An  intestine  feud  finally  arose  in  this  Neutral  Nation,  one  party  espousing  the  cause  of 
the  Iroquois  and  the  other  of  their  enemies  ;  and  like  most  civil  wars,  this  was  prosecuted 
with  relentless  fury.  Our  informant*  says  that  since  his  recollection,  the  remains  of  a  red 
cedar  post  were  yet  to  be  seen,  where  the  prisoners  were  tied  previously  to  being  burned. 

Lower  Sandusky,  the  county  seat,  is  24  miles  southwesterly  from 
Sandusky  City,  and  105  west  of  north  from  Columbus.  The  annexed 
engraving  shows  the  town  as  it  appears  from  a  hill  northeast  of  it, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  Jasper 
Smith,  seen  in  front.  On  the  left,  the  bridge  across  the  Sandusky 
river  partially  appears  ;  and  a  little  to  the  right  of  it,  Whyler's  hotel. 
On  the  hill  are  shown  the  court  house,  and  the  Episcopal,  Presbyte- 
rian and  Catholic  churches. 

The  town  stands  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Sandusky,  at  the 
lower  rapids,  where  the  Indians  had  a  reservation  of  two  miles  square, 
granted  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  Greenville.  It  is  said  that  at  an 
early  day  the  French  had  a  trading  station  at  this  point.  Lower 
Sandusky  contains  1  Episcopal,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Baptist,  1  Metho- 
dist and  1  Catholic  church,  2  newspaper  printing  offices,  8  grocery 
and  1 1  dry  goods  stores,  1  woollen  factory,  1  foundery,  and  had,  in 
1840,  1117  inhabitants,  and  now  has  near  2000.  It  is  a  thriving 
town,  and  considerable  business  is  carried  on.  Its  commerce  is 
increasing.  Small  steamers  and  sail  vessels  constantly  ply  from 
here.  The  principal  articles  of  export  in  1846,  were  of  wheat 
90,000  bushels,  pork  560  barrels,  ashes  558  casks,  flour  1010  barrels, 
corn  18,400  bushels,  staves  1,100,000:  imports,  1480  barrels  of  salt 
and  250  tons  of  merchandize. 

Immediately  opposite  Lower  Sandusky,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  is  the  small  village  of  Croghansville,  laid  out  in  1817,  which  in 
a  general  description  would  be  included  in  the  former. 

Fort  Stephenson,  or  Sandusky,  so  gallantly  defended  by  Colonel 
Croghan  on  the  2d  of  August,  1813,  against  an  overwhelming  force 

*  The  informant  above  alluded  to  by  Gov.  Cass,  we  have  reason  to  believe  was  Major  B. 
F.  Stickney,  of  Toledo,  long  an  Indian  agent  in  this  region.  That  there  may  have  been 
such  a  tradition  among  the  Indians,  we  are  unable  to  gainsay,  but  of  its  truth  we  have 
doubts.  Major  Stickney,  in  a  lecture  (as  yet  unpublished)  delivered  Feb.  28th,  1845,  before 
the  Young  Men's  Association  of  Toledo,  says : 

"  The  remains  of  extensive  works  of  defence  are  now  to  be  seen  near  Lower  Sandusky. 
The  Wyandotts  have  given  me  this  account  of  them.  At  a  period  of  two  centuries  and  a 
half  since,  or  more,  all  the  Indians  west  of  this  point  were  at  war  with  all  the  Indians  east. 
Two  walled  towns  were  built  near  each  other,  and  each  was  inhabited  by  those  of  Wyan- 
dott  origin.  They  assumed  a  neutral  character,  and  the  Indians  at  war  recognized  that 
character.  They  might  be  called  two  neutral  cities.  All  of  the  west  might  enter  the  west- 
ern city,  and  all  of  the  east  the  eastern.  The  inhabitants  of  one  city  might  inform  those  of 
the  other,  that  war  parties  were  there  or  had  been  there  ;  but  who  they  were,  or  whence 
they  came,  or  any  thing  more,  must  not  be  mentioned.  The  war  parties  might  remain 
there  in  security,  taking  their  own  time  for  departure.  At  the  western  town  they  suffered 
the  warriors  to  burn  their  prisoners  near  it ;  but  the  eastern  would  not.  (An  old  Wyandott 
informed  me,  that  he  recollected  seeing,  when  a  boy,  the  remains  of  a  cedar  post  or  stake, 
at  which  they  used  to  burn  prisoners.)  The  French  historians  tell  us  that  these  neutral 
cities  were  inhabited,  and  their  neutral  character  respected,  when  they  first  came  here.  At 
length  a  quarrel  arose  between  the  two  cities,  and  one  destroyed  the  inhabitants  of  the  other. 
This  put  an  end  to  all  neutrality." 


SANDUSKY    COUNTY. 


447 


of  British  and  Indians,  was  within  the  present  limits  of  Lower  San- 
dusky. Its  site  is  indicated  by  the  flag  on  the  left  in  the  engraving, 
which  is  about  30  rods  southeast  of  the  court  house,  on  high  ground. 


Lower  Sandusky. 

much  elevated  above  the  river.  The  fort  enclosed  about  an  acre  of 
ground,  and  the  picketing  was  in  good  preservation  as  late  as  1834. 
A  private  residence  now  stands  within  the  area.  We  annex  a  nar- 
ration of  the  assault  on  the  fort,  from  a  published  source. 

Having  raised  the  siege  of  Camp  Meigs,  the  British  mailed  round  into  Sandusky  bay, 
while  a  competent  number  of  their  savage  allies  marched  across  through  the  swamps  of 
Portage  river,  to  co-operate  in  a  combined  attack  on  Lower  Sandusky,  expecting,  no  doubt, 
that  General  Harrison's  attention  would  be  chiefly  directed  to  Forts  Winchester  and  Meigs. 
The  general,  however,  had  calculated  on  their  taking  this  course,  and  had  been  careful  to 
keep  patro'.es  down  the  bay,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Portag",  where  he  supposed  their  forces 
would  debark. 

Several  days  before  the  British  had  invested  Fort  Meigs,  General  Harrison,  with  Major 
Croghan  and  some  other  officers,  had  examined  the  heights  which  surround  Fort  Stephen- 
son ;  and  as  the  hill  on  the  opposite  or  southeast  side  of  the  river  was  found  to  be  the 
most  commanding  eminence,  the  general  had  some  thoughts  of  removing  the  fort  to  that 
place,  and  Major  Croghan  declared  his  readiness  to  undertake  the  work.  But  the  general 
did  not  authorize  him  to  do  it,  as  he  believed  that  if  the  enemy  intended  to  invade  our 
territory  again,  they  would  do  it  before  the  removal  could  be  completed.  It  was  then  finally 
concluded  that  the  fort,  which  was  calculated  for  a  garrison  of  only  200  men,  could  not 
be  defended  against  the  heavy  artillery  of  the  enemy  ;  and  that  if  the  British  should  ap- 
proach it  by  water,  which  would  cause  a  presumption  that  they  had  brought  their  heavy 
artillery,  the  fort  must  be  abandoned  and  burnt,  provided  a  retreat  could  be  effected  with 
safety.  In  the  orders  left  with  Major  Croghan,  it  was  stated — "  Should  the  British  troops 
approach  you  in  force  with  cannon,  and  you  can  discover  them  in  time  to  effect  a  retreat, 
you  will  do  so  immediately,  destroying  all  the  public  stores." 

"  You  must  be  aware  that  the  attempt  to  retreat  in  the  face  of  an  Indian  force  would 
be  vain.     Against  such  an  enemy  your  garrison  would  be  safe,  however  great  the  number." 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th,  General  Harrison  received  intelligence,  by  express,  from 
General  Clay,  that  the  enemy  had  abandoned  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs  ;  and  as  the  Indians 
on  that  day  had  swarmed  in  the  woods  round  his  camp,  he  entertained  no  doubt  but  that 
an  immediate  attack  was  intended  either  on  Sandusky  or  Seneca.  He  therefore  imme- 
diately called  a  council  of  war,  consisting  of  M' Arthur,  Cass,  Ball,  Paul,  Wood,  Hukill, 
Holmes  and  Graham,  who  were  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  Fort  Stephenson  was 
untenable  against  heavy  artillery,  and  that  as  the  enemy  could  bring  with  facility  any 
quantity  of  battering  cannon  against  it,  by  which  it  must  inevitably  fall,  and  as  it  was  an 


448 


SANDUSKV    COUNT*. 


unimportant  post,  containing  nothing  the  loss  of  which  would  be  felt  by  us,  that  the  garri* 
son  should  therefore  not  be  reinforced,  but  withdrawn,  and  the  place  destroyed.  In  pur- 
suance of  thi»  decision,  the  general  immediately  dispatched  the  order  to  Major  Croghan, 
directing  him  immediately  to  abandon  Fort  Stephenson,  to  set  it  on  fire  and  repair  with  his 


mil 


Fort  Sandusky  and  Environs:  scale,  200  yards  to  the  inch. 

[References  to  the  Environs. — a — British  gun-boats  at  their  place  of  landing,  b — Can- 
non, a  six-pounder,  c — Mortar,  d — Batteries,  e — Graves  of  Lieut.  Col.  Short  and  Lieut. 
Gordon,  who  fell  in  the  ditch.    / — Road  to  Upper  Sandusky,     g — Advance  of  the  enemy 

to  the  fatal  ditch,     i — Head  of  navigation. 

References  to  the  Fort. — Line  1 — Pickets. 
Line  2 — Embankment  from  the  ditch  to  and 
against  the  picket.  Line  3 — Dry  ditch,  nine 
feet  wide  by  six  deep.  Line  4 — Outward 
embankment  or  glacis.  A — Block-house 
first  attacked  by  cannon,  b.  B — Bastion 
from  which  the  ditch  was  raked  by  Crog- 
han's  artillery.  C — Guard  block-house,  in 
the  lower  left  corner.  D — Hospital  during 
the  attack.  E  E  E — Military  store-houses. 
F — Commissary's  store-house.  G — Maga- 
zine. H — Fort  gate.  K  K  K — Wicker 
gates.     L — Partition  gate.] 

command  to  head  quarters — cross  the  river  and  come  up  on  the.  opposite  side,  and  if  he 
should  rind  it  impracticable  to  reach  the  general's  quarters,  to  take  the  road  to  Huron,  and 
pursue  it  with  the  utmost  circumspection  and  dispatch.  This  order  was  sent  by  Mr.  Con- 
ner and  two  Indians,  who  lost  'their  way  in  the  dark,  and  did  not  reach  Fort  Stephenson 
till  1 1  o'clock  the  next  day.  When  Major  Croghan  received  it,  he  was  of  opinion  that 
he  could  not  then  retreat  with  safety,  as  the  Indians  were  hovering  round  the  fort  in  con- 
siderable force.  He  called  a  council  of  his  officers,  a  majority  of  whom  coincided  with  him 
in  opinion  that  a  retreat  would  be  unsafe,  and  that  the  post  could  be  maintained  against  the 
enemy,  at  least  till  further  instructions  could  be  received  from  head  quarters.  The  major 
therefore  immediately  returned  the  following  answer:  "Sir,  I  have  just  received  yours  of 
yesterday,  10  o'clock,  p.  m.,  ordering  me  to  destroy  this  place  and  make  good  my  retreat, 
which  was  received  too  late  to  be  carried  into  execution.  We  have  determined  to  main- 
tain this  place,  and  by  heavens  we  can."  In  writing  this  note,  Major  Croghan  had  a  view 
to  the  probability  of  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  on  that  account  made  use 
of  stronger  language  than  would  otherwise  have  been  consistent  with  propriety.  It  reached 
the  general  on  the  same  day,  who  did  not  fully  understand  the  circumstances  and  motives 
under  which  it  had  been  dictated.     The  following  order  was  therefore  immediately  pre- 


Fort  Sandusky. 


SANDUSKY    COUNTY.  449 

pared,  and  sent  with  Colonel  Wells  in  the  morning,  escorted  by  Colonel  Ball,  with  his 
corps  of  dragoons. 

"July  30,  1813. 

"  Sir — The  general  has  just  received  your  letter  of  this  date,  informing  him  that  you 
had  thought  proper  to  disobey  the  order  issued  from  this  office,  and  delivered  to  you  this 
morning.  It  appears  that  the  information  which  dictated  the  order  was  incorrect ;  and  as 
you  did  not  receive  it  in  the  night,  as  was  expected,  it  might  have  been  proper  that  you 
should  have  reported  the  circumstance  and  your  situation,  before  you  proceeded  to  its  ex- 
ecution. This  might  have  been  passed  over ;  but  I  am  directed  to  say  to  you,  that  an  offi- 
cer who  presumes  to  aver  that  he  has  made  his  resolution,  and  that  he  will  act  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  orders  of  his  general,  can  no  longer  be  entrusted  with  a  separate  com- 
mand. Colonel  Wells  is  sent  to  relieve  you.  You  will  deliver  the  command  to  him,  and 
repair  with  Colonel  Ball's  squadron  to  this  place.     By  command,  &c. 

A.  H.  HOLMES,  Assistant  Adjutant  General." 

Colonel  Wells  being  left  in  the  command  of  Fort  Stephenson,  Major  Croghan  returned 
with  the  squadron  to  head-quarters.  He  there  explained  his  motives  for  writing  such  a 
note,  which  were  deemed  satisfactory ;  and  having  remained  all  night  with  the  general, 
who  treated  him  politely,  he  was  permitted  to  return  to  his  command  in  the  morning,  with 
written  orders  similar  to  those  he  had  received  before. 

A  reconnoitering  party  which  had  been  sent  from  head-quarters  to  the  shore  of  the  lake, 
about  20  miles  distant  from  Fort  Stephenson,  discovered  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  by 
water,  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  of  July.  They  returned  by  the  fort  after  12  o'clock  the 
next  day,  and  had  passed  it  but  a  few  hours,  when  the  enemy  made  their  appearance  be- 
fore it.  The  Indians  showed  themselves  first  on  the  hill  over  the  river,  and  were  saluted 
by  a  six-pounder,  the  only  piece  of  artillery  in  the  fort,  which  soon  caused  them  to  retire. 
In  half  an  hour  the  British  gun-boats  came  in  sight,  and  the  Indian  forces  displayed  them- 
selves in  every  direction,  with  a  view  to  intercept  the  garrison,  should  a  retreat  be  at- 
tempted. The  six-pounder  was  fired  a  few  times  at  the  gun-boats,  which  was  returned  by 
the  artillery  of  the  enemy.  A  landing  of  their  troops  with  a  five  and  a  half  inch  how- 
itzer was  effected  about  a  mile  below  the  fort ;  and  Major  Chambers,  accompanied  by  Dick- 
son, was  dispatched  towards  the  fort  with  a  flag,  and  was  met  on  the  part  of  Major  Crog- 
han by  Ensign  Shipp,  of  the  17th  regiment.  After  the  usual  ceremonies,  Major  Chambers 
observed  to  Ensign  Shipp,  that  he  was  instructed  by  General  Proctor  to  demand  the  sur- 
render of  the  fort,  as  he  was  anxious  to  spare  the  effusion  of  human  blood,  which  he  could 
not  do,  should  he  be  under  the  necessity  of  reducing  it,  by  the  powerful  force  of  artillery, 
regulars  and  Indians  under  his  command.  Shipp  replied,  that  the  commandant  of  the  fort 
and  its  garrison  were  determined  to  defend  it  to  the  last  extremity ;  that  no  force  however 
great  could  induce  them  to  surrender,  as  they  were  resolved  to  maintain  their  post,  or  to 
bury  themselves  in  its  ruins.  Dickson  then  said  that  their  immense  body  of  Indians  could 
not  be  restrained  from  murdering  the  whole  garrison  in  case  of  success,  of  which  we  have 
no  doubt,  rejoined  Chambers,  as  we  are  amply  prepared.  Dickson  then  proceeded  to  re- 
mark, that  it  was  a  great  pity  so  fine  a  young  man  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  sav- 
ages— Sir,  for  God's  sake,  surrender,  and  prevent  the  dreadful  massacre  that  will  be  caused 
by  your  resistance.  Mr.  Shipp  replied,  that  when  the  fort  was  taken,  there  would  be  none 
to  massacre.  It  will  not  be  given  up  while  a  man  is  able  to  resist.  An  Indian  at  this 
moment  came  out  of  an  adjoining  ravine,  and  advancing  to  the  ensign,  took  hold  of  his 
sword  and  attempted  to  wrest  it  from  him.  Dickson  interfered,  and  having  restrained  the 
Indian,  affected  great  anxiety  to  get  him  safe  into  the  fort. 

The  enemy  now  opened  their  fire  from  their  six-pounders  in  the  gun-boats  and  the  how- 
itzer on  shore,  which  they  continued  through  the  night  with  but  little  intermission  and  with 
very  little  effect.  The  forces  of  the  enemy  consisted  of  500  regulars,  and  about  800  In- 
dians commanded  by  Dickson,  the  whole  being  commanded  by  General  Proctor  in  person. 
Tecumseh  was  stationed  on  the  road  to  Fort  Meigs  with  a  body  of  2000  Indians,  expecting 
to  intercept  a  reinforcement  on  that  route. 

Major  Croghan  through  the  evening  occasionally  fired  his  six-pounder,  at  the  same  time 
changing  its  place  occasionally  to  induce  a  belief  that  he  had  more  than  one  piece.  As  it 
produced  very  little  execution  on  the  enemy,  and  he  was  desirous  of  saving  his  ammuni- 
tion, he  soon  discontinued  his  fire.  The  enemy  had  directed  their  fire  against  the  north- 
western angle  of  the  fort,  which  induced  the  commander  to  believe  that  an  attempt  to  storm 
his  works  would  be  made  at  that  point.  In  the  night,  Captain  Hunter  was  directed  to 
remove  the  six-pounder  to  a  block-house,  from  which  it  would  rake  that  angle.  By  great 
industry  and  personal  exertion,  Captain  Hunter  soon  accomplished  this  object  in  secrecy. 
The  embrasure  was  masked,  and  the  piece  loaded  with  a  half  charge  of  powder,  and  double 

57 


450  SANDUSKY    COUNTY. 

charge  of  slugs  and  grape-shot.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  2d,  the  enemy  opened  their 
fire  from  their  howitzer  and  three  six-pounders,  which  they  had  landed  in  the  night,  and 
planted  in  a  point  of  woods,  about  250  yards  from  the  fort.  In  the  evening,  about  4  o'clock, 
they  concentrated  the  fire  of  all  their  guns  on  their  northwest  angle,  which  convinced 
Major  Croghan  that  they  would  endeavor  to  make  a  breach  and  storm  the  works  at  that 
point ;  he  therefore  immediately  had  that  place  strengthened  as  much  as  possible  with  bags 
of  flour  and  sand,  which  were  so  effectual  that  the  picketing  in  that  place  sustained  no 
material  injury.  Sergeant  Weaver,  with  five  or  six  gentlemen  of  the  Petersburgh  volun- 
teers and  Pittsburgh  blues,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  fort,  was  intrusted  with  the  manage- 
ment of  the  six-pounder. 

Late  in  the  evening,  when  the  smoke  of  the  firing  had  completely  enveloped  the  fort,  the 
enemy  proceeded  to  make  the  assault.  Two  feints  were  made  towards  the  southern  angle, 
where  Captain  Hunter's  lines  were  formed  ;  and  at  the  same  time  a  column  of  350  men 
was  discovered  advancing  through  the  smoke,  within  20  paces  of  the  northwestern  angle. 
A  heavy  galling  fire  of  musketry  was  now  opened  upon  them  from  the  fort,  which  threw 
them  into  some  confusion.  Colonel  Short,  who  headed  the  principal  column,  soon  rallied 
his  men,  and  led  them  with  great  bravery  to  the  brink  of  the  ditch.  After  a  momentary 
pause  he  leaped  into  the  ditch,  calling  to  his  men  to  follow  him,  and  in  a  few  minutes  it 
was  full.  The  masked  port-hole  was  now  opened,  and  the  six-pounder,  at  the  distance  of 
30  feet,  poured  such  destruction  among  them  that  but  few  who  had  entered  the  ditch  were 
fortunate  enough  to  escape.  A  precipitate  and  confused  retreat  was  the  immediate  conse- 
quence, although  some  of  the  officers  attempted  to  rally  their  men.  The  other  column, 
which  was  led  by  Colonel  Warburton  and  Major  Chambers,  was  also  routed  in  confusion 
by  a  destructive  fire  from  the  line  commanded  by  Captain  Hunter.  The  whole  of  them 
fled  into  the  adjoining  wood,  beyond  the  reach  of  our  fire-arms.  During  the  assault,  which 
lasted  half  an  hour,  the  enemy  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  from  their  howitzer  and  five  six- 
pounders.  They  left  Colonel  Short,*  a  lieutenant  and  twenty-five  privates  dead  in  the 
ditch  ;  and  the  total  number  of  prisoners  taken  was  twenty-six,  most  of  them  badly 
wounded.  Major  Muir  was  knocked  down  in  the  ditch,  and  lay  among  the  dead,  till  the 
darkness  of  the  night  enabled  him  to  escape  in  safety.  The  loss  of  the  garrison  was  one 
killed  and  seven  slightly  wounded.  The  total  loss  of  the  enemy  could  not  be  less  than  150 
killed  and  wounded. 

When  night  came  on,  which  was  soon  after  the  assault,  the  wounded  in  the  ditch  were 
in  a  desperate  situation.  Complete  relief  could  not  be  brought  to  them  by  either  side  with 
any  degree  of  safety.  Major  Croghan,  however,  relieved  them  as  much  as  possible — he 
contrived  to  convey  them  water  over  the  picketing  in  buckets,  and  a  ditch  was  opened 
under  the  pickets,  through  which  those  who  were  able  and  willing,  were  encouraged  to 
crawl  into  the  fort.  All  who  were  able,  preferred,  of  course,  to  follow  their  defeated  com- 
rades, and  many  others  were  carried  from  the  vicinity  of  the  fort  by  the  Indians,  particu- 
larly their  own  killed  and  wounded ;  and  in  the  night,  about  3  o'clock,  the  whole  British 
and  Indian  force  commenced  a  disorderly  retreat.  So  great  was  their  precipitation  that 
they  left  a  sail-boat  containing  some  clothing  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  military  stores : 
and  on  the  next  day,  seventy  stand  of  arms  and  some  braces  of  pistols  were  picked  up 
around  the  fort.  Their  hurry  and  confusion  were  caused  by  the  apprehension  of  an  attack 
from  General  Harrison,  of  whose  position  and  force  they  had  probably  received  an  exagge- 
rated account. 

It  was  the  intention  of  General  Harrison,  should  the  enemy  succeed  against  Fort  Ste- 
phenson, or  should  they  endeavor  to  turn  his  left  and  fall  on  Upper  Sandusky,  to  leave  his 
camp  at  Seneca  and  fall  back  for  the  protection  of  that  place.  But  he  discovered  by  the 
firing  on  the  evening  of  the  1st,  that  the  enemy  had  nothing  but  light  artillery,  which  could 
make  no  impression  on  the  fort ;  and  he  knew  that  an  attempt  to  storm  it  without  making 
a  breach,  could  be  successfully  repelled  by  the  p^rison  ;  he  therefore  determined  to  wait 
for  the  arrival  of  250  mounted  volunteers  under  Cornel  Rennick,  being  the  advance  of  700 
who  were  approaching  by  the  way  of  Upper  Sandusky,  and  then  to  march  against  the 
enemy  and  raise  the  siege,  if  their  force  was  not  still  too  great  for  his.  On  the  2d,  he  sent 
several  scouts  to  ascertain  their  situation  and  force ;  but  the  woods  were  so  infested  with 
Indians,  that  none  of  them  could  proceed  sufficiently  near  the  fort  to  make  the  necessary 

*  "  Col.  Short,  who  commanded  the  regulars  composing  the  forlorn  hope,  was  ordering 
his  men  to  leap  the  ditch,  cut  down  the  pickets,  and  give  the  Americans  no  quarters,  whei1: 
he  fell  mortally  wounded  into  the  ditch,  hoisted  his  white  handkerchief  on  the  end  of  his 
eword,  and  begged  for  that  mercy  which  he  had  a  moment  before  ordered  to  be  denied  to 
his  enemy." 


SANDUSKY    COUNTY.  451 

discoveries.  In  the  night  the  messenger  arrived  at  head-quarters  with  intelligence  that  the 
enemy  were  preparing  to  retreat.  About  9  o'clock,  Major  Croghan  had  ascertained  from 
their  collecting  about  their  boats,  that  they  were  preparing  to  embark,  and  had  immediately 
sent  an  express  to  the  commander-in-chief  with  this  information.  The  general  now  de- 
termined to  wait  no  longer  for  the  reinforcements,  and  immediately  set  out  with  the  dra- 
goons, with  which  he  reached  the  fort  early  in  the  morning,  having  ordered  Generals 
M' Arthur  and  Cass,  who  had  arrived  at  Seneca  several  days  before,  to  follow  him  with  all 
the  disposable  infantry  at  that  place,  and  which  at  this  time  was  about  700  men,  after  the 
numerous  sick,  and  the  force  necessary  to  maintain  the  position,  were  left  behind.  Finding 
that  the  enemy  had  fled  entirely  from  the  fort,  so  as  not  to  be  reached  by  him,  and  learn- 
ing that  Tecumseh  was  somewhere  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Meigs,  with  2000  warriors,  he 
immediately  ordered  the  infantry  to  fall  back  to  Seneca,  lest  Tecumseh  should  make  an 
attack  on  that  place,  or  intercept  the  small  reinforcements  advancing  from  Ohio. 

In  his  official  report  of  this  affair,  General  Harrison  observes  that-^"  It  will  not  be 
among  the  least  of  General  Proctor's  mortifications,  that  he  has  been  baffled  by  a  youth, 
who  has  just  passed  his  twenty-first  year.  He  is,  however,  a  hero  worthy  of  his  gallant 
uncle,  Gen.  George  R.  Clarke." 

Captain  Hunter,  of  the  17th  regiment,  the  second  in  command,  conducted  himself  with 
great  propriety :  and  never  was  there  a  set  of  finer  young  fellows  than  the  subalterns,  viz. : 
Lieutenants  Johnson  and  Baylor  of  the  17th,  Meeks  of  the  7th,  and  Ensigns  Shipp  and 
Duncan  of  the  17th. 

Lieutenant  Anderson  of  the  24th,  was  also  noticed  for  his  good  conduct.  Being  without 
a  command,  he  solicited  Major  Croghan  for  a  musket  and  a  post  to  fight  at,  which  he  did 
with  the  greatest  bravery. 

"  Too  much  praise,"  says  Major  Croghan,  "  cannot  be  bestowed  on  the  officers,  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates  under  my  command,  for  their  gallantry  and  good  con- 
duct during  the  siege." 

The  brevet  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel  was  immediately  conferred  on  Major  Croghan, 
by  the  president  of  the  United  States,  for  his  gallant  conduct  on  this  occasion.  The  ladies 
of  Chillicothe  also  presented  him  an  elegant  sword,  accompanied  by  a  suitable  address. 

We  take  the  above  from  Dawson's  Life  of  Harrison,  where  it  is 
quoted  from  some  other  source.  In  defending  Gen.  Harrison  from 
the  charges  of  cowardice  and  incompetency  in  not  marching  to  the 
aid  of  the  garrison  previous  to  the  attack,  Dawson  says : 

The  conduct  of  the  gallant  Croghan  and  his  garrison  received  from  every  quarter  the 
plaudits  of  their  countrymen.  This  was  what  they  most  richly  deserved.  There  was, 
however,  some  jealous  spirits  who  took  it  into  their  heads  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  course- 
pursued  by  the  commanding  general.  The  order  which  was  given  to  Colonel  Croghan  to 
evacuate  and  destroy  the  garrison  previously  to  the  attack,  was  loudly  condemned,  as  well 
as  the  decision  of  the  council  of  war,  to  fall  back  with  the  troops  then  at  Seneca,  to  a  posi- 
tion twelve  miles  in  the  rear.  Both  these  measures,  it  has  been  said,  were  determined  on 
by  the  unanimous  advice  of  the  council  of  war.  It  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  suoh  men 
as  composed  that  board,  would  have  given  advice  which  was  in  any  way  derogatory  to 
the  honor  of  the  American  arms.  Every  individual  among  them  either  had,  before  or 
afterwards,  distinguished  himself  by  acts  of  daring  courage  and  intrepidity.  We  do  not 
profess  to  be  much  acquainted  with  military  matters,  but  the  subject  appears  to  us  so  plain 
as  only  to  require  a  small  portion  of  common  sense  perfectly  to  comprehend  it.  At  the 
time  that  the  determination  was  made  to  withdraw  the  garrison  from  Sandusky,  it  must  be 
recollected  that  the  general  had  only  with  him  at  Seneca  about  400  infantry  and  130  or 
140  dragoons.  The  enemy,  as  he  was  informed  by  General  Clay  in  the  letter  brought  by 
Captain  M'Cune,  amounted  to  at  least  5,000.  With  such  a  disparity  of  force,  would  it 
have  been  proper  to  have  risked  an  action  to  preserve  the  post  of  Lower  Sandusky,  which 
of  itself  was  of  little  or  no  importance,  and  which,  the  garrison  being  withdrawn,  contained 
nothing  of  any  value  ?  The  posts  of  Fort  Meigs  and  Upper  Sandusky  were  of  the  utmost 
importance  ;  the  former  was  amply  provided  with  the  means  of  defence,  and  was  in  no 
danger ;  but  the  latter,  weak  in  its  defences,  and  with  a  feeble  garrison,  containing  many 
thousands  of  barrels  of  flour  and  other  provisions,  the  sole  resource  of  the  army  for  the  en- 
suing campaign,  was  to  be  preserved  at  any  risk.  The  position  at  Seneca  was  not  in  the 
direct  line  from  Fort  Meigs  to  Upper  Sandusky.  The  enemy,  by  taking  the  direct  route, 
would  certainly  reach  it  before  General  Harrison,  as  several  hours  must  have  elapsed  before 
he  could  have  been  informed  of  their  movement,  even  if  it  had  been  discovered  the  moment 
Jt  had  been  commenced,  a  circumstance  not  very  likely  to  happen.     It  therefore  became 


452  SANDUSKY    COUNTY. 

necessary  for  the  security  of  Upper  Sandusky,  that  a  position  better  adapted  to  that  pur- 
pose should  be  assumed.  There  was  another  and  most  important  reason  for  this  move- 
ment: twelve  miles  in  the  rear  of  Seneca,  towards  Upper  Sandusky,  the  prairie  or  open 
country  commences.  The  infantry  which  the  commander-in-chief  had  with  him  were 
raw  recruits  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  squadron  of  dragoons  were  well  disciplined,  and  had 
seen  much  service.  In  the  country  about  Seneca,  this  important  corps  could  have  been  of 
little  service :  in  the  open  country  to  tho  rear,  they  would  have  defeated  five  times  their 
number  of  Indians.  It  was  for  these  reasons  that  it  was  determined  by  the  council  of  war, 
to  change  the  position  of  the  troops  at  Seneca.  If  this  movement  did  take  place,  the  pro- 
priety of  withdrawing  the  garrison  of  Lower  Sandusky  was  obvious.  The  place  was  ex- 
tremely weak,  and  in  a  bad  position.  It  was  not  intended  originally  for  a  fort.  Before 
the  war  it  was  used  as  the  United  States'  Indian  factory,  and  had  a  small  stockade  around 
it,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  out  drunken  Indians.  It  was,  moreover,  commanded 
by  a  hill,  within  point  blank  shot,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  To  those  who  sup- 
pose that  General  Harrison  should  have  advanced  upon  the  enemy,  the  moment  he  dis- 
covered that  Sandusky  was  attacked,  we  must,  in  the  language  of  the  general  and  field 
officers  who  were  present  on  the  occasion,  "  leave  them  to  correct  their  opinions  in  the 
school  cf  experience."  General  Harrison  had  been  reinforced  a  day  or  two  before  the 
siege  of  Sandusky,  by  the  28th  regiment,  raised  in  Kentucky.  After  having  received  this 
corps,  he  could  not  have  marched  more  than  800  effective  men  without  risking  his  stores, 
and,  what  was  of  still  more  consequence,  150  sick  at  Seneca,  to  be  taken  by  the  smallest 
party  of  Indians.  The  scouts  of  the  army  brought  information  that  the  Indians  were  very 
numerous  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Meigs.  The  general  conjectured  that  a  large  portion  of 
the  Indians  were  then  ready  to  fall  on  his  flank  or  rear,  or  the  defenceless  camp  at  Seneca, 
should  he  advance.  The  information  he  received  from  the  British  prisoners  confirmed  this 
opinion  ;  a  body  of  2000  being  there  under  the  command  of  Tecumseh.  At  the  moment 
of  which  we  are  speaking,  the  volunteers  of  Ohio  were  rapidly  approaching.  Now,  under 
these  circumstances,  does  any  reasonable  man  believe  that  General  Harrison  should  have 
advanced  with  his  800  raw  recruits,  against  a  force  in  front  which  he  knew  to  be  so  much 
superior  in  numbers,  and  with  the  probability  of  having  one  equally  large  hanging  on  his 
flank  ?  What  would  have  been  thought  of  his  abilities  as  a  general,  even  if  he  had  been 
successful  against  General  Proctor,  (of  which,  with  his  small  force,  there  was  little  proba- 
bility,) if  in  his  absence  Tecumseh,  with  his  2000  warriors,  had  rushed  upon  Camp  Seneca, 
•destroyed  his  stores,  tomahawked  his  sick  soldiers,  and  pursuing  his  route  towards  Upper 
Sandusky,  defeated  the  Ohio  volunteers,  scattered  as  they  were  in  small  bodies,  and  finally 
ending  his  career  with  the  destruction  of  the  grand  magazine  of  his  army,  upon  the  preserva- 
tion of  which  all  his  hopes  of  future  success  depended  ?  In  all  human  probability  this 
would  have  been  the  result,  had  General  Harrison  advanced  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Stephen- 
son sooner  than  he  did.  It  was  certainly  better  to  risk  for  a  while  the  defence  of  that  fort 
to  the  talents  and  valor  of  Croghan,  and  the  gallant  spirits  who  were  with  him,  than  to 
jeopardize  the  whole  prospects  of  the  campaign. 

About  1^  miles  above  Lower  Sandusky,  at  the  falls  of  the  river, 
is  the  manufacturing  village  of  Ballsville,  containing  1  cotton  and  1 
woollen  factory,  2  flouring  mills,  and  about  30  dwellings.  It  was 
about  half  a  mile  southwest  of  this  village,  that  Col.  Ball  had  a  skir- 
mish with  the  Indians,  a  day  or  two  previous  to  the  assault  of  Fort 
Stephenson.  There  is,  or  was  a  few  years  since,  an  oak  tree  on  the 
site  of  the  action,  on  the  road  to  Columbus,  with  17  hacks  in  it  to 
indicate  the  number  of  Indians  killed  on  the  occasion.  We  have  an 
account  of  this  affair,  derived  from  one  of  the  dragoons  present. 

The  squadron  were  moving  towards  the  fort  when  they  were  suddenly  fired  upon  by  the 
Indians  from  the  west  side  of  the  road,  whereupon  Colonel  Ball  ordered  a  charge,  and  he 
and  suite  and  the  right  flank  being  in  advance,  first  came  into  action.  The  colonel  struck 
the  first  blow.  He  dashed  in  between  two  savages  and  cut  down  the  one  on  the  right ;  the 
other  being  slightly  in  the  rear,  made  a  blow  with  a  tomahawk  at  his  back,  when,  by  a 
sudden  spring  of  his  horse,  it  fell  short,  and  was  buried  deep  in  the  cantel  and  pad  of  his 
•saddle.  Before  the  savage  could  repeat  the  blow,  he  was  shot  by  Corporal  Ryan.  Lieut. 
Hedges  (now  General  Hedges  of  Mansfield)  following  in  the  rear,  mounted  on  a  small 
horse,  pursued  a  large  Indian,  and  just  as  he  had  come  up  to  him  his  stirrup  broke,  and  he 
fell  head  first  off  the  horse,  knocking  the  Indian  down.     Both  sprang  to  their  feet,  when 


SCIOTO    COUNTY.  453 

Hedges  struck  the  Indian  across  his  head,  and  as  he  was  falling,  buried  his  sword  up  to  its 
hilt  in  his  body.  At  this  time,  Captain  Hopkins  was  seen  on  the  left  in  pursuit  of  a  power- 
ful savage,  when  the  latter  turned  and  made  a  blow  at  the  captain  with  a  tomahawk,  at 
which  his  horse  sprang  to  one  side.  Cornet  Hayes  then  came  up  and  the  Indian  struck 
at  him,  his  horse  in  like  manner  evading  the  blow.  Serjeant  Anderson  now  arriving,  the 
Indian  was  soon  dispatched.  By  this  time  the  skirmish  was  over,  the  Indians,  who  were 
only  about  20  in  number,  being  nearly  all  cut  down ;  and  orders  were  given  to  retreat  to 
the  main  squadron.  Colonel  Ball  dressed  his  men  ready  for  a  charge,  should  the  Indians 
appear  in  force,  and  moved  down  without  further  molestation  to  the  fort,  where  they  arrived 
at  about  4  p.  m. 

Woodville  is  in  the  Black  swamp,  on  the  Portage  river  and  the 
Western  Reserve  and  Maumee  turnpike,  15  w.  of  Lower  Sandusky. 
It  was  laid  out  in  1838,  by  Hon.  A.  E.  Wood,  and  contains  1  Lu- 
theran, 1  Methodist  church,  2  stores,  2  tanneries,  and  30  dwellings. 
Hamer's  Corners,  8  miles  e.  of  the  county  seat,  has  12  dwellings. 


SCIOTO. 

Scioto  was  formed  May  1st,  1803.  The  name  Scioto  was  origi- 
nally applied  by  the  Wyandots  to  the  river  ;  they  however  called  it 
Sci,  on,  to :  its  signification  is  unknown.*  The  surface  is  generally 
hilly,  and  some  of  the  hills  are  several  hundred  feet  in  height.  The 
river  bottoms  are  well  adapted  to  corn,  and  on  a  great  part  of  the 
hill  land  small  grain  and  grass  can  be  produced.  Iron  ore,  coal, 
and  excellent  freestone  are  the  principal  mineral  productions  of 
value.  The  manufacture  of  iron  is  extensively  carried  on  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county,  where  there  are  six  furnaces  in  opera- 
tion, viz. :  the  Ohio,  Junior,  Franklin,  Clinton,  Scioto  and  Bloom. 
The  principal  agricultural  products  are  corn,  wheat  and  oats.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population : 
Bloom,  913         Jefferson,  578         Union,  570 

Brush  Creek,    401         Madison,  830         Vernon,  902 

Clay,  696         Morgan,  265         Washington,  653 

Green,  973         Nile,  860         Wayne,         1853 

Harrison,  686         Porter,  1014 

The  population  of  Scioto  in  1820,  was  5,750 ;  in  1830,  8,730,  and 
in  1840,  11,194,  or  19  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  mouth  of  the  Scioto  was  a  favorite  point  with  the  Indians 
from  which  to  attack  boats  ascending  or  descending  the  Ohio.  We 
have  several  incidents  to  relate,  the  first  from  Marshall's  Kentucky, 
and  the  last  two  from  M'Donald's  Sketches. 

A  canoe  ascending  the  Ohio  about  the  last  of  March,  1790,  was  taken  by  the  Indians 
near  the  mouth  of  Scioto,  and  three  men  killed.  Within  a  few  days  after,  a  boat  coming 
down  was  decoyed  to  shore  by  a  white  man  who  feigned  distress,  when  fifty  savages 
rose  from  concealment,  ran  into  the  boat,  killed  John  May  and  a  young  woman,  being 
the  first  persons  they  came  to,  and  took  the  rest  of  the  people  on  board  prisoners.  It  is 
probable  that  they  owed,  according  to  their  ideas  of  duty,  or  of  honor,  these  sacrifices  to 
the  manes  of  so  many  of  their  slaughtered  friends. 

While  the  caprices  of  fortune,  the  progression  of  fate,  or  the  mistaken  credulity  of  Mr. 

*Col.  John  Johnston. 


454  SCIOTO    COUNTY. 

May,  and  his  imitator,  is  to  be  seen  in  the  essay  to  ensure  their  safety,  by  advancing  to 
meet  these  savages,  with  out-stretched  hands  as  the  expression  of  confidence,  and  the 
pledge  of  friendship.  Mr.  May  had  been  an  early  adventurer  and  constant  visitor  to  Ken- 
tucky. He  was  no  warrior  ;  his  object  was  the  acquisition  of  land — which  he  had  pur- 
sued, with  equal  avidity  and  success,  to  a  very  great  extent.  Insomuch,  that  had  he  lived 
to  secure  the  titles,  many  of  which  have  been  doubtless  lost  by  his  death,  he  would  proba- 
bly have  been  the  greatest  land  holder  in  the  country. 

Soon  after  this  event,  for  the  Indians  still  continued  to  infest  the  river,  other  boats  were 
taken,  and  the  people  killed  or  carried  away  captive. 

The  2d  of  April  they  attacked  three  boats  on  the  Ohio,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Sci- 
oto ;  two  being  abandoned  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  who  plundered  them :  the 
other  being  manned  with  all  the  people,  made  its  escape  by  hard  rowing. 

Such  a  series  of  aggression  at  length  roused  the  people  of  the  interior  ;  and  General 
Scott,  with  two  hundred  and  thirty  volunteers,  crossed  the  Ohio  at  Limestone,  and  was 
joined  by  General  Harmar  with  one  hundred  regulars  of  the  United  States — these  march 
for  the  Scioto  ;  the  Indians  had,  however,  abandoned  their  camp,  and  there  was  no  gen- 
eral action.  On  the  route  a  small  Indian  trail  was  crossed  ;  thirteen  men,  with  a  subal- 
tern, were  detached  upon  it — they  came  upon  four  Indians  in  camp,  the  whole  of  whom 
were  killed  by  the  first  fire. 

This  spring,  1792,  four  spies  were  employed  to  range  from  Limestone  (now  Maysville) 
to  the  mouth  of  Big  Sandy  river.  These  four  were  Samuel  Davis,  Duncan  M' Arthur, 
(late  governor  of  Ohio,)  Nathaniel  Beasley,  (late  canal  commissioner,  and  major  general 
of  the  militia,)  and  Samuel  M'Dowel.  These  men,  upon  every  occasion,  proved  them- 
selves worthy  of  the  confidence  placed  in  them  by  their  countrymen.  Nothing  which 
could  reasonably  be  expected  of  men,  but  was  done  by  them.  Two  and  two  went  to- 
gether. They  made  their  tours  once  a  week  to  the  mouth  of  Big  Sandy  river.  On  Mon- 
day morning,  two  of  them  would  leave  Limestone,  and  reach  Sandy  by  Wednesday  even- 
ing. On  Thursday  morning,  the  other  two  would  leave  Limestone  for  the  mouth  of  Sandy. 
Thus  they  would  meet  or  pass  each  other  about  opposite  the  mouth  of  Scioto  river  ;  and 
by  this  constant  vigilance,  the  two  sets  of  spies  would  pass  the  mouth  of  Scioto,  in  going 
and  returning,  four  times  in  each  week.  This  incessant  vigilance  would  be  continued  till 
late  in  November,  or  the  first  of  December,  when  hostilities  generally  ceased,  in  the  later 
years  of  the  Indian  wars.  Sometimes  the  spies  would  go  up  and  down  the  Ohio  in  canoes. 
In  such  cases  one  of  them  would  push  the  canoe,  and  the  other  would  go  on  foot,  through 
the  woods,  keeping  about  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  canoe,  the  footman  keeping  a  sharp 
look  out  for  ambuscade,  or  other  Indian  sign.  Upon  one  of  those  tours,  when  Davis  and 
M' Arthur  were  together,  going  up  the  river  with  their  canoe,  they  lay  at  night  a  short  dis- 
tance below  the  mouth  of  Scioto.  Early  the  next  morning  they  crossed  the  Ohio  in  their 
canoe — landed  and  went  across  the  bottom  to  the  foot  of  fhe  hill,  where  they  knew  of  a 
fine  deer-lick.  This  lick  is  situated  about  two  miles  below  Portsmouth,  and  near  Judge 
John  Collins'  house.  The  morning  was  very  calm,  and  a  light  fog  hung  over  the  bottom. 
When  Davis  and  M' Arthur  had  proceeded  near  the  lick,  M'Arthur  halted,  and  Davis  pro- 
ceeded, stooping  low  among  the  thick  brush  and  weeds,  to  conceal  himself.  He  moved  on 
with  the  noiseless  tread  of  the  cat,  till  he  got  near  the  lick,  when  he  straightened  up  to 
look  if  any  deer  were  in  it.  At  that  instant  he  heard  the  sharp  crack  from  an  Indian's 
riiie,  and  the  singing  whistle  of  a  bullet  pass  his  ear.  As  the  morning  was  calm  and  foggy, 
the  smoke  from  the  Indian's  rifle  settled  around  his  head,  so  that  the  Indian  could  not  see 
whether  his  shot  had  taken  effect  or  not.  Davis  immediately  raised  his  rifle  to  his  face, 
and  as  the  Indian  stepped  out  of  the  smoke  to  see  the  effect  of  his  shot,  Davis,  before  the 
Indian  had  time  to  dodge  out  of  the  way,  fired,  and  dropped  him  in  his  tracks.  Davis  im- 
mediately fell  to  loading  his  rifle,  not  thinking  it  safe  or  prudent  to  run  up  to  an  Indian 
with  an  empty  gun.  About  the  time  Davis  had  his  gun  loaded,  M'Arthur  came  running 
to  him.  Knowing  that  the  shots  he  had  heard  were  in  too  quick  succession  to  be  fired  by 
the  same  gun,  he  made  his  best  speed  to  the  aid  of  his  companion.  Just  as  M'Arthur  had 
stopped  at  the  place  where  Davis  stood,  they'heard  a  heavy  rush  going  through  the  brush, 
when  in  an  instant  several  Indians  made  their  appearance  in  the  open  ground  around  the 
lick.  Davis  and  M'Arthur  were  standing  in  thick  brush,  and  high  weeds  ;  and  being  un- 
perceived  by  the  Indians,  crept  off  as  silently  as  they  could,  and  put  off  at  their  best  speed 
for  their  canoe — crossed  the  Ohio  and  were  out  of  danger.  All  the  time  that  Davis  was 
loading  his  gun,  the  Indian  he  had  shot  did  not  move  hand  or  foot,  consequently  he  ever 
after  believed  he  killed  the  Indian. 

During  the  summer  of  1794,  as  the  packet-boat  was  on  her  way  up,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Scioto,  a  party  of  Indians  fired  into  the  boat  as  it  was  passing  near  the  shore,  and  one 


SCIOTO    COUNTY.  455 

man,  John  Stout,  was  killed,  and  two  brothers  by  the  name  of  Colvin  were  severely 
wounded.  The  boat  was  hurried  by  the  remainder  of  the  crew  into  the  middle  of  the 
stream,  and  then  returned  to  Maysville.  The  four  "  spies"  were  at  Maysville,  drawing 
their  pay  and  ammunition,  when  the  packet-boat  returned.  Notwithstanding  the  recent 
and  bloody  defeat  sustained  in  the  packet-boat,  a  fresh  crew  was  immediately  procured, 
and  the  four  spies  were  directed  by  Col.  Henry  Lee,  (who  had  the  superintendence  and  di- 
rection of  them,)  to  guard  the  boat  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Big  Sandy  river.  As  the  spies 
were  on  their  way  up  the  river  with  the  packet-boat,  they  found  concealed  and  sunk  in  the 
mouth  of  a  small  creek,  a  short  distance  below  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  a  bark  canoe, 
large  enough  to  carry  seven  or  eight  men.  In  this  canoe  a  party  of  Indians  had  crossed 
the  Ohio,  and  were  prowling  about  somewhere  in  the  country.  Samuel  M'Dowel  was 
sent  back  to  give  notice  to  the  inhabitants,  while  the  other  three  spies  remained  with  the 
packet-boat  till  they  saw  it  safe  past  the  mouth  of  Big  Sandy  river. 

At  this  place  the  spies  parted  from  the  boat,  and  commenced  their  return  for  Maysville. 
On  their  way  up  they  had  taken  a  light  canoe.  Two  of  them  pushed  the  canoe,  while  the 
others  advanced  on  foot  to  reconnoiter.  On  their  return  the  spies  floated  down  the  Ohio 
in  their  canoe,  till  they  came  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto  river,  where  they 
landed,  and  Duncan  McArthur,  [afterwards  Governor  of  Ohio,]  went  out  into  the  hills  in 
pursuit  of  game.  Treacle  and  Beasley  went  about  a  mile  lower  down  the  river  and  landed 
their  canoe,  intending  also  to  hunt  till  McArthur  should  come  up  with  them.  Mc- 
Arthur went  to  a  deer  lick,  with  the  situation  of  which  he  was  well  acquainted,  made 
a  blind,  behind  which  he  concealed  himself,  and  waited  for  game.  He  lay  about  an  hour, 
when  he  discovered  two  Indians  coming  to  the  lick.  The  Indians  were  so  near  him  be- 
fore he  saw  them  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  retreat  without  being  discovered.  As 
the  boldest  course  appeared  to  him  to  be  the  safest,  he  determined  to  permit  them  to  come 
as  near  to  him  as  they  would,  shoot  one  of  them,  and  try  his  strength  with  the  other. 
Imagine  his  situation.  Two  Indians  armed  with  rifles,  tomahawks  and  scalping-knives, 
approaching  in  these  circumstances,  must  have  caused  his  heart  to  beat  pit-a-pat.  He  per- 
mitted the  Indians,  who  were  walking  towards  him  in  a  stooping  posture,  to  approach  un- 
disturbed. When  they  came  near  the  lick,  they  halted  in  an  open  piece  of  ground,  and 
straightened  up  to  look  into  the  lick  for  game.  This  halt  enabled  McArthur  to  take  de- 
liberate aim  from  a  rest,  at  only  fourteen  steps  distance  ;  he  fired,  and  an  Indian  fell. 
McArthur  remained  still  a  moment,  thinking  it  possible  that  the  other  Indian  would  take 
to  flight.  In  this  he  was  mistaken  ;  the  Indian  did  not  even  dodge  out  of  his  tra6k  when 
his  companion  sunk  lifeless  by  his  side. 

As  the  Indian's  gun  was  charged,  McArthur  concluded  it  would  be  rather  a  fearful  job 
to  rush  upon  him,  he  therefore  determined  upon  a  retreat.  He  broke  from  his  place  of 
concealment  and  ran  with  all  his  speed  ;  he  had  run  but  a  few  steps  when  he  found  him- 
self tangled  in  the  top  of  a  fallen  tree  :  this  caused  a  momentary  halt.  At  that  instant 
the  Indian  fired,  and  the  ball  whistled  sharply  by  him.  As  the  Indian's  gun,  as  well  as  his 
own,  was  now  empty,  he  thought  of  turning  round  and  giving  him  a  fight  upon  equal 
terms.  At  this  instant  several  other  Indians  came  in  sight,  rushing  with  savage  screams 
through  the  brush.  He  fled  with  his  utmost  speed,  the  Indians  pursuing  and  firing  at  him 
as  he  ran  ;  one  of  their  balls  entered  the  bottom  of  his  powder-horn  and  shivered  the  side 
of  it  next  his  body  into  pieces.  The  splinters  of  his  shattered  powder-horn  were  propelled 
with  such  force  by  the  ball  that  his  side  was  considerably  injured  and  the  blood  flowed 
freely.  The  ball  in  passing  through  the  horn  had  given  him  such  a  jar  that  he  thought  for 
some  time  it  had  passed  through  his  side  ;  but  this  did  not  slacken  his  pace.  The  Indians 
pursued  him  some  distance.  McArthur,  though  not  very  fleet,  was  capable  of  enduring 
great  fatigue,  and  he  now  had  an  occasion  which  demanded  the  best  exertion  of  his 
strength.  He  gained  upon  his  pursuers,  and  by  the  time  he  had  crossed  two  or  three  ridges 
he  found  himself  free  from  pursuit,  and  turned  his  course  to  the  river. 

When  he  came  to  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  he  discovered  Beasley  and  Treacle  in  the  ca- 
noe, paddling  up  the  stream,  in  order  to  keep  her  hovering  over  the  same  spot,  and  to  be 
more  conspicuous  should  McArthur  make  his  escape  from  the  Indians.  They  had  heard 
the  firing,  and  the  yelling  in  pursuit,  and  had  no  doubt  about  the  cause,  and  had  concluded 
it  possible,  from  the  length  of  time  and  the  direction  of  the  noise  that  McArthur  might 
have  effected  his  escape.  Nathaniel  Beasley  and  Thomas  Treacle  were  not  the  kind  of 
men  to  fly  at  the  approach  of  danger  and  forsake  a  comrade.  McArthur  saw  the  canoe, 
and  made  a  signal  to  them  to  come  ashore.  They  did  so,  and  McArthur  was  soon  in  the 
canoe,  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  and  out  of  danger.  Thus  ended  this  day's  adventures 
of  the  spies  and  their  packet-boat,  and  this  was  the  last  attack  made  by  the  Indians  upon 
a  boat  in  the  Ohio  river. 


456  8CI0T0    COUNTY. 

It  is  said  tnat  1^  miles  below  the  old  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  stood, 
abou*  the  year  1740,  a  French  fort  or  trading  station.  Prior  to  the 
settlement  at  Marietta,  an  attempt  at  settlement  was  made  at  Ports- 
mouth, the  history  of  which  is  annexed  from  an  article  in  the  Amer- 
ican Pioneer,  by  George  Corwin,  of  Portsmouth. 

In  April,  1785,  four  families  from  the  Redstone  settlement  in  Pennsylvania,  descended 
he  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  and  there  moored  their  boat  under  the  high  bank 
where  Portsmouth  now  stands.  They  commenced  clearing  the  ground  to  plant  seeds  for  a 
crop  to  support  their  families,  hoping  that  the  red  men  of  the  forest  would  suffer  them  to 
remain  and  improve  the  soil.  They  seemed  to  hope  that  white  men  would  no  longer  pro- 
voke the  Indians  to  savage  warfare. 

Soon  after  they  landed,  the  four  men,  heads  of  the  families,  started  up  the  Scioto  to  see 
the  paradise  of  the  West,  of  which  they  had  heard  from  the  mouths  of  white  men  who 
had  traversed  it  during  their  captivity  among  the  natives.  Leaving  the  little  colony,  now 
consisting  of  four  women  and  their  children,  to  the  protection  of  an  over-ruling  Providence, 
they  traversed  beautiful  bottoms  of  the  Scioto  as  far  up  as  the  prairies  above,  and  opposite 
to  where  Piketon  now  stands.  One  of  them,  Peter  Patrick  by  name,  pleased  with  the 
country,  cut  the  initials  of  his  name  on  a  beech,  near  the  river,  which  being  found  in  after 
times,  gave  the  name  of  Pee  Pee  to  the  creek  that  flows  through  the  prairie  of  the  same 
name  ;  and  from  that  creek  was  derived  the  name  of  Pee  Pee  township  in  Pike  county. 

Encamping  near  the  site  of  Piketon,  they  were  surprised  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who 
killed  two  of  them  as  they  lay  by  their  fires.  The  other  two  escaped  over  the  hills  to  the 
Ohio  river,  which  they  struck  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Scioto,  just  as  some  white  men 
going  down  the  river  in  a  pirogue  were  passing.  They  were  going  to  Port  Vincennes,  on 
the  Wabash.  The  tale  of  woe  which  was  told  by  these  men,  with  entreaties  to  be  taken  on 
board,  was  at  first  insufficient  for  their  relief.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  Indians  to  com- 
pel white  prisoners  to  act  in  a  similar  manner  to  entice  boats  to  the  shore,  for  murderous 
and  marauding  purposes.  After  keeping  them  some  time  running  down  the  shore,  until 
they  believed  that  if  there  were  an  ambuscade  of  Indians  on  shore  they  were  out  of  its 
reach,  they  took  them  on  board  and  brought  them  to  the  little  settlement,  the  lamentations 
at  which  cannot  be  described,  nor  its  feeling  conceived,  when  their  peace  was  broken  and 
their  hopes  blasted  by  the  intelligence  of  the  disaster  reaching  them.  My  informant  was 
one  who  came  down  in  the  pirogue. 

There  was,  however,  no  time  to  be  lost ;  their  safety  depended  on  instant  flight — and 
gathering  up  all  their  movables,  put  off  to  Limestone,  now  Maysville,  as  a  place  of  greater 
safety,  where  the  men  in  the  pirogue  left  them,  and  as  my  informant  said,  never  heard  of 
them  more. 

Thos.  M'Donald  built  the  first  cabin  in  the  county,  but  we  are  ig- 
norant of  its  site  or  the  date  of  its  erection.*  Early  in  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country  the  village  of  Alexandria  was  founded  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Scioto,  on  the  west  bank,  opposite  Portsmouth,  which, 
at  the  formation  of  the  county,  was  made  "  the  temporary  seat  of 
justice  and  courts  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  John  Collins." 
Being  situated  upon  low  ground  liable  to  inundations,  the  population 
of  this  place,  once  considerable,  has  now  become  so  small  that  it 
does  not  exist  as  a  town,  though  map-makers  do  not  appear  to  have 
as  yet  learned  the  fact,  and  will  not,  perhaps,  for  years  to  come. 

The  "  French  Grant,"  a  tract  of  24,000  acres,  is  situated  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  this  county.  "  It  was  granted  by  Congress  in 
March,  1795,  to  a  number  of  French  families  who  lost  their  lands  at 
Gallipolis,  by  invalid  titles.  It  extended  from  a  point  on  the  Ohio 
river  1^  miles  above,  but  opposite  the  mouth  of  Little  Sandy  creek 
in  Kentucky,  and  extending  eight  miles  in  a  direct  line  down  the 
river,  and  from  the  two  extremities  of  that  line,  reaching  back  at 

*  Col.  John  M'Donald,  his  brother,  is  our  authority  for  this  assertion. 


SENECA    COUNTY.  457 

right  angles  sufficiently  far  to  include  the  quantity  of  land  required, 
which  somewhat  exceeded  four  and  a  half  miles."  Twelve  hun- 
dred acres  additional  were,  in  1798,  granted,  adjoining  it  towards  its 
lower  end.  Of  this  tract  4000  acres  directly  opposite  Little  Sandy 
creek  were  granted  to  Mons.  J.  G.  Gervais,  who  laid  out  a  town 
upon  it  which  he  called  Burrsburg,  which  never  had  but  a  few  in- 
habitants. Thirty  years  since  there  were  but  8  or  10  French  families 
residing  on  the  French  Grant,  and  we  doubt  if  any  are  now  left  there. 

Portsmouth,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river  just 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  at  the  termination  of  the  Ohio  canal, 
90  miles  s.  of  Columbus,  and  110  above  Cincinnati  by  the  river.  It 
is  a  town  of  considerable  business,  and  does  a  heavy  trade  with  the 
iron  works ;  three  steamboats  are  continually  plying  between  here 
and  the  iron  region  in  the  upper  part  of  this  and  in  Lawrence  county, 
and  two  run  regularly  between  here  and  Cincinnati.  In  the  town  is 
a  well  conducted  free  school,  which  has  9  teachers  and  320  pupils. 
It  is  supported  mainly  by  property  bequeathed  for  this  purpose, 
yielding  about  $2000  per  annum.  Portsmouth  contains  1  Presbyte- 
rian, 1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist  and  1  Catholic  church,  2  printing  of- 
fices, 1  rolling,  1  merchant  and  1  oil  mill,  1  carding  machine,  1  forge, 
2  founderies,  17  mercantile  stores,  and  a  population  estimated  at  2500. 
A  company  of  eastern  capitalists  are  constructing  in  the  old  channel 
of  the  Scioto,  opposite  Portsmouth,  a  commodious  basin  with  dry 
docks  attached  for  the  building  and  repairing  of  steamboats. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Portsmouth,  on  both  sides  of  the  Ohio,  are  some 
very  extensive  ancient  works  which  have  excited  much  curiosity. 

Wheelersburg,  9  miles  above  Portsmouth,  on  the  river,  is  a  flour- 
ishing town  with  from  50  to  70  dwellings.  Rockville,  Lucasville, 
and  Sciotoville,  are  small  places. 


SENECA. 

Seneca  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820,  or- 
ganized, April  1st,  1824,  and  named  from  the  tribe  who  had  a  reser- 
vation within  its  limits.  The  surface  is  level,  and  the  streams  run  in 
deep  channels.  The  county  is  well  watered,  has  considerable  water 
power,  and  the  soil  is  mostly  a  rich  loam.  It  was  settled  principally 
from  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  New  York,  and  by  some 
few  Germans.  The  principal  farm  products  are  wheat,  corn,  grass, 
oats,  potatoes  and  pork.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 
Adams,  1250         Hopewell,         913         Reed,  1214 

Big  Spring,        926         Jackson,  596         Scipio,  1556 

Bloom,  1168         Liberty,  1084         Seneca,        1393 

Clinton,  2197         London,  763         Thompson,  1411 

Eden,  1472         Pleasant,  974         Venice,         1222 

The  population  of  Seneca  in  1830,  was  5157,  and  in  1840,  18,139, 
or  35  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

58 


458  SENECA    COUNTY. 

Fort  Seneca,  a  military  post  built  in  the  late  war,  was  9  miles  n.  of 
the  site  of  Tiffin.  It  was  a  stockade  with  a  ditch,  and  occupied  several 
acres  on  a  plain,  on  the  bank  of  the  Sandusky.  Some  vestiges  of 
the  work  yet  remain.  It  was  only  a  few  miles  above  Fort  Stephen- 
son, and  was  occupied  by  Harrison's  troops  at  the  time  of  try3  attack 
on  the  latter.  While  here,  and  just  prior  to  Perry's  victory,  Gen. 
Harrison  narrowly  escaped  being  murdered  by  an  Indian,  the  par- 
ticulars of  which  we  derive  from  his  memoirs. 

The  friendly  Indians  of  the  Delaware,  Shawanese  and  Seneca  tribes  had  been  invited  to 
join  him.  A  number  had  accepted  the  invitation,  and  had  reached  Seneca  before  the  arri- 
val of  the  Kentucky  troops.  All  the  chiefs,  and  no  doubt  the  greater  part  of  the  warriors 
were  favorable  to  the  American  cause  ;  but  before  their  departure  from  their  towns,  a 
wretch  had  insinuated  himself  among  them,  with  the  intention  of  assassinating  the  com- 
manding general.  He  belonged  to  the  Shawanoese  tribe,  and  bore  the  name  of  Blue 
Jacket ;  but  was  not  the  celebrated  Blue  Jacket,  who  signed  the  treaty  of  Greenville  with 
Gen.  Wayne.  He  had  formerly  resided  at  the  town  of  Wapakoneta  ;  he  had,  however,  been 
absent  for  a  considerable  time,  and  had  returned  but  a  few  days  before  the  warriors  of  that 
town  set  out  to  join  the  American  army.  He  informed  the  chiefs  that  he  had  been  hunting 
on  the  Wabash,  and  at  his  request,  he  was  suffered  to  join  the  party  which  were  about  to 
march  to  Seneca.  Upon  their  arrival  at  M' Arthur's  block-house,  they  halted  and  en- 
camped for  the  purpose  of  receiving  provisions  from  the  deputy  Indian  agent,  Col.  M'Pher- 
son,  who  resided  there.  Before  their  arrival  at  that  place,  Blue  Jacket  had  communicated 
to  a  friend  of  his,  (a  Shawanese  warrior,)  his  intention  to  kill  the  American  general,  and 
requested  his  assistance  ;  this  his  friend  declined,  and  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  at- 
tempting it,  assuring  him  that  it  could  not  be  done  without  the  certain  sacrifice  of  his  own 
life,  as  he  had  been  at  the  American  camp,  and  knew  that  there  was  always  a  guard  round 
the  general's  quarters,  who  were  on  duty  day  and  night.  Blue  Jacket  replied,  that  he  was 
determined  to  execute  his  intention  at  any  risk,  "  that  he  would  kill  the  general  if  he  was 
sure  that  his  guards  would  cut  him  in  pieces  not  bigger  than  his  thumb  nail." 

No  people  on  earth  are  more  faithful  in  keeping  secrets  than  the  Indians,  but  each  war- 
rior has  a  friend  from  whom  he  will  conceal  nothing ;  luckily  for  Gen.  Harrison,  the  friend 
of  the  confidant  of  Blue  Jacket's  was  a  young  Delaware  chief  named  Beaver,  who  was 
also  bound  to  the  general  by  the  ties  of  friendship.  He  was  the  son  of  a  Delaware  war 
chief  of  the  same  name,  who  had  with  others  been  put  to  death  by  his  own  tribe,  on  the 
charge  of  practicing  sorcery.  Gen.  Harrison  had  been  upon  terms  of  friendship  with  the 
father,  and  had  patronized  his  orphan  boy,  at  that  time  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age.  He 
had  now  arrived  to  manhood,  and  was  considered  among  the  most  promising  warriors  of 
his  tribe :  to  this  young  chief  the  friend  of  Blue  Jacket  revealed  the  fatal  secret.  The 
Beaver  was  placed  by  this  communication  in  an  embarrassing  situation,  for  should  he  dis- 
close what  he  had  heard,  he  betrayed  his  friend,  than  which  nothing  could  be  more  repug- 
nant to  the  feelings  and  principles  of  an  Indian  warrior.  Should  he  not  disclose  it,  con- 
sequences equally  or  even  more  to  be  deprecated  were  likely  to  ensue.  The  assassination 
of  a  friend,  the  friend  of  his  father,  whose  life  he  was  bound  to  defend,  or  whose  death  to 
revenge  by  the  same  principle  of  fidelity  and  honor  which  forbid  the  disclosure. 

While  he  was  yet  hesitating,  Blue  Jacket  came  up  to  the  Delaware  camp,  somewhat  in- 
toxicated, vociferating  vengeance  upon  Col.  M'Pherson,  who  had  just  turned  him  out  of  his 
house,  and  whom  he  declared  he  would  put  to  death  for  the  insult  he  had  received.  The 
sight  of  the  traitor  aroused  the  indignation  and  resentment  of  the  Beaver  to  the  highest 
pitch.  He  seized  his  tomahawk,  and  advancing  toward  the  culprit,  "  You  must  be  a  great 
warrior,"  said  he,  "  you  will  not  only  kill  this  white  man  for  serving  you  as  you  deserve, 
but  you  will  also  murder  our  father,  the  American  chief,  and  bring  disgrace  and  mischief 
upon  us  all ;  but  you  shall  do  neither,  I  will  serve  you  as  I  would  a  mad  dog."  A  furious 
blow  from  the  tomahawk  of  the  Beaver  stretched  the  unfortunate  Blue  Jacket  at  his  feet, 
and  a  second  terminated  his  existence  ;  "  There,"  said  he  to  some  Shawanoese  who  were 
present,  "  take  him  to  the  camp  of  his  tribe,  and  tell  them  who  has  done  the  deed." 

The  Shawanoese  were  far  from  resenting  it ;  they  applauded  the  conduct  of  the  Beaver, 
and  rejoiced  at  their  happy  escape  from  the  ignominy  which  the  accomplishment  of  Blue 
Jacket's  design  would  have  brought  upon  them.  At  the  great  treaty  which  was  held  at 
Greenville  in  1815,  Gen.  Cass,  one  of  the  commissioners,  related  the  whole  of  the  transac- 
tior  to  the  assembled  chiefs,  and  after  thanking  the  Beaver,  in  the  name  of  the  United 
States,  for  having  saved  the  life  of  their  general,  he  caused  a  handsome  present  to  be  made 


SENECA    COUNTY.  459 

him  out  of  the  goods  which  he  had  sent  for  the  purpose  of  the  treaty.  It  is  impossible  to 
say  what  wa9  the  motive  of  Blue  Jacket  to  attempt  the  life  of  Gen.  Harrison :  he  was  not 
one  of  the  Tippecanoe  Shawanoese,  and  therefore  could  have  no  personal  resentment 
against  the  general.  There  is  little  doubt  that  he  came  from  Maiden  when  he  arrived  at 
Wapakoneta,  and  that  he  came  for  the  express  purpose  of  attempting  the  life  of  the  gen- 
eral ;  but  whether  he  was  instigated  to  it  by  any  other  person  or  persons,  or  had  conceived 
the  idea  himself,  has  never  been  ascertained.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  chiefs  at  Seneca, 
the  principal  war  chief  of  the  Shawanese  requested  permission  to  sleep  at  the  door  of  the 
general's  marquee,  and  this  he  did  every  night  until  the  embarkation  of  the  troops.  Thi3 
man,  who  had  fought  with  great  bravery  on  our  side  in  the  several  sorties  from  Fort  Meigs, 
was  called  Capt.  Tommy ;  he  was  a  great  favorite  of  the  officers,  particularly  the  general 
and  Commodore  Perry,  the  latter  of  whom  was  accustomed  to  call  him  the  general's  Ma- 
maluke. 

The  Senecas  of  Sandusky — so  called — owned  and  occupied  forty 
thousand  acres  of  choice  land,  on  the  east  side  of  Sandusky  river, 
being  mostly  in  this  and  partly  in  Sandusky  county.  Thirty  thou- 
sand acres  of  this  land  was  granted  to  them  on  the  29th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1817,  at  the  treaty  held  at  the  foot  of  Maumee  Rapids,  Hon. 
Lewis  Cass  and  Hon.  Duncan  M' Arthur,  being  the  commissioners 
of  the  United  States.  The  remaining  10,000  acres,  lying  south  of 
the  other,  was  granted  by  the  treaty  at  St.  Mary's,  concluded  by  the 
same  commissioners  on  the  17th  of  September,  in  the  following 
year.  By  the  treaty  concluded  at  Washington  city,  February  28th, 
1831,  James  B.  Gardiner  being  the  commissioner  of  the  general 
government,  these  Indians  ceded  their  lands  to  the  United  States, 
and  agreed  to  remove  southwest  of  Missouri,  on  the  Neosho  river. 

At  this  time,  their  principal  chiefs  were  Coonstick,  Small  Cloud 
Spicer,  Seneca  Steel,  Hard  Hickory,  Tall  Chief  and  Good  Hunter, 
the  last  two  of  whom  were  their  principal  orators.  The  old  chiefs 
Good  Hunter  told  Mr.  Henry  C.  Brish,  their  sub-agent,  that  this 
band,  which  numbered  about  400  souls,  were  in  fact  the  remnant  of 
Logan's  tribe,  (see  p.  409,)  and  says  Mr.  Brish  in  a  communication 
to  us :  "I  cannot  to  this  day  surmi^  why  they  were  called  Senecas. 
I  never  found  a  Seneca  among  them.  They  were  Cayugas, — who 
were  Mingoes, — among  whom  were  a  few  Oneidas,  Mohawks,  Onon- 
dagoes,  Tuscarawas  and  Wyandots." 

From  Mr.  Brish,  we  have  received  an  interesting  narrative  of  the 
execution  for  witchcraft  of  one  these  Indians,  named  Seneca  John, 
who  was  one  of  the  best  men  of  his  tribe. 

About  the  year  1825,  Coonstick,  Steel  and  Crack'd  Hoof,  left  the  reservation  for  the 
double  purpose  of  a  three  years  hunting  and  trapping  excursion,  and  to  seek  a  location  for  a 
new  home  for  the  tribe  in  the  far  west. 

At  the  time  of  their  starting,  Comstock,  the  brother  of  the  two  first,  was  the  principal 
chief  of  the  tribe.  On  their  return  in  1828,  richly  laden  with  furs  and  horses,  they  found 
Seneca  John,  their  fourth  brother,  chief,  in  place  of  Comstock,  who  had  died  during  their 
absence. 

Comstock  was  the  favorite  brother  of  the  two,  and  they  at  once  charged  Seneca  John  with 
producing  his  death  by  witchcraft.  John  denied  the  charge  in  a  strain  of  eloquence  rarely 
equalled.  Said  he,"  I  loved  my  brother  Comstock  more  than  I  love  the  green  earth  I  stand 
upon.  I  would  give  up  myself,  limb  by  limb,  piecemeal  by  piecemeal, — I  would  shed  my 
blood,  drop  by  drop,  to  restore  him  to  life."  But  all  his  protestation  of  innocence  and  af- 
fection for  his  brother  Comstock,  were  of  no  avail.  His  two  other  brothers  pronounced 
him  guilty,  and  declared  their  determination  to  be  his  executioners. 

John  replied  that  he  was  willing  to  die,  and  only  wished  to  live  until  the  next  morning, 
"  to  see  the  sun  rise  once  more."     This  request  being  granted,  John  told  them  that  he 


460  SENECA    COUNTY. 

should  sleep  that  night  on  Hard  Hickory's  porch,  which  fronted  the  east,  where  they  would 
find  him  at  sunrise.  He  chose  that  place  because  he  did  not  wish  to  be  killed  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  wife,  and  desired  that  the  chief,  Hard  Hickory,  should  witness  that  he  died  like 
a  brave  man. 

Coonstick  and  Steel  retired  for  the  night  to  an  old  cabin  near  by.  In  the  morning,  in 
company  with  Shane,  another  Indian,  they  proceeded  to  the  house  of  Hard  Hickory,  who 
was  my  informant  of  what  there  happened. 

He  said,  a  little  after  sunrise  he  heard  their  footsteps  upon  the  porch,  and  opened  the  door 
just  enough  to  peep  out.  He  saw  John  asleep  upon  his  blanket,  and  they  standing  around 
him.  At  length  one  of  them  awoke  him.  He  arose  upon  his  feet  and  took  off  a  large 
handkerchief  which  was  around  his  head,  letting  his  unusually  long  hair  fall  upon  his 
shoulders.  This  being  done,  he  looked  around  upon  the  landscape,  and  at  the  rising  sun, 
to  take  a  farewell  look  of  a  scene  that  he  was  never  again  to  behold,  and  then  told  them 
he  was  ready  to  die. 

Shane  and  Coonstick  each  took  him  by  the  arm,  and  Steel  walked  behind.  In  this  way 
they  led  him  about  ten  steps  from  the  porch,  when  Steel  struck  him  with  a  tomahawk  on 
the  back  of  his  head,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground,  bleeding  freely.  Supposing  this  blow  suffi- 
cient to  kill  him,  they  dragged  him  under  a  peach  tree  near  by.  In  a  short  time,  however, 
he  revived  ;  the  blow  having  been  broken  by  his  great  mass  of  hair.  Knowing  that  it  was 
Steel  who  struck  the  blow,  John,  as  he  lay,  turned  his  head  towards  Coonstick  and  said, 
"  now  brother,  do  you  take  your  revenge."  This  so  operated  upon  the  feelings  of  Coonstick, 
that  he  interposed  to  save  him  ;  but  it  enraged  Steel  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  drew  his 
knife  and  cut  John's  throat  from  ear  to  ear,  and  the  next  day  he  was  buried  with  the  usual 
Indian  ceremonies,  not  more  than  twenty  feet  from  where  he  fell.  Steel  was  arrested  and 
tried  for  the  murder  in  Sandusky  county,  and  acquitted. 

The  grave  of  Seneca  John  was  surrounded  by  a  small  picket  enclosure.  Three  years 
after,  when  I  was  preparing  to  move  them  to  the  far  west,  I  saw  Coonstick  and  Steel  re- 
move the  picket-fence  and  level  the  ground,  so  that  no  vestige  of  the  grave  remained. 

A  writer  in  the  Sidney  Aurora,  a  few  years  since,  gave  a  narra- 
tion of  some  of  the  religious  rites  of  this  tribe,  just  prior  to  their  de- 
parture for  their  new  homes.  We  extract  his  description  of  their 
sacrificing  two  dogs  to  the  Great  Spirit. 

We  rose  early  and  proceeded  directly  to  the  council  house,  and  though  we  supposed  we 
were  early,  the  Indians  were  already  in  advance  of  us. 

The  first  object  which  arrested  our  attention,  was  a  pair  of  the  canine  species,  one  of 
each  gender  suspended  on  a  cross .'  one  on  either  side  thereof.  These  animals  had  been 
recently  strangled — not  a  bone  was  broken,  nor  could  a  distorted  hair  be  seen !  They 
were  of  beautiful  cream  color,  except  a  few  dark  spots  on  one,  naturally,  which  same  spots 
were  put  on  the  other,  artificially,  by  the  devotees.  The  Indians  are  very  partial  in  the 
selection  of  dogs  entirely  white,  for  this  occasion  ;  and  for  which  they  will  give  almost  any 
price. 

Now  for  part  of  the  decorations  to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  and  a  description  of 
one  will  suffice  for  both. 

First — A  scarlet  ribbon  was  tastefully  tied  just  above  the  nose  ;  and  near  the  eyes  an- 
other ;  next  round  the  neck  was  a  white  ribbon,  to  which  was  attached  some  bulbous, 
concealed  in  another  white  ribbon ;  this  was  placed  directly  under  the  right  ear,  and  I 
suppose  it  was  intended  as  an  amulet,  or  charm.  Then  ribbons  were  bound  round  the 
forelegs,  at  the  knees,  and  near  the  feet — these  were  red  and  white  alternately.  Round  the 
body  was  a  profuse  decoration — then  the  hind  legs  were  decorated  as  the  fore  ones.  Thus 
were  the  victims  prepared  and  thus  ornamented  for  the  burnt  offering. 

While  minutely  making  this  examination,  I  was  almost  unconscious  of  the  collection  of 
a  large  number  of  Indians  who  were  there  assembled  to  offer  their  sacrifices. 

Adjacent  to  the  cross,  was  a  large  fire  built  on  a  few  logs;  and  though  the  snow  was 
several  inches  deep,  they  had  prepared  a  sufficient  quantity  of  combustible  material,  re- 
moved the  snow  from  the  logs,  and  placed  thereon  their  fire.  I  have  often  regretted  that  I 
did  not  see  them  light  this  pile.  My  own  opinion  is,  they  did  not  use  the  fire  from  their 
council-house  ;  because  I  think  they  would  have  considered  that  as  common,  and  as  this 
was  intended  to  be  a  holy  service,  they,  no  doubt,  for  this  purpose  struck  fire  from  a  flint, 
this  being  deemed  sacred.* 

*  The  Indians,  we  are  informed,  on  these  occasions,  kindle  their  fire  by  the  friction  of 
two  dry  sticks. — H.  H. 


SENECA    COUNTY.  461 

It  was  a  clear,  beautiful  morning,  and  just  as  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  were  seen  in  the 
tops  of  the  towering  forest,  and  its  reflections  from  the  snowy  surface,  the  Indians  simulta- 
neously formed  a  semicircle  enclosing  the  cross,  each  flank  resting  on  the  aforesaid  pile  of 
logs. 

Good  Hunter,  who  officiated  as  High  Priest,  now  appeared,  and  approached  the  cross  ; 
arrayed  in  his  pontifical  robes,  he  looked  quite  respectable. 

The  Indians  being  all  assembled — I  say  Indians,  for  there  was  not  a  squaw  present  du- 
ring all  this  ceremony — at  a  private  signal  given  by  the  High  Priest,  two  young  chiefs 
sprang  upon  the  cross,  and  each  taking  off  one  of  the  victims,  brought  it  down  and  pre- 
sented it  on  his  arms  to  the  High  Priest,  who  receiving  it  with  great  reverence,  in  like  man- 
ner advanced  to  the  fire,  and  with  a  very  grave  and  solemn  air,  laid  it  thereon — and  thus 
he  did  with  the  other — but  to  which,  whether  male  or  female,  he  gave  the  preference,  I  did 
not  learn.     This  done,  he  retired  to  the  cross. 

In  a  devout  manner,  he  now  commenced  an  oration.  The  tone  of  his  voice  was  audible 
and  somewhat  chanting.  At  every  pause  in  his  discourse,  he  took  from  a  white  cloth  he 
held  in  his  left  hand,  a  portion  of  dried,  odoriferous  herbs,  which  he  threw  on  the  fire  ;  this 
was  intended  as  incense.  In  the  meanwhile  his  auditory,  their  eyes  on  the  ground,  with 
grave  aspect,  and  in  solemn  silence,  stood  motionless,  listening  attentively  to  every  word 
he  uttered. 

Thus  he  proceeded  until  the  victims  were  entirely  consumed,  and  the  incense  exhausted, 
when  he  concluded  his  service ;  the  oblation  now  made,  and  the  wrath  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
as  they  believed,  appeased,  they  again  assembled  in  the  council-house,  for  the  purpose  of 
performing  a  part  in  their  festival,  different  from  any  I  yet  had  witnessed.  Each  Indian  as 
he  entered,  seated  himself  on  the  floor,  thus  forming  a  large  circle  ;  when  one  of  the  old 
chiefs  rose,  and  with  that  native  dignity  which  some  Indians  possess  in  a  great  degree, 
recounted  his  exploits  as  a  warrior  ;  told  in  how  many  fights  he  had  been  the  victor ;  the 
number  of  scalps  he  had  taken  from  his  enemies ;  and  what,  at  the  head  of  his  braves,  he 
yet  intended  to  do  at  the"  Rocky  Mountains ;"  accompanying  his  narration  with  energy, 
warmth,  and  strong  gesticulation  ;  when  he  ended,  he  received  the  unanimous  applause  of 
the  assembled  tribe. 

This  meed  of  praise  was  awarded  to  the  chief  by  "three  times  three,"  articulations. 
which  were  properly  neither  nasal,  oral,  nor  guttural,  but  rather  abdominal.  Thus  many 
others  in  the  circle,  old  and  young,  rose  in  order,  and  proforma,  delivered  themselves  of  a 
speech.     Among  those  was  Good  Hunter  ;  but  he 

"  Had  laid  his  robes  away 
His  mitre  and  his  vest." 
His  remarks  were  not  filled  with  such  bombast  as  some  others ;  but  brief,  modest,  and  ap- 
propriate ;  in  fine,  they  were  such  as  became  a  priest  of  one  of  the  lost  ten  tribes  of  Israel. 
After  all  had  spoken  who  wished  to  speak,  the  floor  was  cleared,  and  the  dance  renewed, 
in  which  Indian  and  squaw  united,  with  their  wonted  hilarity  and  zeal. 

Just  as  this  dance  ended,  an  Indian  boy  ran  to  me,  and  with  fear  strongly  depicted  in 
his  countenance,  caught  me  by  the  arm,  &nd  drew  me  to  the  door,  pointing  with  his  other 
hand  towards  something  he  wished  me  to  observe. 

I  looked  in  that  direction,  and  saw  the  appearance  of  an  Indian  running  at  full  speed  to 
the  council-house  ;  in  an  instant  he  was  in  the  house,  and  literally  in  the  fire,  which  he  took 
in  his  hands,  and  threw  fire,  coals  and  hot  ashes  in  various  directions,  through  the  house, 
and  apparently  all  over  himself!  At  his  entrance,  the  young  Indians,  much  alarmed,  had 
all  fled  to  the  further  end  of  the  house,  where  they  remained  crowded,  in  great  dread  of 
this  personification  of  the  Evil  Spirit !  After  diverting  himself  with  the  fire  a  few  mo- 
ments, at  the  expense  of  the  young  ones,  to  their  no  small  joy  he  disappeared.  This  was  an 
Indian  disguised  with  a  hideous  false  face,  having  horns  on  his  head,  and  his  hands  and  feet 
protected  from  the  effects  of  the  fire.  And  though  not  a  professed  "  Fire  King,"  he  cer- 
tainly performed  his  part  to  admiration. 

During  the  continuance  of  this  festival,  the  hospitality  of  the  Senecas  was  unbounded. 
In  the  council-house,  and  at  the  residence  of  Tall  Chief,  were  a  number  of  large  fat  bucks, 
and  fat  hogs  hanging  up,  and  neatly  dressed.  Bread  also,  of  both  corn  and  wheat,  in  great 
abundance. 

Large  kettles  of  soup  ready  prepared,  in  which  maple  sugar,  profusely  added,  made  a 
prominent  ingredient,  thus  forming  a  very  agreeable  saccharine  coalescence.  All  were  invi- 
ted, and  all  were  made  welcome  ;  indeed,  a  refusal  to  partake  of  their  bounty,  was  deemed 
diar'-epectful,  if  not  unfriendly. 

I  left  them  in  the  afternoon  enjoying  themselves  to  the  fullest  extent ;  and  so  far  as  I 
co  i>il  perceive,  their  pleasure  was  without  alloy.     They  were  eating  and  drinking  ;  but  on 


462 


SENECA    COUNTY. 


this  occasion,  no  ardent  spirits  were  permitted— dancing  and  rejoicing- 
bably,  thinking  not  of  to-morrow. 


-caring,  and,  pro 


View  in  Tiffin. 

Tiffin,  the  county  seat,  is  a  compactly  built  village,  on  a  level  site, 
on  the  line  of  the  railroad  connecting  Cincinnati  with  Sandusky  City, 
and  on  the  east  bank  of  Sandusky  river.  It  is  86  miles  n.  of  Colum- 
bus and  34  from  Sandusky  City.  It  was  laid  out  about  the  year 
1821,  by  Josiah  Hedges,  and  named  from  the  Hon.  Edward  Tiffin, 
of  Ross,  president  of  the  convention  which  formed  the  constitution  of 
Ohio,  and  the  first  governor  of  the  state  of  Ohio  in  1803.  The  town 
is  gradually  increasing  with  the  growth  of  the  county.  The  view 
wras  taken  in  the  principal  street,  and  shows  on  the  left  the  court 
house,  and  in  the  distance  the  spire  of  a  Catholic  church.  It  con- 
tains ?  Lutheran,  2  Catholic,  1  Episcopal,  1  Methodist  Episcopal,  1 
Reformed  Methodist  and  1  German  Reformed  church,  5  grocery 
and  9  dry  goods  stores,  J  foundery,  2  newspaper  printing  offices, 
and  had  in  1840,  728  inhabitants :  it  now  contains  with  the  suburbs, 
about  1200. 

Opposite  Tiffin,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Sandusky,  is  the  small 
village  of  Fort  Ball,  so  named  from  a  fort  erected  there  in  the  late 
war,  and  probably  so  called  from  Lieut.  Col.  James  V.  Ball,  the  com- 
mander of  a  squadron  of  cavalry  under  Harrison,  while  at  Fort 
Seneca  in  this  county.  The  fort  was  a  small  stockade  with  a  ditch, 
occupying  perhaps  one-third  of  an  acre.  It  stood  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  about  fifty  rods  south  of  the  present  bridge,  and  was  used 
principally  as  a  military  depot.     Vestiges  of  this  work  yet  remain. 

On  the  old  Indian  reservation,  in  a  limestone  soil,  are  two  white  sulphur  springs,  re- 
spectively 10  and  12  miles  from  Tiffin,  and  about  2  apart.  The  water  is  clear,  and  petri- 
fies all  objects  with  which  it  comes  in  contact.  The  water  furnishes  power  sufficient  for 
two  large  merchant  mills,  flows  in  great  quantities,  and  nearly  alike  in  all  seasons. 

In  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county,  in  the  township  of  Thompson,  is  a  subterranean 
streams,  about  80  feet  under  ground.  The  water  is  pure  and  cold,  runs  uniformly,  and  in 
a  northern  direction.  It  is  entered  by  a  hole  in  the  top,  into  which  the  curious  can  descend 
on  foot,  by  the  aid  of  a  light. 


SHELBY    COUNTY.  463 

The  following  is  a  list  of  villages  and  localities  in  the  county  with 
their  population  in  1840.  Attica  118,  Bascom  34,  Bettsville  23, 
Bloomville  13,  Caroline  27,  Fort  Ball  129,  Fort  Seneca  52,  Green 
Spring  29,  Lodi  30,  Melmore  127,  Risdon  39,  Rome  80,  Republic 
161,  Springville  35,  Sulphur  Spring  29. 

Some  of  these  have  since  much  increased.  The  most  important 
of  them  now  is  Republic.  This  thriving  village  is  in  the  township 
of  Scipio,  on  the  line  of  the  railroad,  9  miles  e.  of  Tiffin.  It  was  laid 
out  about  13  years  since,  and  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Metho- 
dist and  1  Universalist  church,  1  book,  3  grocery  and  9  dry  goods 
stores,  1  machine  shop  for  the  making  of  steam  engines,  1  clothing 
mill,  and  about  600  inhabitants.  The  houses  are  new  and  neat,  and 
the  inhabitants,  many  of  whom  are  from  western  New  York,  have 
among  them  a  flourishing  academy,  numbering  about  100  pupils  of 
both  sexes. 


SHELBY. 

Sheiby  was  formed  from  Miami  in  1819,  and  named  from  Gov 
Shelby,  of  Kentucky.  The  southern  half  is  undulating,  rising  in 
places  along  the  Miami  into  hills.  The  northern  portion  is  flat  table 
land,  forming  part  of  Loramie's  summit,  378  feet  above  Lake  Erie, 
being  the  highest  elevation  in  this  part  of  the  state.  The  soil  is  based 
on  clay,  with  some  fine  bottom  land  along  the  streams.  The  south- 
ern part  is  best  for  grain,  and  the  northern  for  grass.  Proper  drain- 
age and  tillage  will  render  it  an  excellent  county  for  grazing  and 
small  grain.  Its  principal  crops  are  corn,  grass,  oats  and  wheat. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  the  county  in  1840,  with 
their  population. 


Clinton, 

1496 

Jackson, 

478 

Salem,              1158 

Cynthian, 

1022 

Loramie, 

904 

Turtle  Creek,  746 

Dinsmoor, 

500 

M'Lean, 

513 

Van  Buren,       596 

Franklin, 

647 

Orange, 

783 

Washington,  1688 

Green, 

762 

Perry, 

861 

The  population  of  Shelby  in  1820,  was  2142,  in  1830,  3671,  and 
in  1840,  12,153  ;  or  29  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  n  i/.nh  of  Loramie's  creek,  in  this  county,  16  miles  nw.  of 
Sidney,  is  a  place  of  historic  interest.  It  was  the  first  point  of 
English  settlement  in  Ohio.  As  early  as  1752,  there  was  a  trading 
house  at  that  place,  called  by  the  English  Pichawillany,  which  was 
attacked  and  destroyed  by  the  French  and  Indians  that  year ;  but 
little  is  known,  however,  of  its  history.     (See  page  7.) 

At  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  Kentucky,  a  Canadian  French- 
man, named  Loramie,  established  there  a  store,  or  trading  station, 
among  the  Indians.  This  man  was  a  bitter  enemy  of  the  Americans, 
and  it  was  for  a  long  time  the  head-quarters  of  mischief  to  wards  the 
settlers. 


464  SHELBY  COUNTY. 

The  French  had  the  faculty  of  endearing  themselves  to  the  Indians 
and  no  doubt  Loramie  was,  in  this  respect,  fully  equal  to  any  of  his 
countrymen,  and  gained  great  influence  over  them.  They  formed 
with  the  natives  attachments  of  the  most  tender  and  abiding  kind. 
"  I  have,"  says  Colonel  Johnston,  "  seen  the  Indians  burst  into  tears 
when  speaking  of  the  time  when  their  French  father  had  dominion 
over  them  ;  and  their  attachment  to  this  day  remains  unabated." 

So  much  influence  had  Loramie  with  the  Indians,  that  when  Gen. 
Clarke,  from  Kentucky,  invaded  the  Miami  valley  in  the  autumn  of 
1782,  his  attention  was  attracted  to  the  spot.  He  came  on  and  burnt 
the  Indian  settlement  here,  and  plundered  and  burnt  the  store  of  the 
Frenchman. 

The  store  contained  a  large  quantity  of  goods  and  peltry,  which  were  sold  by  auction 
afterwards  among  the  men  by  the  general's  orders.  Among  the  soldiers  was  an  Irishman 
named  Burke,  considered  a  half-witted  fellow,  and  the  general  butt  of  the  whole  army. 
While  searching  the  store,  he  found  done  up  in  a  rag  25  half  joes,  worth  about  $200,  which 
he  secreted  in  a  hole  he  cut  in  an  old  saddle.  At  the  auction  no  one  bid  for  the  saddle,  it 
being  judged  worthless,  except  Burke,  to  whom  it  was  struck  off  for  a  trifling  sum,  amid 
roars  of  laughter  for  his  folly.  But  a  moment  elapsed  before  Burke  commenced  a  search, 
and  found  and  drew  forth  the  money  as  if  by  accident ;  then  shaking  it  in  the  eyes  of  the 
men,  exclaimed,  "  an'  it's  not  so  bad  a  bargain  after  all !" 

Soon  after  this,  Loramie,  with  a  colony  of  the  Shawanoese,  emi- 
grated to  the  Spanish  territories,  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  settled 
»ii  a  spot  assigned  them  at  the  junction  of  the  Kanzas  and  Missouri, 
where  the  remaining  part  of  the  nation  from  Ohio  have  at  different 
times  joined  them. 

In  1794,  a  fort  was  built  at  the  place  occupied  by  Loramie's  store, 
by  Wayne,  and  named  Fort  Loramie.  The  last  officer  who  had 
command  here  was  Capt.  Butler,  a  nephew  of  Gen.  Richard  Butler, 
who  fell  at  St.  Clair's  defeat.     Says  Colonel  John  Johnston  : 

His  wife  and  children  were  with  him  during  his  command,  A  very  interesting  son  of 
his,  about  eight  years  old,  died  at  the  post.  The  agonized  father  and  mother  were  incon- 
solable. The  grave  was  enclosed  with  a  very  handsome  and  painted  railing,  at  the  foot  of 
which  honeysuckles  were  planted,  grew  luxuriantly,  entwined  the  paling,  and  finally  en- 
veloped the  whole  grave.  Nothing  could  appear  more  beautiful  than  this  arbor  when  in 
bloom. 

The  peace  withdrew  Capt.  Butler  and  his  troops  to  other  scenes  on  the  Mississippi.  I 
never  passed  the  fort  without  a  melancholy  thought  about  the  lovely  boy  who  rested  there, 
and  his  parents  far  away  never  to  behold  that  cherished  spot  again.  Long  after  the  posts 
had  decayed  in  the  ground  the  vines  sustained  the  palings,  and  the  whole  remained  perfect 
until  the  war  of  1812,  when  all  was  destroyed,  and  now  a  barn  stands  over  the  spot. 

The  site  of  Loramie's  store  was  a  prominent  point  in  the  Green- 
ville treaty  boundary  line.  The  farm  of  the  heirs  of  the  late  James 
Furrow  now  covers  the  spot.  Col.  John  Hardin  was  murdered  in 
this  county,  in  1792,  while  on  a  mission  of  peace  to  the  Indians.  The 
town  of  Hardin  has  since  been  laid  out  on  the  spot.     (See  page  240.) 

The  first  white  family  who  settled  in  this  county  was  that  of  James  Thatcher,  in  1804, 
who  settled  in  the  west  part  on  Painter's  run  ;  Samuel  Marshall,  John  Wilson  and  John 
Kennard — the  last  now  living — came  soon  after.  The  first  court  was  held  in  a  cabin  at 
Hardin,  May  13th  and  14th,  1819.  Hon.  Joseph  H.  Crane,  of  Dayton,  was  the  president 
judge  ;  Samuel  Marshall,  Robert  Houston  and  Wm.  Cecil,  associates ;  Harvey  B.  Foot, 
clerk  ;  Daniel  V.  Dingman,  sheriff,  and  Harvey  Brown,  of  Dayton,  prosecutor.     The  first 


SHELBY    COUNTY. 


465 


mill  was  a  saw  mill,  erected  in  1808  by  Daniel  M'Mullen  and  Bilderbach,  on  the  site  of 
Walker's  mill. 


Public  Square,  Sidney. 

Sidney,  the  county  seat,  is  68  miles  n.  of  w.  from  Columbus,  88 
from  Cincinnati,  and  named  from  Sir  Philip  Sydney,  "  the  great  light 
of  chivalry."  It  was  laid  out  as  the  county  seat  in  the  fall  of  1819, 
on  the  farm  of  Charles  Starrett,  under  the  direction  of  the  court. 

The  site  is  beautiful,  being  on  an  elevated  table-ground  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Miami. 
The  only  part  of  the  plot  then  cleared  was  a  corn-field,  the  first  crop  having  been  raised 
there  in  1809,  by  Win.  Stewart.  The  court  removed  to  Sidney  in  April,  1820,  and  held 
its  meetings  in  the  log-cabin  of  Abm.  Cannon,  on  the  south  side  of  the  field,  on  the  site  of 
Matthew  Gillespie's  store.  During  the  same  year,  the  first  court  house  a  frame  building, 
now  Judge  Walker's  store,  was  built,  and  also  the  log  jail.  The  first  frame  house  was  built 
in  1820,  by  John  Blake,  now  forming  the  front  of  the  National  hotel.  The  first  post-office 
in  the  county  was  established  at  Hardin  in  1819,  Col.  James  Wells,  post-master  ;  but  was 
removed  the  next  year  to  Sidney,  where  the  colonel  has  continued  since  to  hold  the  office, 
except  during  Tyler's  administration.  The  first  brick  house  was  erected  on  the  site  of  J.  F. 
Frazer's  drug  store,  by  Dr.  Wm.  Fielding.  The  Methodists  erected  the  first  church  on  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  them.  Mr.  T.  Trader  had  a  little  store  when  the  town  was  laid  out, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  near  the  lower  crossing.  The  Herald,  the  first  paper  in  the 
county,  was  established  in  1836,  and  published  by  Thos.  Smith.  A  block-house  at  one  time 
stood  near  the  spring. 

In  the  centre  of  Sidney  is  a  beautiful  public  square,  on  which 
stands  the  court  house.  A  short  distance  in  a  westerly  direction, 
passes  the  Sidney  feeder,  a  navigable  branch  of  the  Miami  canal. 
The  town  and  suburbs  contain  1  Methodist,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Asso- 
ciate Reformed,  1  Christian  and  1  Catholic  church  ;  1  drug,  2  iron, 
5  hardware  and  10  dry  goods  stores;  2  printing  offices,  1  oil,  2  card- 
ing and  fulling,  3  flouring  and  4  saw  mills,  and  in  1840,  Sidney  had 
713  inhabitants,  since  which  it  has  increased. 

In  Van  Buren  township  is  a  settlement  of  colored  people,  numbering  about  400.  They 
constitute  half  the  population  of  the  township,  and  are  as  prosperous  as  their  white  neigh- 
bors. Neither  are  they  behind  them  in  religion,  morals  and  intelligence,  having  churches 
and  schools  of  their  own.  Their  location,  however,  is  not  a  good  one,  the  land  being  too 
flat  and  wet.  An  attempt  was  made  in  July,  1846,  to  colonize  with  them  385  of  the  eman- 
cipated slaves  of  the  celebrated  John  Randolph,  of  Va.,  after  they  were  driven  from  Mercer 

59 


466  STARK    COUNTY. 

county ;  but  a  considerable  party  of  whites  would  not  willingly  permit  it,  and  they 
were  scattered  by  families  among  the  people  of  Shelby  and  Miami  who  were  willing  to  take 
them. 

Port  Jefferson,  5  miles  ne.  of  Sidney,  is  at  the  head  of  the  feeder, 
through  which  the  waters  of  the  Miami  flow  into  the  Miami  canal, 
13  miles  distant.  It  contains  1  Methodist  and  1  Baptist  church,  3 
stores,  and  about  50  dwellings.  Hardin,  5  miles  w.  of  Sidney ;  New- 
port, 12  w.,  Berlin,  16  wnw.,  Houston,  11  wsw.,  Lockport,  8  s..  and 
Palestine,  9  e.,  are  small,  and  some  of  them  thriving  villages. 


STARK. 


Stark  was  established  Feb.  13th,  1808,  and  organized  in  January, 
1809.  It  was  named  from  Gen.  John  Stark,  an  officer  of  the  revo- 
lution, who  was  born  in  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire,  in  1728, 
and  died  in  1822.  The  surface  is  generally  rolling;  the  central  and 
northeast  portions  are  slightly  undulating.  The  soil  is  a  sandy  loam ; 
in  some  parts  of  the  north  and  east  a  clay  soil  predominates.  It  is 
a  rich  agricultural  county,  and  produces  more  wheat,  except  Wayne, 
than  any  other  in  Ohio.  It  embraces  within  itself  the  requisite  facili- 
ties for  making  it  the  seat  of  various  manufactures — mineral  coal, 
iron  ore,  flocks  of  the  choicest  sheep,  and  great  water  power.  Lime- 
stone abounds,  and  inexhaustible  beds  of  lime  marl  exist.  The  cul- 
tivation of  the  mulberry  and  manufacture  of  silk  have  been  success- 
fully commenced.  It  was  settled  mainly  by  Pennsylvania  Germans, 
and  from  Germany  and  France.  The  principal  agricultural  products 
are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  barley,  grass,  and  flax  and  clover 
seed.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their 
population. 

Bethlehem,  1019         Marlborough,  1670         Plain,  1838 

Canton,        3298         Nimishillen,     1927         Sandy,  1265 

Jackson,       1546         Osnaburgh,      2333         Sugar  Creek,  1862 
Lake,  2162         Paris,  2474         Tuscarawas,  1942 

Lawrence,  2045         Perrv,  2210         Washington,  1389 

Lexington,  1640         Pike,*  1409 

The  population  of  Stark  in  1820,  was  12,406,  in  1830,  26,552,  and 
in  1840,  34,617  ;  or  69  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

The  first  Moravian  missionary  in  Ohio,  Mr.  Frederick  Post,  set- 
tled in  1761  in  what  is  now  Bethlehem  township,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Muskingum,  at  the  junction  of  its  two  forks,  the  Sandy  and 
Tuscarawas.  The  locality  called  Tuscararatown  is  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  just  above  Fort  Laurens,  and  immediately  con- 
tiguous to  Bolivar.  Just  there  was  the  Indian  ford,  on  the  line 
of  the  great  Indian  trail  running  west.  The  site  of  Post's  dwelling, 
or  missionary  station,  is  indicated  by  a  pile  of  stones,  which  had 
probably  formed  the  back  wall  of  the  chimney.  The  site  of  the 
garden  differs  from  the  woods  around  it  in  the  total  want  of  heavy 


STARK    COUNTY.  467 

timber.  The  ruins  of  a  trader's  house,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  have  been  mistaken  for  those  of  the  missionary  station.  The 
dwelling  built  by  Post  must  have  been  the  first  house  erected  in  Ohio 
by  whites,  excepting  such  as  may  have  been  built  by  traders  or 
French  Jesuits.  The  Indian  and  Moravian  village  of  Schoenbrun 
was  not  commenced  until  1772,  eleven  years  later. 

Loskiel's  history  of  the  missions  says,  in  allusion  to  this  mission — "  On  the  Ohio  river, 
where,  since  the  last  war,  some  Indians  lived  who  had  been  baptized  by  the  brethren,  no- 
thing could  be  done  up  to  this  time.  However,  brother  Frederick  Post  lived,  though  of 
his  own  choice,  about  100  English  miles  west  of  Pittsburgh,  at  Tuscararatown,  with  a  view- 
to  commence  a  mission  among  those  Indians.  The  brethren  wished  him  the  blessings  of 
the  Almighty  to  his  undertaking  ;  and  when  he  asked  for  an  assistant  to  help  him  in  his 
outward  concerns,  and  who  might,  during  the  same  time,  learn  the  language  of  the  Delaware 
Indians,  they  (the  brethren)  made  it  known  to  the  congregation  of  Bethlehem,  whereupon 
the  brother  John  Hecke  welder  concluded  of  his  own  choice  to  assist  him." 

"  We  know  of  Post  that  he  was  an  active  and  zealous  missionary,  but  had  married  an  In- 
dian squaw,  contrary  to  the  wishes  and  advice  of  the  directory,  who  had  the  oversight  of 
the  Moravian  missions,  and  by  that  act  had  forfeited  so  much  of  his  standing  that  he  would 
not  be  acknowledged  as  one  of  our  missionaries  in  any  other  manner  than  under  the  direc- 
tion and  guidance  of  another  missionary.  Whenever  he  went  farther,  and  acted  on  his  own 
accord,  he  was  not  opposed,  had  the  good  will  of  the  society  of  which  he  continued  a  mem- 
ber and  its  directory,  and  even  their  assistance,  so  far  as  to  make  known  his  wants  to  the 
congregation,  and  threw  no  obstacles  in  the  way  if  any  person  felt  inclined  of  his  own 
choice  to  assist  him  ;  but  he  was  not  then  acknowledged  as  their  missionary,  nor  entitled  to 
any  farther  or  pecuniary  assistance."     This  will  explain  the  above  passage  in  Loskiel. 

"  In  Heckewelder's  memoirs,  written  by  himself,  and  printed  in  Germany,  there  is  a  short 
allusion  to  the  same  subject.  He  says,  in  substance,  that  he  had  in  his  early  youth  frequent 
opportunities  of  seeing  Indians,  and  that  gradually  he  became  desirous  of  becoming  useful 
to  them  ;  that  already  in  his  19th  year,  his  desire  was  in  some  measure  gratified,  as  he  was 
called  upon  by  government  to  accompany  the  brother  Frederick  Post  to  the  western  Indians 
on  the  Ohio.  He  then  mentions  some  of  the  fatigues  and  dangers  of  the  journey,  and  that 
he  returned  in  the  latter  half  of  the  year  1762.  In  Heckewelder's  narrative  of  the  Indian 
missions  of  the  United  Brethren,  he  gives  a  more  detailed  account  of  this  mission.  He  says, 
in  effect,  that  Frederick  Post,  who  had  the  preceding  year  [1761]  visited  the  Indians  on  the 
Muskingum,  thought  he  would  be  able  to  introduce  Christianity  among  them  ;  that  the  writer 
of  the  narrative,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  directors  of  the  society,  went  with  him 
principally  to  teach  the  Indian  children  to  read  and  write.  They  set  out  early  in  March,, 
and  came  to  where  Post  had  the  preceding  year  built  a  house  on  the  bank  of  the  river 
Muskingum,  at  the  distance  of  about  a  mile  from  the  Indian  village,  which  lay  to  the  south 
across  the  river.  When  they  commenced  clearing,  the  Indians  ordered  them  to  stop  and., 
appear  before  their  council  the  next  day,  where  Post  appeared,  and  was  charged  with  deceits 
inasmuch  as  he  had  informed  the  Indians  his  intentions  were  to  teach  them  the  word  of 
God,  and  now  he  took  possession  of  their  lands,  &c.  Post  answered  that  he  wanted  no 
more  land  than  sufficient  to  live  from  it,  as  he  intended  to  be  no  burden  to  them,  &c.  ; 
whereupon  they  concluded  that  he  should  have  50  steps  in  every  direction,  which  was  step- 
ped off  by  the  chief  next  day.  He  farther  says,  that  an  Indian  treaty  being  to  be  held  at 
Lancaster  in  the  latter  part  of  summer,  Post  was  requested  by  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania 
to  bring  some  of  the  western  Delawares  to  it,  which  he  did,  leaving  Heckewelder,  who  re- 
turned the  same  fall,  in  October,  from  fear  of  a  war,  &c.  Post  probably  never  returned  to 
this  station."* 

Canton,  the  county  seat,  is  120  miles  ne.  of  Columbus.  It  is  finely 
situated  in  the  forks  of  the  Nimishillen,  a  tributary  of  the  Muskingum. 
It  was  laid  out  in  1806  by  Bezaleel  Wells,  of  Steubenville,  and  the 
first  house  erected  the  same  year.     Mr.  Wells  was  the  original  pro- 

*  In  Zeisberger's  memoirs  there  is  no  allusion  to  this  mission,  though  he  and  Post  were 
frequently  associates  at  an  earlier  date,  and  in  1745  were  imprisoned  together  in  New 
York  as  spies.  The  above  article  is  abridged  from  papers  in  the  Barr  mss.,  comprising  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Thomas  Goodman,  in  which  was  copied  one  from  Judge  Blickensderfer,  of 
Dover,  who  had  carefully  investigated  the  subject. 


468 


STARK    COUNTY. 


prietor  of  the  town,  and  died  in  1816.  The  view  shows  a  part  of 
the  public  square,  with  the  court  house  on  the  left  and  the  market  in 
the  centre.     It  is  a  very  compact  town,  with  many  brick  dwellings. 


Public  Square  in  Canton. 

A  large  business  is  done  here  in  the  purchase  of  flour  and  wheat,  and 
within  the  vicinity  are  many  flouring  mills.  Canton  contains  1  Ger- 
man Reformed,  1  Lutheran,  1  Presbyterian,  2  Catholic  and  1  Metho- 
dist church  ;  10  dry  goods,  2  book,  2  hardware  and  7  grocery  stores ; 
2  newspaper  offices,  1  gun  barrel  and  2  woollen  factories,  2  iron 
founderies,  and  about  2000  inhabitants.  The  Canton  female  institute 
is  a  flourishing  institution,  with  near  100  pupils. 


View  in  Main  street,  Massillon. 


Massillon  is  on  the  Ohio  canal  and  Tuscarawas  river,  8  miles  from 
Canton  and  65  from  Cleveland.  It  was  laid  out  in  March,  1826,  by 
James  Duncan,  and  named   from  John  Baptiste  Massillon,  a  cele- 


SUMMIT    COUNTV.  469 

brated  French  divine,  who  died  in  1742,  at  the  age  of  79  The  Ohio 
canal  was  located  only  a  short  time  before  the  town  was  laid  out,  at 
which  period,  on  its  site  was  a  grist  mill,  a  distillery,  and  a  few 
dwellings  only. 

The  view  was  taken  near  the  American  hotel,  shown  on  the  right, 
and  within  a  few  rods  of  the  canal,  the  bridge  over  which  is  seen  in 
front.  The  town  is  compactly  built,  and  is  remarkable  for  its  sub- 
stantial appearance.  It  is  very  thriving,  and  is  one  of  the  greatest 
wheat  markets  in  Ohio.  At  times,  Main  street  is  almost  completely 
blocked  by  immense  wagons  of  wheat,  and  the  place  has  generally 
the  bustling  air  of  business.  It  lies  in  the  centre  of  a  very  rich  wheat 
region.  The  old  town  of  Kendall,  laid  out  about  the  year  1810  by 
Thomas  Roach,  joins  on  the  east.  Massillon  contains  1  German 
Evangelical,  1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal,  1  Lutheran,  1  Disciples,  1 
Episcopal  Methodist  and  1  Catholic  church ;  2  hardware,  2  whole- 
sale grocery  and  11  dry  goods  stores;  6  forwarding  houses,  3  foun- 
deries,  3  machine  shops,  1  newspaper  office,  1  bank,  1  woollen 
factory,  and  had  in  1840,  1420  inhabitants,  and  now  has  about  2000. 
"  Just  below  the  town  commences  a  series  of  extensive  plains,  spread- 
ing over  a  space  of  10  or  12  miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and 
5  or  6  in  breadth.  These  were  covered  with  a  thin  growth  of  oak 
timber,  and  were  denominated  barrens,  but,  on  cultivation,  they  pro- 
duce fine  crops  of  wheat.  The  Tuscarawas  has  cut  across  these 
plains  on  their  western  end,  and  runs  in  a  valley  sunk  about  30  feet. 
below  their  general  surface." 

Waynesburgh,  on  the  Sandy  and  Beaver  canal,  12  miles  se.  of 
Canton,  is  a  flourishing  place,  with  about  500  inhabitants.  Canal 
Fulton,  on  the  Ohio  canal,  13  miles  from  Canton,  contains  not  far 
from  60  dwellings,  and  is  a  smart  business  place,  where  much  wheat 
is  purchased.  Bethlehem,  Rochester  and  Navarre,  are  three  villages 
nearly  connected  as  one,  about  10  miles  sw.  of  Canton,  on  the  Ohio 
canal  and  Tuscarawas  river.  The  three  places  may  contain  not  far 
from  1000  inhabitants,  and  have  10  forwarding  houses,  it  being  an 
important  point  for  the  shipment  of  wheat.  Brookfield,  Paris,  Osna- 
burg,  Harrisburgh,  Freedom,  Limaville,  Minerva,  Mapleton,  Magno- 
lia, Sparta,  Berlin,  Greentown,  Uniontown,  Milton  and  Louisville, 
are  small  villages.  This  last  named  village  is  almost  entirely  set- 
tled by  French.  It  has  been  estimated  that  there  are  several  thou- 
sand French  in  the  county  from  the  river  Rhine.  They  form  an 
excellent  population,  and  readily  assimilate  to  American  customs. 
The  French  children  enter  the  English  schools,  while  the  Germans 
show  more  attachment  to  those  in  their  native  language. 


SUMMIT. 

Summit  was  erected  from  Portage,  Medina  and  Stark,  March  3d, 
1840.     It  derived  its  name  from  having  the  highest  land  on  the  line 


Bath, 

1425 

Boston, 

845 

Copley, 

1439 

Coventry, 

1308 

Franklin, 

1436 

470  SUMMIT    COUNTY. 

of  the  Ohio  canal,  originally  called  "  the  Portage  summit."  Along 
the  Cuyahoga  it  is  uneven  and  hilly  ;  elsewhere  level  or  undulating. 
In  Tallmadge  and  Springfield  are  immense  beds  of  bituminous  coal, 
from  which  large  quantities  are  exported  and  used  by  the  lake 
steamers.  In  Springfield,  large  quantities  of  stone- ware  are  made,  at 
which  place  fine  clay  abounds.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  produces 
excellent  fruit.  The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  corn,  hay, 
oats,  cheese,  butter,  and  potatoes  and  fruit.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Green,  1536         Portage,  2382 

Hudson,  1220         Richfield,         1108 

Northampton,  963         Stow,  1533 

Northfield,      1031  Tallmadge,     2134 

Norton,  1497         Twinsburgh,   1039 

The  population  of  Summit  in  1840,  was  22,469,  or  45  inhabitants 
to  the  square  mile. 

The  old  Indian  Portage  path,  between  the  Cuyahoga  and  the  Tus- 
carawas branch  of  the  Muskingum,  lies  within  this  county,  and  was 
part  of  the  ancient  boundary  between  the  Six  Nations  and  the 
western  Indians. 

It  left  the  Cuyahoga  at  the  village  of  Old  Portage,  about  three  miles  north  of  Akron.  It 
went  up  the  hill  westward  about  half  a  mile  to  the  high  ground,  where  it  turned  southerly 
and  run  about  parallel  with  the  canal  to  near  the  Summit  lake  ;  there  took  the  low  ground 
nearly  south  to  the  Tuscarawas,  which  it  struck  a  mile  or  more  above  the  New  Portage. 
The  whole  length  of  the  path  was,  by  the  survey  of  Moses  Warren,  in  1797,  8  miles,  4 
chains  and  55  links. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  this  county  was  at  Hudson,  in  the 
year  1800,  by  Mr.  David  Hudson,  the  history  of  which  we  derive 
from  a  series  of  articles  written  by  Rev.  J.  Seward,  and  published 
some  10  or  15  years  since  in  the  Hudson  Observer. 

In  the  division  of  the  Western  Reserve  among  the  proprietors,  the  townships  of  Chester 
and  Hudson  fell  to  the  lot  of  Birdsey  Norton  and  David  Hudson. 

In  the  year  1799,  Mr.  Hudson  came  out  to  explore  his  land,  in  company  with  a  few 
others.  On  the  way,  he  fell  in  with  Benj.  Tappan,  since  judge,  then  travelling  to  his  town 
of  Ravenna.  They  started  in  his  boat  from  Gerondigut  bay,  on  Lake  Ontario,  early  in 
May,  and  soon  overtook  Elias  Harmon,  since  judge,  in  a  boat  with  his  wife,  bound  to 
Mantua.  On  arriving  at  Niagara,  they  found  the  river  full  of  ice.  They  had  their  boats 
conveyed  around  the  falls,  and  proceeded  on  their  dangerous  way  amidst  vast  bodies  of 
floating  ice,  having  some  of  the  men  on  the  shore  pulling  by  ropes  until  out  of  danger  from 
the  current  of  the  Niagara.  Arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  lake,  they  found  it  full  of  floating 
ice  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and  were  compelled  to  wait  several  days  ere  they  could 
proceed,  which  they  then  did  along  near  the  shore.  When  off  Ashtabula  county,  their 
boats  were  driven  ashore  in  a  storm,  and  that  of  Mr.  Harmon's  stove  in  pieces :  he  pro- 
ceeded from  thence  by  land  to  Mantua.  Having  purchased,  and  in  a  manner  repaired  Har- 
mon's boat,  Mr.  Hudson  shipped  his  effects  in  it,  and  they  arrived  at  Cleveland  on  the  8th 
of  June. 

Morse's  geography  having  given  them  about  all  the  knowledge  of  the  Cuyahoga  that  they 
possessed,  they  supposed  it  capable  of  sloop  navigation  to  its  forks.  The  season  being  dry, 
they  had  proceeded  but  a  few  miles  when  they  found  it  in  places  only  8  or  10  inches  deep, 
and  were  often  obliged  to  get  out,  join  hands  and  drag  their  boats  over  the  shallow  places, 
and  made  but  slow  progress.  After  a  lapse  of  several  days,  they  judged  they  were  in  the 
latitude  of  the  town  of  which  they  were  in  search.  Mr.  Hudson  went  ashore  and  commenced 
hunting  for  a  surveyor's  line  much  too  far  north,  and  it  was  not  until  after  six  days  labo- 
rious and  painful  search  that  he  discovered,  towards  night,  a  line  which  led  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  his  township.     The  succeeding  day  being  very  rainy  he   lodged  under  an 


SUiMMIT    COUNTY.  471 

oak  tree,  without  any  covering  except  the  clothes  he  wore,  with  the  grateful  pleasure  of 
resting  on  his  own  land.  In  the  morning,  he  returned  highly  elated  to  the  boats  and  gave 
information  of  his  success. 

While  in  Ontario,  New  York,  Tappan  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  Hudson  two  yoke  and 
two  cows.  These  eight  cattle  they  committed  to  the  care  of  Meacham,  a  hired  man  in 
Tappan's  service,  who  brought  them  safely  on  the  Indian  trail  through  Buffalo,  until  they 
found  near  the  lake  the  west  line  of  the  seventh  range  on  the  Reserve.  This  line,  it  being 
the  east  line  of  the  towns  now  named  Painsville,  Concord,  Chardon,  Monson,  Newburg, 
Auburn,  Mantua,  Shalersville  and  Ravenna,  they  followed  due  south  more  than  forty  miles, 
crossing  the  Grand  and  Cuyahoga  rivers  and  striking  the  Salt  spring  Indian  trail  near  the 
southeastern  corner  of  Ravenna.  They  followed  this  trail  westwardly  until  they  came  to 
the  new  line  recently  made  by  Hudson  and  Tappan,  which  they  followed  to  the  spot  where 
the  boats  were  lying  on  the  Cuyahoga,  in  Boston. 

The  difficulties  encountered  by  these  men  in  driving  this  small  drove  about  three  hundred 
miles  on  an  obscure,  crooked  Indian  path,  and  in  following  town  lines  through  swamps, 
rivers  and  other  obstacles  fifty  miles  farther,  almost  through  an  uninhabited  wilderness,  were 
appalling  ;  and  what  rendered  their  circumstances  truly  unpleasant,  and  in  some  cases 
hazardous,  was  that  they  were  strangers  to  the  country  and  without  a  guide.  Their  mode 
of  travelling  was  to  have  several  bags  of  flour  and  pork,  together  with  two  blankets  and  an 
axe,  well  secured  on  the  backs  of  the  oxen.  They  waded  fordable  streams  and  compelled 
their  cattle  to  swim  those  that  could  not  be  forded,  passing  across  those  streams  themselves 
with  their  provisions  on  rafts  hastily  made  of  sticks. 

Mr.  Hudson's  company  being  thus  collected,  his  first  care,  after  making  yokes  for  his 
oxen,  was  to  open  some  road  to  his  land.  The  gullies  they  crossed  were  numerous  and 
frequent,  and  often  abrupt  to  an  angle  of  45  degrees  or  more.  On  this  road,  bad  as  it  was, 
they  performed  all  their  transportation  in  the  year  '99,  while  their  oxen  were  tormented  and 
rendered  almost  unmanageable  by  immense  swarms  of  large  flies,  which  displayed  such 
skill  in  the  science  of  phlebotomy,  that,  in  a  short  time,  they  drew  out  a  large  share  of  the 
blood  belonging  to  these  animals :  the  flies  actually  killed  one  of  Tappan's  oxen  this  season. 

After  having  conveyed  their  small  stock  of  provisions  on  to  the  southwest  corner  of  this 
town  and  erected  a  bark  hut,  Mr.  Hudson's  anxiety  became  very  great  lest  he  and  his  com- 
pany should  suffer  for  want  of  provisions,  his  stock  being  very  much  reduced  in  consequence 
of  the  Indians  having  robbed  his  boat.  Not  hearing  from  Lacey,  a  man  he  had  left  behind 
in  western  New  York  to  bring  on  stores,  and  dreading  the  consequences  of  waiting  for  him 
any  longer,  Mr.  Hudson  started  to  meet  him.  Taking  a  boat  at  Cleveland,  which  was 
providentially  going  down  the  lake,  on  the  2d  of  July  he  found  Lacey  lying  at  his  ease  near 
Cattaraugus.  With  difficulty  he  there  obtained  some  provisions,  and  having  a  prosperous 
voyage  arrived  in  season,  to  the  joy  of  those  left  in  the  wilderness,  who  must  have  been  put 
upon  short  allowance  had  his  arrival  been  delayed  any  longer. 

The  company  being  thus  furnished  with  provisions,  they  built  a  large  log  house.  Mr. 
Hudson  also  set  his  men  to  work  in  clearing  a  piece  of  land  for  wheat,  and  on  the  25th  of 
July  he  commenced  surveying.  The  settlement  now  consisted  of  13  persons.  In  August, 
every  person  except  Mr.  Hudson  had  a  turn  of  being  unwell.  Several  had  the  fever  and 
ague,  and  in  the  progress  of  surveying  the  town  into  lots,  the  party  frequently  had  to  wait 
for  some  one  of  their  number  to  go  through  with  a  paroxysm  of  ague  and  then  resume  their 
labors. 

By  the  middle  of  September,  they  found  to  their  surprise  they  had  only  nine  days'  pro- 
vision on  hand  ;  and  as  Mr.  Hudson  had  heard  nothing  from  his  agent,  Norton,  at  Bloom- 
field,  New  York,  he  was  once  more  alarmed  lest  they  should  suffer  for  want  of  food. 

He  immediately  went  to  Cleveland  and  purchased  of  Lorenzo  Carter  a  small  field  of  corn 
for  $50,  designing  to  pound  it  in  mortars  and  live  thereon  in  case  of  necessity.  He  has- 
tened back  to  his  station,  and  having  previously  heard  that  Ebenezer  Sheldon  had  made  a 
road  through  the  wilderness  to  Aurora,  and  that  there  was  a  bridle-path  thence  to  Cleve- 
land, he  thought  it  probable  that  he  might  obtain  pork  for  present  necessity  from  that  quar- 
ter. He  accordingly  set  out  on  foot  and  alone,  and  regulated  his  course  by  the  range  of 
his  shadow,  making  allowance  for  change  in  the  time  of  day.  He  found  the  Cleveland 
path  near  the  centre  of  Aurora,  then  a  dense  forest.  Thence  he  proceeded  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  to  squire  Sheldon's  cabin,  and  on  inquiring  found  that  he  could  obtain  no  pro- 
visions within  a  reasonable  distance  in  that  direction.  The  next  morning,  on  his  return, 
he  found  that  the  boat  had  arrived  with  an  ample  supply  of  provisions. 

Having  completed  his  surveying  on  the  11th  of  October,  Mr.  Hudson  left  on  the  next 
day  for  Connecticut,  to  bring  out  his  family,  in  company  with  his  little  son  and  two  men. 
Being  disappointed  in  not  finding  a  good  boat  at  Cleveland,  he  took  the  wreck  of  one  he  had 


472  SUMMIT    COUNTY. 

purchased  of  Harmon,  and  embarked  upon  the  dangerous  enterprize  of  crossing  the  lake  in 
it.  It  was  so  leaky  that  it  required  one  hand  most  of  the  time  to  bail  out  the  water,  and  so 
weak  that  it  bent  considerably  in  crossing  the  waves.  During  their  passage,  the  weather 
was  generally  cold  and  boisterous  ;  three  different  times  they  narrowly  escaped  drowning 
by  reason  of  the  darkness  of  the  night  or  violence  of  the  wind.  Being  under  the  necessity 
of  lying  five  days  on  Chatague  point,  they  lived  comfortably  during  that  time  on  boiled 
chestnuts,  in  order  to  lengthen  out  their  small  stock  of  provisions.  Arrived  at  Goshen, 
Conn.,  Mr.  Hudson  found  his  family  in  health,  and  by  the  1st  of  January,  1800,  was  in 
readiness  to  leave  his  native  state  with  all  its  tender  associations.  "  Thus,"  says  he  "  ends 
the  eventful  year  1799,  filled  with  many  troubles,  out  of  all  of  which  hath  the  Lord  de- 
livered me." 

Having  taken  an  affecting  farewell  of  his  friends  and  acquaintances  whom  he  had  left 
behind,  Mr.  Hudson  set  out  from  Goshen  in  January,  with  his  family  and  others.  They 
tarried  at  Bloomfield,  Ontario  county,  New  York,  until  spring,  making  preparations  for 
their  voyage  through  the  lakes  and  up  the  Cuyahoga.  They  purchased  four  boats,  from 
one  to  two  tons  burden,  and  repaired  thoroughly  the  wreck  of  Harmon's  boat.  Lightly 
loading  them  with  supplies  to  the  value  of  about  two  thousand  dollars,  they  completed 
every  necessary  preparation  by  the  29th  of  April. 

"  The  next  night,"  said  Mr.  Hudson,  "  while  my  dear  wife  and  six  children,  with  all  my 
men,  lay  soundly  sleeping  around  me,  I  could  not  close  my  eyes.  The  reflection  that 
those  men  and  women,  with  most  all  that  I  held  dear  in  life,  were  now  to  embark  in  an 
expedition  in  which  so  many  chances  appeared  against  me ;  and  should  we  survive  the 
dangers  in  crossing  the  boisterous  lakes,  and  the  distressing  sickness  usually  attendant  on 
new  settlements,  it  was  highly  probable  that  we  must  fall  before  the  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing-knife.  As  I  knew  at  that  time  no  considerable  settlement  had  been  made  but  what 
was  established  in  blood,  and  as  I  was  about  to  place  all  those  who  lay  around  me  on  the 
extreme  frontier,  and  as  they  would  look  to  me  for  safety  and  protection,  I  almost  sunk 
under  the  immense  weight  of  responsibility  resting  on  me.  Perhaps  my  feelings  on  this 
occasion  were  a  little  similar  to  those  of  the  patriarch,  when  expecting  to  meet  his  hostile 
brother.  But  after  presenting  my  case  before  Israel's  God,  and  committing  all  to  his  care, 
I  cheerfully  launched  out  the  next  morning  upon  the  great  deep." 

The  crews  of  their  boats  consisted  of  Samuel  Bishop  and  his  four  sons,  David,  Reuben, 
Luman  and  Joseph,  Joel  Gaylord,  Heman  Oviatt,  Moses  Thompson,  Allen  Gaylord,  Ste- 
phen Perkins,  Joseph  and  George  Darrow,  William  M'Kinley,  and  three  men  from  Ver- 
mont, by  the  names  of  Derrick,  Williams  and  Shefford.  The  women  in  the  company 
were  the  wives  of  Messrs.  Hudson,  Bishop  and  Nobles,  with  Miss  Ruth  Gaylord  and  Miss 
Ruth  Bishop.     The  six  children  of  Mr.  Hudson  completed  the  number. 

They  had  little  trouble  until  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga.  The  wind  on 
that  day  being  rather  high,  Mr.  Hudson,  in  attempting  to  enter  the  river  with  his  boat, 
missed  the  channel  and  struck  on  a  sand-bar.  In  this  very  perilous  situation,  the  boat 
shipped  several  barrels  of  water,  and  himself  and  all  his  family  must  have  been  drowned  had 
not  a  mountain  wave  struck  the  boat  with  such  violence  as  to  float  it  over  the  bar.  When 
up  the  river,  within  about  two  miles  of  their  landing  place,  they  stopped  for  the  night  a 
little  north  of  Northfield,  at  a  locality  now  known  as  the  Pinery. 

A  tremendous  rain  in  the  night  so  raised  the  river  by  daybreak,  that  it  overflowed  the 
bank  whereon  they  slept,  and  even  their  beds  were  on  the  point  of  floating.  Every  thing 
was  completely  drenched,  and  they  were  compelled  to  wait  five  days  ere  the  subsiding 
waters  would  allow  them  to  force  their  boats  against  the  current.  On  the  sixth  day,  May 
the  28th,  they  reached  their  landing  place,  from  whence  Mr.  Hudson,  leaving  his  wife  and 
children,  hurried  to  see  the  people  whom  he  had  left  over  winter,  and  whom  he  found  well. 

About  the  time  they  completed  their  landing,  Elijah  Noble  arrived  with  the  cattle  and 
Mr.  Hudson's  horse,  which  had  been  driven  from  Ontario  by  nearly  the  same  route  that  the 
cattle  were  the  preceding  year. 

Being  busy  in  arranging  for  them,  Mr.  Hudson  did  not  take  his  horse  to  the  river  to  bring 
up  his  family  for  several  days.  When  he  arrived,  he  found  his  wife,  who  had  cheerfully 
submitted  to  all  the  inconveniences  hitherto  experienced,  very  much  discouraged.  She 
and  the  children  suffered  severely  from  the  armies  of  gnats  and  musketoes  which  at  this 
season  of  the  year  infest  the  woods.  After  all  the  persons  belonging  to  the  settlement  had 
collected,  thanksgiving  was  rendered  to  the  God  of  mercy,  who  had  protected  them  in 
perils,  preserved  their  lives  and  brought  them  safely  to  their  place  of  destination.  Public 
worship  on  the  Sabbath  was  resumed,  it  having  been  discontinued  during  the  absence  of 
Mr.  Hudson.  "  I  felt,"  said  he,  "  in  some  measure  the  responsibility  resting  on  first  set- 
tlers, and  their  obligations  to  commence  in  that  fear  of  God  which  is  the  beginning  of  wis- 


RAVINE  AT  CUYAHOGA  FALLS. 


SUMMIT    COUNTY. 


473 


dom,  and  to  establish  those  moral  and  religious  habits  on  which  the  temporal  and  eternal 
happiness  of  a  people  essentially  depends." 

Mr.  David  Hudson  died  March  17th,  1836,  aged  75  years,  leaving  a  memory  revered, 
and  an  example  of  usefulness  well  worthy  of  imitation. 

Hudson  is  24  miles  from  Cleveland  and  13  northeast  of  Akron, 
on  the  stage  road  from  Cleveland  to  Pittsburgh.     It  contains  2  Con- 


Western  Reserve  College. 

gregational,  1  Episcopal  and  1  Methodist  church,  4  stores,  1  news- 
paper printing  office,  2  female  seminaries,  and  about  600  inhabitants. 
The  village  is  handsomely  situated  and  neatly  built,  and  the  tone  of 
society  elevated,  which  arises  in  a  great  measure  from  its  being  the 
seat  of  the  Western  Reserve  College. 

The  college  buildings  are  of  brick,  and  situated  upon  a  beautiful 
and  spacious  green,  in  an  order  similar  to  the  edifices  of  Yale,  on 
which  institution  this  is  also  modeled,  and  of  which  several  of  its 
professors  are  graduates.  The  annexed  view  was  taken  near  the 
observatory,  a  small  structure  shown  on  the  extreme  right.  The 
other  buildings  are,  commencing  with  that  nearest — south  college, 
middle  college,  chapel,  divinity  hall,  president's  house,  athasneum, 
and  a  residence  of  one  of  the  professors,  near  the  road-side,  nearly 
in  front  of  the  athenaeum. 

The  Medical  College  at  Cleveland  is  connected  with  this  institu- 
tion. By  the  catalogue  of  1846-7,  the  whole  number  of  professors 
and  instructors  in  the  college  was  19  ;  the  whole  number  of  students 
320,  viz. :  14  in  the  theological  department ;  216  in  the  medical  do. ; 
71  undergraduates,  and  19  preparatory. 

The  Rev.  Charles  B.  Storrs,  the  first  president  of  the  Western  Reserve  College,  was 
the  son  of  the  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  of  Long  Meadow,  Mass.,  and  was  born  in  May, 
1794.  He  pursued  his  literary  studies  at  Princeton,  and  his  theological  at  Andover,  after 
which  he  journeyed  at  the  south  with  the  double  object  of  restoring  his  health  and  preach- 
ing the  gospel  in  its  destitute  regions.  In  1822,  he  located  himself  as  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel  at  Ravenna.  In  this  situation  he  remained,  rapidly  advancing  in  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  public,  until  March  2,  1828,  when  he  was  unanimously  elected  professor 
of  Christian  theology  in  the  Western  Reserve  College,  and  was  inducted  into  his  office  the 
3d  of  Dec.  following.  The  institution  then  was  in  its  infancy.  Some  15  or  20  students 
had  been  collected  under  the  care  and  instruction  of  a  tutor,  but  no  permanent  officers  had 
been  appointed.  The  government  and  much  of  the  instruction  of  the  college  devolved  on 
him.  On  the  25th  of  August,  1830,  he  was  unanimously  elected  president,  and  inaugu- 
rated on  the  9th  of  February,  1831.  In  this  situation  he  showed  himself  worthy  of  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him.  Under  hrs  mild  and  paternal,  yet  firm  and  decisive  adminis- 
tration of  government,  the  most  perfect  discipline  prevailed,  while  all  the  students  loved 

60 


474 


SUMMIT    COUNTV. 


and  venerated  him  as  a  father.  Under  his  auspices,  together  with  the  aid  of  competent 
and  faithful  professors,  the  institution  arose  in  public  estimation,  and  increased  from  a  mere 
handful  to  nearly  one  hundred  students.  For  many  years  he  had  been  laboring  under  a 
bad  state  of  health,  and  on  the  26th  of  June,  1833,  he  left  the  institution  to  travel  for  a 
few  months  for  his  health.  He  died  on  the  15th  of  September  ensuing,  at  his  brother's 
house  in  Braintree,  Mass.  President  Storrs  was  naturally  modest  and  retiring.  He  pos- 
sessed a  strong  and  independent  mind,  and  took  an  expansive  view  of  every  subject  that 
occupied  his  attention.  He  was  a  thorough  student,  and  in  his  method  of  communicating 
his  thoughts  to  others,  peculiarly  happy.  Though  destitute  in  the  pulpit  of  the  tinsel  of 
rhetoric,  few  men  could  chain  an  intelligent  audience  in  breathless  silence,  by  pure  intel- 
lectual vigor  and  forcible  illustration  of  truth,  more  perfectly  than  he.  Some  of  his  appeals 
were  almost  resistless.  He  exerted  a  powerful  and  salutary  influence  over  the  church  and 
community  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  his  death  was  deeply  felt* 


Akron,  from  the  Medina  road. 

The  large  and  flourishing  town  of  Akron,  the  county  seat,  is  on 
the  Portage  summit  of  the  Ohio  canal,  at  the  junction  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania canal,  36  miles  from  Cleveland  and  110  northeast  of  Colum- 
bus. The  name  of  this  town  is  derived  from  a  Greek  word  signify- 
ing an  elevation.  Akron  was  laid  out  in  1825,  where  South  Akron 
now  is.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  the  Irish  laborers  on  the  Ohio 
canal  put  up  about  100  cabins.  South  Akron  grew  rapidly  for  a 
few  years ;  but  in  1832,  some  buildings  were  put  up  half  a  mile 
farther  north,  and  business  in  a  short  time  centered  here.  In  1827, 
the  Ohio  canal  was  finished  from  Cleveland  to  this  place.  In  1841, 
Akron  was  made  the  county  seat  of  the  new  county  of  Summit. 
The  same  year  the  canal  connecting  Akron  with  Beaver,  Pa.,  was 
opened,  and  a  new  impetus  given  to  the  town  by  these  advantages. 

Akron  contains  1  Episcopal,  1  Congregational,  1  Baptist,  1  Meth- 
odist, 1  Disciples,  1  Universalist,  1  German  Lutheran,  and  1  Catholic 
church,  20  mercantile  stores,  10  grocery,  4  drug, and  2  book  stores, 
4  woollen  factories,  2  blast  and  3  small  furnaces,  1  carding  machine 
manufactory,  5  flouring  mills,  1  insurance  company,  1  bank,  2  news- 
paper printing  offices,  and  a  great  variety  of  mechanical  establish- 


*  Abridged  from  the  Hudson  Observer  of  Sept.  28th,  1833. 


SUMMIT    COUNTY.  475 

ments.  The  mercantile  business  of  this  town  is  heavy  and  constantly 
increasing,  and  immense  quantities  of  wheat  are  purchased.  The 
water  privileges  here  are  good,  and  manufacturing  will  eventually 
be  extensively  carried  on.  In  1827,  its  population  was  about  600; 
in  1840,  it  was  1664,  since  which  it  is  estimated  to  have  doubled. 
Two  miles  south  of  Akron  is  Summit  lake,  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water 
on  the  summit  of  the  Ohio  canal.  Part  of  its  waters  find  their  way 
to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  part  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

A  resident  of  Akron  has  given  us  some  facts  respecting  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country,  and  one  or  two  anecdotes,  which  we  annex. 

In  1811,  Paul  Williams,  Amos  and  Minor  Spicer  came  from  New  London,  Conn.,  and 
settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Akron,  at  which  time  there  was  no  other  white  settlement  between 
here  and  Sandusky.  We  give  an  anecdote  of  Minor  Spicer,  who  is  still  living  at  Akron. 
In  the  late  war,  one  night  just  before  retiring,  he  heard  some  one  call  in  front  of  his  house, 
and  went  out  and  saw  a  large  Indian  with  two  rifles  in  his  hand,  and  a  deer  quartered  and 
hung  across  his  horse.  Spicer  inquired  what  he  wanted.  The  Indian  replied  in  his  own 
dialect,  when  the  other  told  him  he  must  speak  English,  or  he  would  unhorse  him.  He 
finally  gave  them  to  understand  that  he  wished  to  stay  over  night,  a  request  that  was  re- 
luctantly granted.  His  rifles  were  placed  in  a  corner,  his  venison  hung  up,  and  his  horse 
put  into  a  large  pig-stye,  the  only  stable  attached  to  the  premises. 

The  Indian  cut  out  a  piece  of  venison  for  Mrs.  Spicer  to  cook  for  him,  which  she  did  in 
the  usual  way,  with  a  liberal  quantity  of  pepper  and  salt.  He  drew  up  to  the  table  and  eat 
but  a  mouthful  or  two.  The  family  being  ready  to  retire,  he  placed  his  scalping-knife  and 
tomahawk  in  the  coiner  with  his  rifles,  and  stretched  himself  upon  the  hearth  before  the 
fire.  When  he  supposed  the  family  were  asleep,  he  raised  himself  slowly  from  his  reclining 
position  and  sat  upright  on  the  hearth,  looking  stealthily  over  his  shoulder  to  see  if  all  was 
still.  He  then  got  upon  his  feet  and  stepped  lightly  across  the  floor  to  his  implements  of 
death.  At  this  juncture,  the  feelings  of  Spicer  and  his  wife  may  be  well  imagined,  for 
they  were  only  feigning  sleep  and  were  intently  watching.  The  Indian  again  stood  for  a 
moment,  to  see  if  he  had  awakened  any  one,  then  slowly  drew  from  its  scabbard  the  glit- 
tering scalping-knife.  At  this  moment,  Spicer  was  about  putting  his  hand  upon  his  rifle, 
which  stood  by  his  bed,  to  shoot  the  Indian,  but  concluded  to  wait  further  demonstration, 
which  was  an  entirely  different  one  from  what  he  had  anticipated,  for  the  Indian  took  hold 
and  cut  a  piece  of  his  venison,  weighing  about  two  pounds,  and  laying  it  on  the  live  coals 
until  it  was  warmed  through,  devoured  it  and  went  to  sleep.  Mrs.  Spicer's  cooking  had 
not  pleased  him,  being  seasoned  too  high.  The  day  before,  he  and  his  father  lost  them- 
selves in  the  woods,  and  after  covering  his  parent,  under  a  log,  with  his  blanket,  he  had 
wandered  until  he  saw  Spicer's  light. 

James  Brown,  or  as  he  was  commonly  called,  "  Jim  Brown,"  was  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers in  the  north  part  of  the  county.  He  was  known  throughout  the  country  as  the  head 
of  a  notorious  band  of  counterfeiters.  Few  men  have  pursued  the  business  so  long  without 
being  convicted.  Aside  from  this,  he  was  to  a  certain  extent  respected,  for  he  had  the  ex- 
ternals of  a  gentleman  in  his  conversation  and  address,  and  had  many  friends.  He  was  a 
fine  looking  man,  over  six  feet  in  height,  with  a  keen,  penetrating  eye.  He  even  held  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  when  last  arrested.  He  had  often  been  tried  before,  and  as 
often  escaped.  Once  he  was  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  from  Medina,  and  the  sheriff 
had  nearly  reached  Columbus,  when  he  was  overtaken  with  a  writ  of  error  and  set  at  lib- 
erty. It  is  said  that  large  numbers  of  young  men  have  been  drawn  into  his  schemes,  from 
time  to  time,  and  thereby  found  their  way  to  the  penitentiary.  Many  anecdotes  are  re- 
lated of  him. 

He  and  a  brother  and  one  Taylor  once  supplied  themselves  with  counterfeit  paper,  and 
proceeded  to  New  Orleans,  where  they  purchased  a  ship  with  it  and  set  sail  for  China, 
intending  to  make  large  purchases  there  with  counterfeit  notes  on  the  United  States  bank. 
A  discovery,  however,  was  made,  and  they  were  apprehended  before  they  had  got  out  of 
the  river,  and  brought  back  for  trial,  but  he  escaped  by  turning  states'  evidence.  He  escaped 
so  often,  that  it  was  said  he  could  not  be  convicted.  However,  in  1846,  he  was  taken  the 
last  time,  tried  at  Columbus,  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  ten  years.  When  first 
arrested,  he  said,  "  Well,  boys!  now  the  United  States  have  taken  hold  of  me,  I  may  get 
floored  ;  but  I  could  have  worried  out  a  county." 

Two  miles  east  of  Akron,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  Little  Cuya- 


476  SUMMIT   count  r. 

hoga,  is  the  village  of  Middlebury.  As  early  as  1807,  a  grist  mill 
was  built  on  the  site  of  the  town,  by  Aaron  Norton  and  Joseph 
Hart,  which  was  of  great  use  to  the  early  settlers  for  many  miles 
around.  The  town  was  laid  out  in  1818,  by  Norton  &  Hart,  and 
soon  became  the  most  thriving  village  in  this  whole  region,  until  the 


Middlebury ,  from  the  Tallmadge  road. 

canal  was  cut  through  to  Cleveland,  when  Akron  took  away  most  of 
Its  trade.  It  is  now  improving,  has  a  number  of  wealthy  inhab- 
itants, and  the  manufacturing  capital  is  increasing.  It  contains  2 
churches,  2  stores,  2  woollen,  3  comb  and  1  fire  engine  factory,  1 
machine,  1  carriage  shop,  and  other  mechanical  establishments. 
The  population  is  not  far  from  1000. 

This  village  is  in  the  township  of  Tallmadge.  The  first  perma- 
nent settlement  in  Tallmadge  was  made  in  the  fall  of  1807,  when 
the  Rev.  David  Bacon,  a  missionary  in  the  western  settlements, 
assisted  by  Justin  E.  Frink,  erected  a  log  house  on  the  south  line, 
half  a  mile  west  of  the  centre  north  and  south  road.  The  first  set- 
tlers in  Tallmadge  prior  to  1812,  were: 

Dr.  A.  C.  Wright,  Joseph  Hart,  Adam  Norton,  Charles  Chittenden,  Jonathan  Sprague, 
Nathaniel  Chapman,  Titus,  his  father,  Titus  and  Porter,  and  others  of  his  sons,  William 
Niel,  Joseph  Bradford,  Ephraim  Clark,  jr.,  George  Kilboume,  Capt.  John  Wright,  Alpha 
Wright,  Eli  Hill,  Jotham  Blakeley,  Jotham  Blakelee,  Conrad  Boosinger,  Edmund  Strong, 
John  Wright,  jr.,  Stephen  Upson,  Theron  Bradley,  Peter  Norton,  Elizur  Wright,  Justus 
Barnes,  Shubel  H.  Lowrey,  David,  John,  Samuel,  David,  jr.,  and  Lot  Preston,  Drake  Fel- 
lows, Samuel  M'Coy,  Luther  Chamberlin,  Rial  M' Arthur,  Justus  Bradley,  Deacon  S.,  Nor 
man,  Hervey,  Leander,  Cassander,  Eleazar  and  Salmon  Sackett,  Daniel  Beach,  John  Car 
ruthers,  Reuben  Upson  and  Aza  Gillett. 

The  village  of  Cuyahoga  Falls  is  4  miles  northeast  of  Akron,  on 
the  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  canal  and  on  the  Cuyahoga  river.  Man- 
ufacturing is  already  carried  on  here  to  a  large  extent,  and  the  place 
is  perhaps  destined  to  be  to  the  west  what  Lowell  is  to  the  east. 


SUMMIT    COUNTY.  477 

The  Cuyahoga  has  a  foil  here  of  more  than  200  feet  in  the  distance 
of  2£  miles,  across  stratified  rocks,  which  are  worn  away  to  nearly 
this  depth  in  the  course  of  this  descent.     In  the  ravine  thus  former 


Village  of  Cuyahoga  Falls. 

are  a  series  of  wild  and  picturesque  views,  one  of  which  is  repre- 
sented in  an  engraving  on  an  adjoining  page. 

The  Indians  called  Cuyahoga  Falls  "  Coppacaw,"  which  signifies 
"shedding  tears."  A  Mr.  O.,  an  earlv  settler  in  this  region,  was 
once  so  much  cheated  in  a  trade  with  'them,  that  he  shed  tears,  and 
the  Indians  ever  afterwards  called  him  Coppacaw. 

The  village  was  laid  out  in  1837,  by  Birdseye  Booth,  grew  rapidly, 
and  in  1840  was  the  rival  of  Akron  for  the  county  seat.  It  contains 
1 1  Episcopal,  1  Wesleyan  Methodist  and  1  Presbyterian  church  ] 
academy,  7  mercantile  stores,  1  bank,  1  insurance  office,  4  paperi  2 
flouring  and  1  saw  mill,  2  furnaces,  2  tanneries,  1  fork  and  scythe. 
and  1  starch  factory,  4  warehouses,  and  about  1200  inhabitants/ 

The  view  was  taken  from  near  the  Cleveland  road,  above  the  vil- 
lage, at  Stow's  quarry.  On  the  right  are  seen  the  Methodist  and 
Episcopal  churches,  in  the  centre  the  American  House,  and  on  the 
left  the  Cuyahoga  river,  the  lyceum  and  Presbyterian  church. 

The  township  of  Stow  in  this  county,  was  named  from  Joshua 
Mow,  Esq.,  of  Middlesex  county,  Conn.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
first  party  of  surveyors  of  the  Western  Reserve,  who  landed'  at 
Conneaut,  July  4th,  1790.  Augustus  Porter,  Esq.,  the  principal  sur- 
veyor, in  his  history  of  the  survey,  in  the  Barr  manuscripts,  gives  the 
lol lowing  anecdote  of  Mr.  Stow. 

In  making  the  traverse  of  the  lake  shore,  Mr.  Stow  acted  as  flag-man  ;  he  of  course 
was  always  in  advance  of  the  party:  rattlesnakes  were  plenty,  and  he  coming  first  upon 
those  in  our  track,  killed  them.  I  had  mentioned  to  him  a  circumstance  that  happened  to 
me  u\ ft  ■„  i  g  ,  tW°  °r  three  other  Persons  three  days  in  the  wood  without  food, 
we  had  killed  a  rattlesnake,  dressed  and  cooked  it,  and  whether  from  the  savory  quality 

L  u6u  °r,  Partlcular  state  of  our  stomachs,  I  could  not  say  which,  had  eaten  it 
with  a  high  relish.    Mr.  Stow  was  a  healthy,  active  man,  fond  of  wood-life,  and  determined 


478 


TRUMBULL    COUNTY. 


to  adopt  all  its  practices,  even  to  the  eating  of  snakes  ;  and  during  almost  any  day  while 
on  the  lake  shore,  he  killed  and  swung  over  his  shoulders  and  around  his  body  from  two 
to  six  or  eight  large  rattlesnakes,  and  at  night  a  part  were  dressed,  cooked  and  eaten  by 
the  party  with  a  good  relish,  probably  increased  by  the  circumstance  of  their  being  fresh, 
while  all  our  other  meat  was  salt. 

Twinsburg,  a  pleasant  village,  17  miles  northerly  from  Akron,  on 
the  Cleveland  road,  contains  4  churches  and  about  40  dwellings. 
The  literary  institute  situated  here,  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Bissell,  is  a  flourishing  institution,  having  about  150  pupils. 
There  are  other  small  villages  in  the  county,  some  of  which  are 
thriving  places.  Among  them  are  Clinton,  Tallmadge  Centre,  Mog- 
adore,  Richfield,  Ellis  Corners  and  Monroe  Falls. 


TRUMBULL. 

Trumbull,  named  from  two  successive  governors  of  Connecticut, 
was  formed  in  1800,  and  comprised  within  its  original  limits  the 
whole  of  the  Connecticut  Western  Reserve.  This  is  a  well  cultiva- 
ted and  wealthy  county.  The  surface  is  mostly  level,  and  the  soil 
loamy  or  sandy.  In  the  northern  part  is  excellent  coal.  The  prin- 
cipal products  are  wheat,  corn,  oats,  grass,  wool,  butter,  cheese  and 
potatoes.  Mahoning  has  recently  been  formed  from  it  and  Columbi- 
biana.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  (excepting 
those  now  forming  a  part  of  Mahoning,)  with  their  population  at 
that  time. 

Bazetta, 

Bloomfield, 

Braceville, 

Bristol, 

Brookfield, 

Champion, 

Farmington,   1162 

Fowler, 

Greene,  647 

The  population  of  these  townships,  including  the  whole  of  the 
present  Trumbull  county,  in  1840,  was  25,700,  or  43  inhabitants  to 
the  square  mile.  The  population  of  Trumbull  in  1820,  was  15,546 ; 
in  1830,  26,200,  and  in  1840,  38,070. 

Previous  to  the  settlement  of  this  county,  and  indeed  before  the 
survey  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  Western  Reserve  in  1796,  salt 
was  manufactured  by  the  whites,  at  what  is  frequently  spoken  of  as 
the  "  old  salt  works,"  which  were  situated,  we  are  informed,  in  what 
is  now  the  township  of  Wethersfield,  on  or  near  the  Mahoning. 
They  were  known  to  the  whites  as  early  as  1755,  and  are  indicated 
on  Evans'  map  published  that  year.  Augustus  Porter,  Esq.,  who  had 
charge  of  the  first  surveying  party  of  the  Reserve,  thus  alludes  to 
these  works  in  the  Barr  mss.,  in  connection  with  the  history  of  his 
survey. 


1035 

Gustavus, 

1195 

Mecca, 

684 

554 

Hartford, 

1121 

Mesopotamia, 

832 

880 

Howland, 

1035 

Newton, 

1456 

802 

Hubbard, 

1242 

Southington, 

857 

1301 

Johnston, 

889 

Vernon, 

788 

541 

Kinsman, 

954 

Vienna, 

969 

1162 

Liberty, 

1225 

Warren, 

1996 

931 

Lordstown, 

1167 

Wethersfield, 

1447 

TRUMBULL    COUNTY 


479 


These  works  were  said  to  have  been  established  and  occupied  by  Gen.  Parsons,  of  Con- 
necticut, by  permission  of  the  governor  of  that  state.  At  thi-s  place  we  found  a  small  piece 
of  open  ground,  say  2  or  3  acres,  and  a  plank  vat  of  16  or  18  feet  square,  and  4  or  5  feet 
deep,  set  in  the  ground,  which  was  full  of  water,  and  kettles  for  boiling  salt ;  the  number 
we  could  not  ascertain,  but  the  vat  seemed  to  be  full  of  them.  An  Indian  and  a  squaw 
were  boiling  water  for  salt,  but  from  appearances,  with  poor  success. 

Amzi  Atwater,  Esq.,  now  of  Portage  county,  who  was  one  of  the 
first  surveying  party  of  the  Reserve,  in  a  communication  to  us,  says: 

It  was  understood  that  Gen.  Parsons  had  some  kind  of  a  grant  from  the  state  of  Con- 
necticut, and  came  on  there  and  commenced  making  salt,  and  was  drowned  on  his  return  at 
Beaver  Falls.  On  the  first  map  made  of  the  Reserve  by  Mr.  Seth  Pease,  in  1798,  a  tract  was 
marked  off  and  designated  as  "  the  salt  spring  tract."  I  have  understood  that  the  heirs  of 
Gen.  Parsons  advanced  some  claims  to  that  tract,  but  I  believe  without  success.  At  an 
early  part  of  the  settlement,  considerable  exertions  were  made  by  Reuben  Harmon,  Esq., 
to  establish  salt  works  at  that  place,  but  the  water  was  too  weak  to  make  it  profitable. 


Public  Square,  Warren. 

Warren,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  Mahoning  river  and  Ohio  and 
Penn.  canal,  161  miles  ne.  of  Columbus  and  77  from  Pittsburgh. 
It  is  a  well-built  and  very  pleasant  town,  through  which  beautifully 
winds  the  Mahoning.  In  the  centre  is  a  handsome  public  square, 
on  which  stands  the  court  house.  In  June,  1846,  this  village  was 
visited  by  a  destructive  fire,  which  destroyed  a  large  number  of 
buildings  facing  one  side  of  the  public  square,  since  built  up  with 
beautiful  stores.  Warren  was  laid  out  in  1801,  by  Ephraim  Quinby, 
Esq.,  and  named  from  Moses  Warren,  of  Lyme.  The  town  plat 
is  one  mile  square,  with  streets  crossing  at  right  angles.  Warren 
contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal,  1  Baptist,  1  Methodist  and  1 
Disciple's  church,  about  20  mercantile  stores,  3  newspaper  printing 
offices,  2  flour  mills,  1  bank,  1  woollen  factory  and  a  variety  of 
mechanical  establishments ;  in  1840,  its  population  was  1066 ;  it  is 
now  estimated  at  1600. 

In  a  grave-yard  on  the  river's  bank  lie  the  remains  of  the 
Hon.  Zephaniah  Swift,  author  of  Swift's  Digest,  and  once  chief 
justice  of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  died  here  September  27th, 
1823,  at  the  age  of  64  years,  while  on  a  visit  to  a  son  and  daughter. 

We  annex  some  facts  connected  with  the  settlement  of  this  place 
and  vicinity,  from  the  narrative  of  Cornelius  Feathei',  in  the  mss.  of 
the  Ashtabula  Historical  Society. 


480  TRUMBULL    COUNTY. 

The  plat  of  Warren  in  September,  1800,  contained  but  two  log  cabins,  one  of  which 
was  occupied  by  Capt.  Ephraim  Quinby,  who  was  proprietor  of  the  town  and  afterwards 
judge  of  the  court.  He  built  his  cabin  in  1799.  The  other  was  occupied  by  Wm.  Fen- 
ton,  who  built  his  in  1798.  On  the  27th  of  this  month,  Cornelius  Feather  and  Davison 
Fenton  arrived  from  Washington  county,  Pa.  At  this  time,  Quinby's  cabin  consisted  of 
three  apartments,  a  kitchen,  bed-room  and  jail,  although  but  one  prisoner  was  ever  con- 
fined in  it,  viz  :  Perger  Shehigh,  for  threatening  the  life  of  Judge  Young,  of  Youngstown. 

The  whole  settlements  of  whites  within  and  about  the  settlement  of  Warren,  consisted 
of  16  settlers,  viz  :  Henry  and  John  Lane,  Benj.  Davison,  Esq.,  Meshach  Case,  Capt.  John 
Adgate,  Capt.  John  Leavitt,  William  Crooks  and  Phineas  Leffingwell,  Henry  Lane,  jr., 
Charles  Daily,  Edward  Jones,  George  Loveless  and  Wm.  Tucker,  who  had  been  a  spy  five 
years  under  Capt.  Brady. 

At  this  time,  rattlesnakes  abounded  in  some  places.  And  there  was  one  adventure  with 
them  worth  recording,  which  took  place  in  Braceville  township. 

A  Mr.  Oviatt  was  informed  that  a  considerable  number  of  huge  rattlesnakes  were  scat- 
tered over  a  certain  tract  of  wilderness.  The  old  man  asked  whether  there  was  a  ledge 
of  rocks  in  the  vicinity,  which  way  the  declivity  inclined,  and  if  any  spring  issued  out 
of  the  ledge.  Being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  the  old  man  rejoined,  "  we  will  go  about 
the  last  of  May  and  have  some  sport."  Accordingly  they  proceeded  through  the  woods  well 
armed  with  cudgels.  Arrived  at  the  battle-ground,  they  cautiously  ascended  the  hill,  step 
by  step,  in  a  solid  column.  Suddenly  the  enemy  gave  the  alarm,  and  the  men  found  them- 
selves completely  surrounded  by  hosts  of  rattlesnakes  of  enormous  size,  and  a  huge  squadron 
of  black  snakes.  No  time  was  lost.  At  the  signal  of  the  rattling  of  the  snakes,  the  ac- 
tion commenced,  and  hot  and  furious  was  the  fight.  In  short,  the  snakes  beat  a  retreat 
up  the  hill,  our  men  cudgelling  with  all  their  might.  When  arrived  at  the  top  of  the  ledge, 
they  found  the  ground  and  rocks  in  places  almost  covered  with  snakes  retreating  into  their 
dens.  Afterwards  the  slain  were  collected  into  heaps,  and  found  to  amount  486,  a  good 
portion  of  which  were  larger  than  a  man's  leg  below  the  calf,  and  over  5  feet  in  length. 

The  news  of  this  den  of  venomous  serpents  being  spread,  it  was  agreed  that  the  narra- 
tor and  two  more  young  men  in  Warren,  and  three  in  Braceville,  should  make  war  upon  >:, 
until  the  snakes  should  be  principally  destroyed,  which  was  actually  accomplished. 

One  circumstance  I  should  relate  in  regard  to  snake-hunting.  Having  procured  an  in- 
strument like  a  very  long  chisel,  with  a  handle  8  or  9  feet  long,  I  proceeded  to  the  ledge 
alone,  placed  myself  on  the  body  of  a  butternut  tree,  lying  slanting  over  a  broad  crevice 
in  the  rocks,  7  or  8  feet  deep,  the  bottom  of  which  was  literally  covered  with  the  yellow 
and  black  serpents.  I  held  my  weapon  poised  in  my  right  hand,  ready  to  give  the  deadly 
blow,  my  left  hold  of  a  small  branch  to  keep  my  balance,  when  both  my  feet  slipped,  and 
I  came  within  a  hairs'  breadth  of  plunging  headlong  into  the  den.  Nothing  but  the  small 
limb  saved  me  from  a' most  terrible  death,  as  I  could  not  have  gotten  out,  had  there  been 
no  snakes,  the  rocks  on  all  sides  being  nearly  perpendicular.  It  was  a  merciful  and  provi- 
dential escape. 

In  August,  1800,  a  serious  affair  occurred  with  the  Indians,  which 
spread  a  gloom  over  the  peaceful  prospects  of  the  new  and  scat- 
tered settlements  of  the  whites,  the  history  of  which  we  derive 
from  the  above-mentioned  source. 

Joseph  M'Mahon,  who  lived  near  the  Indian  settlement  at  the  Salt  Springs,  and  whose 
family  had  suffered  considerable  abuse  at  different  times  from  the  Indians  in  his  absence, 
was  at  work  with  one  Richard  Story,  on  an  old  Indian  plantation,  near  Warren.  On 
i'li  lay  of  this  week,  daring  his  absence,  the  Indians  coming  down  the  creek  to  have  a 
drunken  frolic,  called  in  at  M'Mahon's  and  abused  the  family,  and  finally  Capt.  George, 
their  chief,  struck  one  of  the  children  a  severe  blow  with  the  tomahawk,  and  the  Indians 
threatened  to  kill  the  whole  family.  Mrs.  M'Mahon,  although  terribly  alarmed,  was  un- 
able to  get  word  to  her  husband  before  noon  the  next  day. 

M'Mahon  and  Story  at  first  resolved  to  go  immediately  to  the  Indian  camp  and  kill 
the  whole  tribe,  but  on  a  little  reflection,  they  desisted  from  this  rash  purpose,  and  con- 
cluded to  go  to  Warren,  and  consult  with  Capt.  Ephraim  Quinby,  as  he  was  a  mild,  judi- 
cious man. 

By  the  advice  of  Quinby,  all  the  persons  capable  of  bearing  arms  were  mustered  on 
Sunday  morning,  consisting  of  14  men  and  2  boys,  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  John  Lane, 
who  proceeded  towards  the  Indian  camp,  determined  to  make  war  or  peace  as  circumstan- 
ces dictated. 


TRUMBULL    COUNTY.  481 

When  within  half  a  mile  of  the  camp,  Quinby  proposed  a  halt,  and  as  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  most  of  the  Indians,  they  having  dealt  frequently  at  his  tavern,  it  was  re- 
solved that  he  should  proceed  alone  to  the  camp,  and  inquire  into  the  cause  of  their  out- 
rageous conduct,  and  ascertain  whether  they  were  for  peace  or  war.  Quinby  started 
alone,  leaving  the  rest  behind,  and  giving  direction  to  Lane  that  if  he  did  not  return  in 
half  an  hour,  he  might  expect  that  the  savages  had  killed  him,  and  that  he  should  then 
march  his  company  and  engage  in  battle.  Quinby  not  returning  at  the  appointed  time, 
they  marched  rapidly  to  the  camp.  On  emerging  from  the  woods  they  discovered  Quinby 
in  close  conversation  with  Capt.  George.  He  informed  his  party  that  they  had  threatened  to 
kill  M'Mahon  and  his  family,  and  Story  and  his  family,  for  it  seems  the  latter  had  inflicted 
chastisement  on  the  Indians  for  stealing  his  liquor,  particularly  on  one  ugly-looking,  ill- 
tempered  fellow,  named  Spotted  John,  from  having  his  face  spotted  all  over  with  hair  moles. 
Capt.  George  had  also  declared,  if  the  whites  had  come  down  the  Indians  were  ready  to 
fight  them. 

The  whites  marched  directly  up  to  the  camp,  M'Mahon  first  and  Story  next  to  him. 
The  chief,  Capt.  George,  snatched  his  tomahawk  which  was  sticking  in  a  tree,  and  flour- 
ishing it  in  the  air,  walked  up  to  M'Mahon,  saying,  "  if  you  kill  me,  I  will  lie  here — if 
I  kill  you,  you  shall  lie  there  .'"  and  then  ordered  his  men  to  prime  and  tree  .'  Instantly 
as  the  tomahawk  was  about  to  give  the  deadly  blow,  M'Mahon  sprang  back,  raised  his  gun 
already  cocked,  pulled  the  trigger,  and  Capt.  George  fell  dead.  Story  took  for  his  mark 
the  ugly  savage,  Spotted  John,  who  was  at  that  moment  placing  his  family  behind  a  tree, 
and  shot  him  dead,  the  same  ball  passing  through  his  squaw's  neck,  and  the  shoulders  of 
his  oldest  pappoos,  a  girl  of  about  thirteen. 

Hereupon  the  Indians  fled  with  horrid  yells  ;  the  whites  hotly  pursued  for  some  distance, 
firing  as  fast  as  possible,  yet  without  effect,  while  the  women  and  children  screamed  and 
screeched  piteously.  The  party  then  gave  up  the  pursuit,  returned  and  buried  the  dead 
Indians,  and  proceeded  to  Warren  to  consult  for  their  safety. 

It  being  ascertained  that  the  Indians  had  taken  the  route  to  Sandusky,  on  Monday 
morning  James  Hillman  was  sent  through  the  wilderness  to  overtake  and  treat  with  them. 
He  came  up  with  them  on  Wednesday,  and  cautiously  advanced,  they  being  at  first  suspi- 
cious of  him.  But  making  known  his  mission,  he  offered  them  first  $100,  then  $200,  and 
so  on,  to  $500,  if  they  would  treat  with  him  on  just  terms,  return  to  their  homes  and  bury 
the  hatchet.  But  to  all  his  overtures  they  answered,  "  No  !  No  !  No  !  we  will  go  to  San- 
dusky and  hold  a  council  with  the  chiefs  there."  Hillman  replied,  "  you  will  hold  a  council 
there,  light  the  war  torch,  rally  all  the  warriors  throughout  the  forests,  and  with  savage  bar- 
barity, come  and  attempt  a  general  massacre  of  all  your  friends,  the  whites,  throughout 
the  N.  W.  Territory."  They  rejoined,  "  that  they  would  lay  the  case  before  the  council, 
and  within  fourteen  days,  four  or  five  of  their  number  should  return  with  instructions,  on 
what  terms  peace  could  be  restored."* 

Hillman  returned,  and  all  the  white  settlers  from  Youngstown  and  the  surrounding  set- 
tlements, garrisoned  at  Quinby's  house  in  Warren,  constructed  port-holes  through  the  logs 
and  kept  guard  night  and  day. 

On  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  after  the  people  garrisoned,  a  circumstance  struck  them  with 
terror.  John  Lane  went  out  into  the  woods  a  little  distance,  one  cloudy  day,  and  missing 
his  way  gave  some  alarm.  In  the  evening,  a  man's  voice  known  to  be  his,  was  heard  sev- 
eral times,  and  in  the  same  direction  twelve  or  fourteen  successive  reports  of  a  gun.  It 
was  judged  that  the  Indians  had  returned,  caught  Lane,  confined  him  and  compelled  him 
to  halloo,  with  threats  of  death  if  he  did  not,  under  the  hope  of  enticing  the  whites  into 
an  ambush,  and  massacreing  them. 

In  the  morning,  as  these  noises  continued,  Wm.  Crooks,  a  resolute  man,  went  out  cau- 
tiously to  the  spot  whence  they  proceeded,  and  found  that  Lane  had  dislocated  his  ancle 
in  making  a  misstep,  and  could  not  get  into  the  fort  without  assistance. 

The  little  party  continued  to  keep  guard  until  the  fourteenth  day,  when  exactly  accord- 
ing to  contract,  four  or  five  Indians  returned  with  proposals  of  peace,  which  were,  that 
M'Mahon  and  Story  should  be  taken  to  Sandusky,  tried  by  Indian  laws,  and  if  guilty, 
punished  by  them.  This  they  were  told  could  not  be  done,  as  M'Mahon  was  already  a 
prisoner  under  the  laws  of  the  whites,  in  the  jail  at  Pittsburgh,  and  Story  had  fled  out  of 
the  country. 

M'Mahon  was  brought  to  Youngstown  and  tried  with  prudence,  General  St.  Clair 
chief  judge.     The  only  testimony  that  could  be  received  of  all  those  present  at  the  tragedy, 

*  For  a  more  full  and  perfectly  reliable  statement  of  Hillman's  agency  in  this  affair,  see 
his  memoir,  p.  338. 

61 


482  TRUMBULL    COUNTY. 

was  a  boy  who  took  no  part  in  the  affair,  who  stood  close  by  Capt.  George  when  he  said, 
"  If  you  kill  me,  I'll  lie  here  ;  if  I  kill  you,  you  will  lie  there."  A  young  married  woman 
who  had  been  a  prisoner  among  the  Indians,  was  brought  to  testify  as  she  understood  the 
language.  She  affirmed  that  the  words  signified,  that  if  M'Mahon  should  kill  Captain 
George,  the  Indians  should  not  seek  restitution  ;  nor  should  the  whites  if  M'Mahon  were 
killed.  In  regard  to  the  death  of  Spotted  John,  the  Indians  finally  claimed  nothing,  as  he 
was  an  ugly  fellow,  belonging  to  no  tribe  whatever. 

The  Indians  again  took  up  their  old  abode,  re-buried  the  bodies  of  their  slain  down  the 
river  two  or  three  miles,  drove  down  a  stake  at  the  head  of  each  grave,  hung  a  new  pair 
of  buckskin  breeches  on  each  stake,  saying  and  expecting  that  "  at  the  end  of  thirty  days 
they  would  rise,  go  to  the  North  Sea,  and  hunt  and  kill  the  white  bear."  An  old  pious 
Indian  said,  "  No !  they  will  not  rise  at  the  end  of  thirty  days.  When  God  comes  at 
the  last  day,  and  calls  all  the  world  to  rise  and  come  to  judgment,  then  they  will  rise." 

The  Indians  nightly  carried  good  supplies  of  cooked  venison  to  the  graves,  which  were 
evidently  devoured.  A  white  settler's  old  slut,  with  a  litter  of  six  or  eight  pups,  nightly 
visited  the  savory  meats,  as  they  throve  most  wonderfully  during  the  thirty  days. 

The  Hon.  Joshua  R.  Giddings  in  a  note  to  the  above,  says : 

M'Mahon  served  afterwards  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  in  the  northwestern  army  under 
Gen.  Harrison.  In  the  battle  with  the  Indians  on  the  Peninsula,  north  of  Sandusky  bay, 
on  the  29th  of  September  of  that  year,  he  was  wounded  in  the  side.  After  his  recovery, 
he  was  discharged  in  November  and  started  for  home.  He  left  Camp  Avery,  in  Huron 
county,  and  took  the  path  to  the  old  Portage.  Being  alone  and  happening  to  meet  a  party 
of  Indians,  he  fell  a  victim  to  their  hostility. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Badger,  the  first  missionary  on  the  Reserve,  re- 
sided for  eight  years  at  Gustavus,  in  this  county.  He  was  born  at 
Wilbraham,  Mass.,  in  1757.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1785,  in  1787  was  or- 
dained as  minister  over  a  church  in  Blandford,  Mass.,  where  he  re- 
mained for  14  years. 

In  1800,  such  an  opportunity  for  usefulness  offered  as  he  had  long  wished  for.  The  mis- 
sionary societies  of  the  eastern  states,  had  for  many  years  been  desirous  of  sending  mis- 
sionaries to  the  Indians  which  then  dwelt  in  the  northern  portion  of  Ohio. 

At  their  instance,  Mr.  Badger  made  a  visit  to  this  country  during  that  year,  and  was  so 
well  satisfied  with  the  opportunity  of  usefulness,  which  his  residence  among  the  Wyandots 
and  other  tribes  would  afford,  that  he  returned  after  his  family,  and  since  that  time  his 
labors  have  been  principally  divided  between  the  Western  Reserve,  and  the  country  bor- 
dering on  the  Sandusky  and  Maumee  rivers.  Among  his  papers,  the  writer  finds  certifi- 
cates of  his  appointment  to  the  several  missionary  stations  on  the  Reserve  and  at  Lower 
Sandusky,  as  also  commissions  of  the  post-master's  appointment,  for  the  several  places 
where  he  has  from  time  to  time  resided.  Mr.  B's  labors  among  the  scattered  inhabitants 
on  the  Reserve,  and  the  Indians,  were  arduous  and  interesting.  Many  incidents  common 
to  frontier  life  are  recorded  in  his  journals.  His  duties  as  a  missionary  were  all  faithfully 
discharged,  and  he  saw  this  portion  of  the  west  grow  up  under  his  own  eye  and  teaching. 

In  1812,  he  was  appointed  chaplain  to  the  army  by  Gov.  Meigs.  He  was  at  Fort  Meigs 
during  the  seige  of  1813 — and  through  the  war  was  attached  to  Gen.  Harrison's  com- 
mand.    He  removed  from  Trumbull  county  in  1835,  to  Plain  township,  Wood  county. 

Mr.  Badger  was  a  man  of  energy,  perseverance  and  fine  intellectual  endowments.  Hi3 
naturally  strong  and  brilliant  mind  retained  all  its  power,  until  within  the  last  three  years 
of  his  life.  He  was  a  faithful  and  devoted  christain.  He  ardently  loved  his  fellow  men — 
his  God  he  loved  supremely.  Few  men  have  ever  lived,  who  have  given  such  an  un- 
equivocal proof  of  christian  meekness  and  submission — few  whose  labors  have  more  highly 
adorned  the  great  and  responsible  profession  of  the  ministry.  Full  of  years,  and  of  honors, 
and  possessing  the  paternal  affection  of  a  people,  who  have  been  long  accustomed  to  re- 
gard him  as  a  father,  he  has  at  length  gone  to  his  final  account.*     He  died  in  1846,  aged  89. 

Newton  Falls  is  9  miles  westerly  from  Warren,  on  the  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania  canal,  in  the  forks  of  the  east  and  west  branches  of 
the  Mahoning,  which  unite  just  below  the  village.     This  flourishing 

*  From  the  Perrysburg  Miami. 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY.  483 

town  has  sprung  into  existence  within  the  last  12  years  ;  it  was  laid 
out  by  Thomas  D.  Webb,  Esq.,  and  Dr.  H.  A.  Dubois.  The  water 
power  is  good  ;  it  is  an  important  point  of  shipment  on  the  canal,  and 
its  inhabitants  are  enterprising.  It  contains  1  Congregational,  1 
Methodist,  1  Baptist  and  1  Disciples  church,  5  mercantile  stores,  3 
forwarding  houses,  1  woollen  factory,  1  paper  mill,  and  about  900 
inhabitants. 

Niles,  on  the  Mahoning  river  and  on  the  canal,  5  miles  southerly 
from  Warren,  contains  3  churches,  3  stores,  1  blast  furnace,  rolling 
mill  and  nail  factory,  1  forge  and  grist  mill,  and  about  300  inhabi- 
tants. There  is  some  water  power  here.  In  the  vicinity  are  large 
quantities  of  excellent  iron  ore  and  coal.  In  Braceville  township 
is  a  Fourierite  association,  said  to  be  in  a  properous  condition. 


TUSCARAWAS. 

Tuscarawas  was  formed  from  Muskingum,  Feb.  15th,  1808. 
The  name  is  that  of  an  Indian  tribe,  and  in  one  of  their  dialects,  sig- 
nifies "  open  mouth."  This  is  a  fertile,  well-cultivated  county,  partly 
level  and  partly  rolling  and  hilly.  Iron  ore  and  coal  abound.  It 
was  first  permanently  settled  about  the  year  1803,  by  emigrants 
from  western  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  many  of  whom  were  of 
German  origin.  The  principal  productions  are  wheat,  oats,  corn 
and  potatoes.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840,  with 
their  population. 


Bucks, 

1547 

Mill, 

1225 

Union, 

945 

Clay, 

864 

Oxford, 

826 

Warren, 

1173 

Dover, 

2247 

Perry, 

1381 

Warwick, 

864 

Fairfield, 

860 

Rush, 

1293 

Washington, 

978 

Goshen, 

1885 

Salem, 

1121 

Wayne, 

2142 

Jefferson, 

992 

Sandy, 

1445 

York, 

865 

Lawrence,    1523         Sugar  Creek,  1450 

The  population  of  Tuscarawas,  in  1820,  was  8328 ;  in  1830r 
14,298 ;  and  in  1840,  25,632,  or  39  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

Several  years  previous  to  the  settlement  of  Ohio,  the  Moravians 
had  a  missionary  establishment  in  the  present  limits  of  this  county, 
which  was  for  a  time  broken  up  by  the  cruel  massacre  of  ninety-six 
of  the  Indians  at  Gnadenhutten,  March  8th,  1782.  The  history  of 
the  Moravian  mission  we  annex  in  a  communication  from  James 
Patrick,  Esq.,  of  New  Philadelphia. 

The  first  white  inhabitants  of  Tuscarawas  county,  were  the  Moravian  missionaries  and 
their  families.  The  Rev.  Frederick  Post  and  Rev.  John  Heckewelder  had  penetrated  thus 
far  into  the  wilderness  previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war.  Their 
first  visits  west  of  the  Ohio  date  as  early  as  the  years  1761  and  '62.  Other  missionary 
auxiliaries  were  sent  out  by  that  society,  for  the  purpose  of  propagating  the  Christian  reli- 
gion among  the  Indians.  Among  these  was  the  Rev.  David  Zeisberger,  a  man  whose 
devotion  to  the  cause  was  attested  by  the  hardships  he  endured  and  the  dangers  he  encoun- 
tered. 

Had  the  same  pacific  policy  which  governed  the  society  of  Friends  in  their  first  settle- 


484  TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 

ment  of  eastern  Pennsylvania,  been  adopted  by  the  white  settlers  of  the  west,  the  efforts 
of  the  Moravian  missionaries  in  Ohio  would  have  been  more  successful.  But  our  western 
pioneers  were  not,  either  by  profession  or  practice,  friends  of  peace.  They  had  an  instinc- 
tive hatred  to  the  aborigines,  and  were  only  deterred,  by  their  inability,  from  exterminating 
the  race.  Perhaps  the  acts  of  cruelty  practiced  by  certain  Indian  tribes  on  prisoners  taken 
in  previous  contests  with  the  whites,  might  have  aided  to  produce  this  feeling  on  the  part  of 
the  latter.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  effects  of  this  deep-rooted  prejudice  greatly  retarded  the 
efforts  of  the  missionaries. 

They  had  three  stations  on  the  river  Tuscarawas,  or  rather  three  Indian  villages,  viz. : 
Shoenbrun,  Gnadenhutten  and  Salem.  The  site  of  the  first  is  about  two  miles  south  of 
New  Philadelphia  ;  seven  miles  farther  south  was  Gnadenhutten,  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  present  village  of  that  name  ;  and  about  five  miles  below  that  was  Salem,  a  short 
distance  from  the  village  of  Port  Washington.  The  first  and  last  mentioned  were  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Tuscarawas,  now  near  the  margin  of  the  Ohio  canal.  Gnadenhutten  is 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  It  was  here  that  a  massacre  took  place  on  the  8th  of  March, 
1782,  which,  for  cool  barbarity,  is  perhaps  unequalled  in  the  history  of  the  Indian  wars. 

The  Moravian  villages  on  the  Tuscarawas  were  situated  about  mid-way  between  the 
white  settlements  near  the  Ohio,  and  some  warlike  tribes  of  Wyandots  and  Delawares  on 
the  Sandusky.  These  latter  were  chiefly  in  the  service  of  England,  or  at  least  opposed  to 
the  colonists,  with  whom  she  was  then  at  war.  There  was  a  British  station  at  Detroit,  and 
an  American  one  at  Fort  Pitt,  (Pittsburgh,)  which  were  regarded  as  the  nucleus  of  western 
operations  by  each  of  the  contending  parties.  The  Moravian  villages  of  friendly  Indiana 
on  the  Tuscarawas  were  situated,  as  the  saying  is,  between  two  fires.  As  Christian  con- 
verts and  friends  of  peace,  both  policy  and  inclination  led  them  to  adopt  neutral  grounds. 
With  much  difficulty  they  sustained  this  position,  partially  unmolested,  until  the  autumn  of 
1781.  In  the  month  of  August,  in  that  year,  an  English  officer  named  Elliott,  from  De- 
troit, attended  by  two  Delaware  chiefs,  Pimoacan  and  Pipe,  with  three  hundred  warriors, 
visited  Gnadenhutten.  They  urged  the  necessity  of  the  speedy  removal  of  the  Christian 
Indians  further  west,  as  a  measure  of  safety.  Seeing  the  latter  were  not  inclined  to  take 
their  advice,  they  resorted  to  threats,  and  in  some  instances  to  violence.  They  at  last 
succeeded  in  their  object.  The  Christian  Indians  were  forced  to  leave  their  crops  of  corn, 
potatoes  and  garden  vegetables,  and  remove,  with  their  unwelcome  visitors,  to  the  country 
bordering  on  the  Sandusky.  The  missionaries  were  taken  prisoners  to  Detroit.  After  suf- 
fering severely  from  hunger  and  cold  during  the  winter,  a  portion  of  the  Indians  were  per- 
mitted to  return  to  their  settlements  on  the  Tuscarawas,  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  in  the 
corn  left  on  the  stalk  the  preceding  fall. 

About  one  hundred  and  fifty  Moravian  Indians,  including  women  and  children,  arrived 
on  the  Tuscarawas  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  and  divided  into  three  parties,  so  as  to 
work  at  the  three  towns  in  the  corn-fields.  Satisfied  that  they  had  escaped  from  the 
thraldom  of  their  less  civilized  brethren  west,  they  little  expected  that  a  storm  was  gather- 
ing among  the  white  settlers  east,  which  was  to  burst  over  their  peaceful  habitations  with 
such  direful  consequences. 

Several  depredations  had  been  committed  by  hostile  Indians,  about  this  time,  on  the 
frontier  inhabitants  of  western  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  who  determined  to  retaliate.  A 
company  of  one  hundred  men  was  raised  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Col.  William- 
son, as  a  corps  of  volunteer  militia.  They  set  out  for  the  Moravian  towns  on  the  Tusca- 
rawas, and  arrived  within  a  mile  of  Gnadenhutten  on  the  night  of  the  5th  of  March.  On 
the  morning  of  the  (3th,  finding  the  Indians  were  employed  in  their  corn-field,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  sixteen  of  Williamson's  men  crossed,  two  at  a  time,  over  in  a  large  sap- 
trough,  or  vessel  used  for  retaining  sugar-water,  taking  their  rifles  with  them.  The  re- 
mainder went  into  the  village,  where  they  found  a  man  and  a  woman,  both  of  whom  they 
killed.  The  sixteen  on  the  west  side,  on  approaching  the  Indians  in  the  field,  found  them 
more  numerous  than  they  expected.  They  had  their  arms  with  them,  which  were  usual 
on  such  occasions,  both  for  purposes  of  protection  and  for  killing  game.  The  whites  ac- 
costed them  kindly,  told  them  they  had  come  to  take  them  to  a  place  where  they  would  be 
in  future  protected,  and  advised  them  to  quit  work,  and  return  with  them  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Fort  Pitt.  Some  of  the  Indians  had  been  taken  to  that  place  in  the  preceding 
year,  had  been  well  treated  by  the  American  governor  of  the  fort,  and  been  dismissed  with 
tokens  of  warm  friendship.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  unsus- 
pecting Moravian  Indians  readily  surrendered  their  arms,  and  at  once  consented  to  be  con- 
trolled by  the  advice  of  Colonel  Williamson  and  his  men.  An  Indian  messenger  was  dis- 
patched to  Salem,  to  apprize  the  brethren  there  of  the  new  arrangement,  and  both  com- 
panies then  returned  to  Gnadenhutten.  On  reaching  the  village,  a  number  of  mounted 
militia  started  for  the  Salem  settlement,  but  e'er  they  reached  it,  found  that  the  Moravian 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY.  485 

Indians  at  that  place  had  already  left  their  corn-fields,  by  the  advice  of  the  messenger,  and 
were  on  the  road  to  join  their  brethren  at  Gnadenhutten.  Measures  had  been  adopted  by  the 
militia  to  secure  the  Indians  whom  they  had  at  first  decoyed  into  their  power.  They  were 
bound,  confined  in  two  houses,  and  well  guarded.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Indians  from 
Salem,  (their  arms  having  been  previously  secured  without  suspicion  of  any  hostile  inten- 
tion,) they  were  also  fettered,  and  divided  between  the  two  prison-houses,  the  males  in  one, 
the  females  in  the  other.  The  number  thus  confined  in  both,  including  men,  women  and 
children,  have  been  estimated  from  ninety  to  ninety-six. 

A  council  was  then  held  to  determine  how  the  Moravian  Indians  should  be  disposed  of. 
This  self-constituted  military  court  embraced  both  officers  and  privates.  The  late  Dr. 
Dodridge,  in  his  published  notes  on  Indian  wars,  &c,  says:  "  Colonel  Williamson  put  the 
question,  whether  the  Moravian  Indians  should  be  taken  prisoners  to  Fort  Pitt,  or  put  to 
death  ?"  requesting  those  who  were  in  favor  of  saving  their  lives  to  step  out  and  ionn  a 
second  rank.  Only  eighteen  out  of  the  whole  number  stepped  forth  as  advocates  of  mercy. 
In  these,  the  feelings  of  humanity  were  not  extinct.  In  the  majority,  which  was  large,  no 
sympathy  was  manifested.  They  resolved  to  murder  (for  no  other  word  can  express  the 
act)  the  whole  of  the  Christian  Indians  in  their  custody.  Among  these  were  several  who 
had  contributed  to  aid  the  missionaries  in  the  work  of  conversion  and  civilization — two  of 
whom  emigrated  from  New  Jersey  after  the  death  of  their  spiritual  pastor,  the  Rev.  David 
Brainard.  One  woman,  who  could  speak  good  English,  knelt  before  the  commander  and 
begged  his  protection.  Her  supplication  was  unavailing.  They  were  ordered  to  prepare 
for  death.  But  the  warning  had  been  anticipated.  Their  firm  belief  in  their  new  creed 
was  shown  forth  in  the  sad  hour  of  their  tribulation,  by  religious  exercises  of  preparation. 
The  orisons  of  these  devoted  people  were  already  ascending  the  throne  of  the  Most  High  ! 
— the  sound  of  the  Christian's  hymn  and  the  Christian's  prayer  found  an  echo  in  the  sur- 
rounding woods,  but  no  responsive  feeling  in  the  bosoms  of  their  executioners.  With  gun, 
and  spear,  and  tomahawk,  and  scalping-knife,  the  work  of  death  progressed  in  these 
slaughter-houses,  till  not  a  sigh  or  moan  was  heard  to  proclaim  the  existence  of  human  life 
within — all,  save  two — two  Indian  boys  escaped,  as  if  by  a  miracle,  to  be  witnesses  in 
after  times  of  the  savage  cruelty  of  the  white  man  towards  their  unfortunate  race. 

Thus  were  upwards  of  ninety  human  beings  hurried  to  an  untimely  grave  by  those  who 
should  have  been  their  legitimate  protectors.  After  committing  the  barbarous  act,  William- 
son and  his  men  set  fire  to  the  houses  containing  the  dead,  and  then  marched  off  for  Shoen- 
brun,  the  upper  Indian  town.  But  here  the  news  of  their  atrocious  deeds  had  preceded 
them.  The  inhabitants  had  all  fled,  and  with  them  fled  for  a  time  the  hopes  of  the  mis- 
sionaries to  establish  a  settlement  of  Christian  Indians  on  the  Tuscarawas.  The  fruits  of 
ten  years'  labor  in  the  cause  of  civilization,  was  apparently  lost. 

The  hospitable  and  friendly  character  of  the  Moravian  Indians,  had  extended  beyond 
their  white  brethren  on  the  Ohio.  The  American  people  looked  upon  the  act  of  William- 
son and  his  men  as  an  outrage  on  humanity.  The  American  Congress  felt  the  influence 
of  public  sympathy  for  their  fate,  and  on  the  3d  of  September,  1788,  passed  an  ordinance 
for  the  encouragement  of  the  Moravian  missionaries  in  the  work  of  civilizing  the  Indians 
A  remnant  of  the  scattered  flock  was  brought  back,  and  two  friendly  chiefs  and  their  fol- 
lowers became  the  recipients  of  public  favor.  The  names  of  these  chiefs  were  Killbuck 
and  White  Eyes.  Two  sons  of  the  former,  after  having  assumed  the  name  of  Henry,  out. 
of  respect  to  the  celebrated  Patrick  Henry,  of  Virginia,  were  taken  to  Princeton  College 
to  be  educated.  White  Eyes  was  shot  by  a  lad,  some  years  afterwards,  on  the  waters  of 
Yellow  creek,  Columbiana  county. 

Three  tracts  of  land,  containing  four  thousand  acres  each,  was  appropriated  by  congress 
to  the  Moravian  society,  or  rather  to  the  society  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the 
heathen,  which  is  nearly  synonymous.  These  tracts  embrace  the  three  Indian  towns 
already  described,  and  by  the  provisions  of  the  patent,  which  was  issued  1798,  the  society 
was  constituted  trustees  for  the  Christian  Indians  thereon  settled.  Extraordinary  efforts 
were  now  made  by  the  society  in  the  good  work  of  civilization.  Considerable  sums  of 
money  were  expended  in  making  roads,  erecting  temporary  mills,  and  constructing  houses. 
The  Indians  were  collected  near  the  site  of  the  upper  town,  Shoenbrun,  which  had  been 
burned  at  the  time  of  the  Williamson  expedition,  and  a  new  village,  called  Goshen,  erected 
for  their  habitations.  It  was  here,  while  engaged  in  the  laudable  work  of  educating  the 
Indian  in  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  and  inculcating  the  principles  of  Christian  morality,  that 
two  of  the  missionaries,  Edwards  and  Zeisberger,  terminated  their  earthly  pilgrimage. 
Their  graves  are  yet  to  be  seen,  with  plain  tombstones,  in  the  Goshen  burying-ground, 
three  miles  south  of  New  Philadelphia. 

The  habits  and  character  of  the  Indians  changed  for  the  worse,  in  proportion  as  the 
whites  settled  in  their  neighborhood.     If  the  extension  of  the  white  settlements  west  tended 


486  TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 

to  improve  the  country,  it  had  a  disastrous  effect  upon  the  poor  Indian.  In  addition  to  the 
contempt  in  which  they  were  held  by  the  whites,  the  war  of  1812  revived  former  preju- 
dices. An  occasional  intercourse  with  the  Sandusky  Indians  had  been  kept  up  by  some 
of  those  at  Goshen.  A  portion  of  the  former  were  supposed  to  be  hostile  to  the  Amer- 
icans, and  the  murder  of  some  whites  on  the  Mohiccan,  near  Richland,  by  unknown  In- 
dians, tended  to  confirm  the  suspicion. 

The  Indian  settlement  remained  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Abram  Luckenbach,  until  the 
year  1823.  It  was  found  impossible  to  preserve  their  morals  free  from  contamination. 
Their  intercourse  with  the  white  population  in  the  neighborhood,  was  gradually  sinking 
them  into  deeper  degradation.  Though  the  legislature  of  Ohio  passed  an  act  prohibiting 
ihe  sale  of  spirituous  liquors  to  Indians,  under  a  heavy  penalty,  yet  the  law  was  either 
evaded  or  disregarded.  Drunken  Indians  were  occasionally  seen  at  the  county  seat,  or  at 
lheir  village  at  Goshen.  Though  a  large  portion  of  the  lands  appropriated  for  their  ben- 
efit had  been  leased  out,  the  society  derived  very  little  profit  from  the  tenants.  The  entire 
expenses  of  the  Moravian  mission,  and  not  unfrequently  the  support  of  sick,  infirm  or  des- 
titute Indians  devolved  on  their  spiritual  guardians.  Upon  representation  of  these  facts, 
congress  was  induced  to  adopt  such  measures  as  would  tend  to  the  removal  of  the  Indians, 
and  enable  the  society  to  divest  itself  of  the  trusteeship  in  the  land. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  1823,  an  agreement  or  treaty  was  entered  into  at  Gnadenhutten, 
between  Lewis  Cass,  then  governor  of  Michigan,  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and 
Lewis  de  Schweinitz,  on  the  part  of  the  society,  as  a  preliminary  step  towards  the  retro- 
cession of  the  land  to  the  government.  By  this  agreement,  the  members  of  the  society 
relinquished  their  right  as  trustees,  conditioned  that  the  United  States  would  pay  $6,654, 
being  but  a  moiety  of  the  money  they  had  expended.  The  agreement  could  not  be  legal 
without  the  written  consent  of  the  Indians,  for  whose  benefit  the  land  had  been  donated. 
These  embraced  the  remainder  of  the  Christian  Indians  formerly  settled  on  the  land,  "  in- 
cluding Killbuck  and  his  descendants,  and  the  nephews  and  descendants  of  the  late  Captain 
White  Eyes,  Delaware  chiefs."  The  Goshen  Indians,  as  they  were  now  called,  repaired 
to  Detroit,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  contract.  On  the  8th  of  November,  they 
signed  a  treaty  with  Governor  Cass,  in  which  they  relinquished  their  right  to  the  twelve 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  Tuscarawas  county,  for  twenty-four  thousand  acres  in  one  of  the 
lerritories,  to  be  designated  by  the  United  States,  together  with  an  annuity  of  $400.  The 
iatter  stipulation  was  clogged  with  a  proviso,  which  rendered  its  fulfilment  uncertain.  The 
Indians  never  returned.  The  principal  part  of  them  took  up  their  residence  at  a  Moravian 
missionary  station  on  the  river  Thames,  in  Canada.  By  an  act  of  congress,  passed  May 
26,  1824,  their  former  inheritance,  comprising  the  Shoenbrun,  Gnadenhutten  and  Salem 
tracts,  were  surveyed  into  farm  lots  and  sold.*  In  the  following  year  the  Ohio  canal  was 
located,  and  now  passes  close  to  the  site  of  the  three  ancient  Indian  villages.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  county  rapidly  increased,  and  their  character  and  its  aspect  have  consequently 
changed.  A  few  years  more,  and  the  scenes  and  actors  here  described  will  be  forgotten, 
unless  preserved  by  that  art  which  is  preservative  of  the  histories  of  nations  and  of  men. 
Goshen,  the  last  abiding  place  of  the  Christian  Indians,  on  the  Tuscarawas,  is  now  occupied 
and  cultivated  by  a  German  farmer.  A  high  hill  which  overlooked  their  village,  and  which 
is  yet  covered  with  trees,  under  whose  shade  its  semi-civilized  inhabitants  perhaps  once 
"  stretched  their  listless  length,"  is  now  being  worked  in  the  centre  as  a  coal  mine.  The 
twang  of  the  bow-string,  or  the  whoop  of  the  young  Indian,  is  succeeded  by  the  dull,  crash- 
ing sound  of  the  coal-car,  as  it  drops  its  burden  into  the  canal  boat.  Yet  there  is  one  spot 
here  still  sacred  to  the  memory  of  its  former  occupants.  As  you  descend  the  south  side  of 
the  hill,  on  the  Zanesville  road,  a  small  brook  runs  at  its  base,  bordered  on  the  opposite  side 
by  a  high  bank.  On  ascending  the  bank,  a  few  rods  to  the  right,  is  a  small  enclosed  grave- 
yard, overgrown  with  low  trees  or  brush-wood.  Here  lie  the  remains  of  several  Indians, 
with  two  of  their  spiritual  pastors,  (Edwards  and  Zeisberger.)  The  grave  of  the  latter 
is  partly  covered  with  a  small  marble  slab,  on  which  is  the  following  inscription. 


David  Zeisberger, 
who  was  born  11th  April,  1721,  in  Moravia, 
and  departed  this  life  7th  Nov.,  1808,  aged  87 
years,  7  months  and  6  days.  This  faithful  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord  labored  among  the  Moravian 
Indians,  as  a  missionary,  during  the  last  sixty 
years  of  his  life. 


The  writer  of  this  article  was  appointed  agent  of  the  United  States  for  that  purpose. 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY  487 

Some  friendly  hand,  perhaps  a  relative,  placed  the  stone  on  the  grave,  many  years  after 
the  decease  of  him  who  rests  beneath  it. 

Gnadenhutten  is  still  a  small  village,  containing  120  souls,  chiefly  Moravians,  who  have 
a  neat  church  and  parsonage-house.  About  a  hundred  yards  east  of  the  town  is  the  site 
of  the  ancient  Indian  village,  with  the  stone  foundations  of  their  huts,  and  marks  of  the 
conflagration  that  consumed  the  bodies  of  the  slain  in  1782.  The  notice  which  has  been 
taken  of  this  tragical  affair  in  different  publications,  has  given  a  mournful  celebrity  to  the 
spot  where  it  transpired.  The  intelligent  traveller  often  stops  on  his  journey  to  pay  a  visit 
to  the  graves  of  the  Indian  martyrs,  who  fell  victims  to  that  love  of  peace  which  is  the 
genuine  attribute  of  Christianity.  From  the  appearance  of  the  foundations,  the  village 
must  have  been  formed  of  one  street.  Here  and  there,  may  be  excavated,  burnt  corn  and 
other  relics  of  the  fire.  Apple  trees,  planted  by  the  missionaries,  are  yet  standing,  sur- 
rounded by  rough  under-brush.  A  row  of  Lombardy  poplars  were  planted  for  ornament, 
one  of  which  yet  towers  aloft  undecayed  by  time,  a  natural  monument  to  the  memory  of 
those  who  are  interred  beneath  its  shade.  But  another  monument,  more  suitable  to  the 
place  and  the  event  to  be  commemorated,  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  erected  at  no  distant  day. 
Some  eight  or  ten  individuals  of  the  town  and  neighborhood,  mostly  farmers  and  me- 
chanics, met  on  the  7th  of  October,  1843,  and  organized  a  society  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
closing the  area  around  the  place  where  the  bodies  of  the  Christian  Indians  are  buried, 
and  erecting  a  suitable  monument  to  their  memory.  The  two  prominent  officers  selected 
were  Rev.  Sylvester  Walle,  resident  Moravian  minister,  president,  and  Lewis  Peter,  treas- 
urer. The  first  and  second  articles  of  the  constitution  declare  the  intention  of  the  "  Gna- 
denhutten Monument  Society"  to  be — "  to  make  judicious  and  suitable  improvements  upon 
the  plat  of  the  old  Indian  village,  and  to  erect  on  that  spot  an  appropriate  monument,  com- 
memorating the  death  of  96  Christian  Indians,  who  were  murdered  th^re  on  the  8th  day 
of  March,  A.  D.  1782."  It  is  further  provided,  that  any  person  paying  annually  the  sum 
of  one  dollar,  shall  be  considered  a  member ;  if  he  pay  the  sum  of  ten  dollars,  or  add  to 
his  one  dollar  payment  a  sum  to  make  it  equal  to  that  amount,  he  is  considered  a  member 
for  fife.  Owing  to  the  circumscribed  means  of  the  members,  and  the  comparative  ob- 
scurity of  the  village,  the  fund  has  yet  only  reached  seventy  dollars,  whereas  five  hundred 
would  be  required  to  erect  any  thing  like  a  suitable  monument.  Whether  it  will  be  ulti- 
mately completed,  must  depend  on  the  liberality  of  the  public.  Sixty-five  years  have 
elapsed  since  the  Moravian  Indians  paid  the  forfeit  of  their  lives  for  adhering  to  the  peace- 
able injunctions  of  their  religion.  Shall  the  disciples  of  Zeisberger,  the  philanthropist,  the 
scholar,  and  the  Christian — he  who  labored  more  than  half  a  century  to  reclaim  the  wild 
man  of  the  forest  from  barbarism,  and  shed  on  his  path  the  light  of  civilization — shall  no 
monument  perpetuate  the  benevolent  deeds  of  the  missionary — no  inscription  proclaim  the 
pious  fidelity  of  his  converts?  If  the  reader  feels  a  sympathy  for  the  cause  in  which  each 
became  a  sacrifice,  he  has  now  the  power  to  contribute  his  mite  in  transmitting  the  memory 
of  their  virtues  to  posterity. 

Miss  Mary  Heckewelder,  who  was  living  at  Bethlehem,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, as  late  as  1843,  is  generally  said  to  have  been  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Ohio.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  noted  Mo- 
ravian missionary  of  that  name,  and  was  born  in  Salem,  one  of  the 
Moravian  Indian  towns  on  the  Tuscarawas,  in  this  county,  April 
16th,  1781. 

Mr.  Dinsmore,  a  planter  of  Boone  county,  Ky.,  orally  informed 
us  that  in  the  year  1835,  when  residing  in  the  parish  of  Terre  Bonne, 
La.,  he  became  acquainted  with  a  planter  named  Millehomme,  who 
informed  him  that  he  was  born  in  the  forest,  on  the  head  waters  of 
the  Miami,  on  or  near  the  Loramie  Portage,  about  the  year  1 774. 
His  parents  were  Canadian  French,  then  on  their  route  to  Louisiana. 

Half  a  mile  below  Bolivar  are  the  remains  of  Fort  Laurens, 
erected  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  named  from  the  president 
of  the  revolution  congress.  It  was  the  scene  of  border  warfare  and 
bloodshed.  The  canal  passes  through  its  earthen  walls.  The  par- 
apet walls  are  now  a  few  feet  in  height,  and  were  once  crowned 
with  pickets  made  of  the  split  trunks  of  trees.     The  walls  enclose 


488 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 


about  an  acre  of  land,  and  stand  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tusca- 
rawas. Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth  gives  the  annexed  history  of  this  work, 
in  Silliman's  Journal. 

Fort  Laurens  was  erected  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1778,  by  a  detachment  of  1000  men 
from  Fort  Pitt,  under  the  command  of  General  M'Intosh.  After  its  completion,  a  garri- 
son of  150  men  was  placed  in  it,  and  left  in  the  charge  of  Col.  John  Gibson,  while  the  rest 
of  the  army  returned  to  Fort  Pitt.  It  was  established  at  this  early  day  in  the  country  of  the 
Indians,  seventy  miles  west  of  Fort  M'Intosh,  with  an  expectation  that  it  would  act  as  a 
salutary  check  on  their  incursions  into  the  white  settlements  south  of  the  Ohio  river.  The 
usual  approach  to  it  from  Fort  M'Intosh,  the  nearest  military  station,  was  from  the  mouth 
Yellow  creek,  and  down  the  Sandy,  which  latter  stream  heads  with  the  former,  and  puts  of 
mto  the  Tuscarawas  just  above  the  fort.  So  unexpected  and  rapid  were  the  movements 
of  General  M'Intosh,  that  the  Indians  were  not  aware  of  his  presence  in  their  country, 
until  the  fort  was  completed.  Early  in  January,  1779,  the  Indians  mustered  their  war- 
riors with  such  secrecy,  that  the  fort  was  invested  before  the  garrison  had  notice  of  their 
approach.  From  the  manuscript  notes  of  Henry  Jolly,  Esq.,  who  was  an  actor  in  this,  as 
well  as  in  many  other  scenes  on  the  frontier,  I  have  copied  the  following  historical  facts. 

"  When  the  main  army  left  the  fort  to  return  to  Fort  Pitt,  Captain  Clark  remained  be- 
hind with  a  small  detachment  of  United  States  troops,  for  the  purpose  of  marching  in  the 
invalids  and  artificers  who  had  tarried  to  finish  the  fort,  or  were  too  unwell  to  march  with 
the  main  army.  He  endeavored  to  take  the  advantage  of  very  cold  weather,  and  had 
marched  three  or  four  miles,  (for  I  travelled  over  the  ground  three  or  four  times  soon  after,) 
when  he  was  fired  upon  by  a  small  party  of  Indians  very  close  at  hand,  I  think  twenty  or 
thirty  paces.  This  discharge  wounded  two  of  his  men  slighty.  Knowing  as  he  did  that 
his  men  were  unfit  to  fight  Indians  in  their  own  fashion,  he  ordered  them  to  reserve  their 
fire,  and  to  charge  bayonet,  which  being  promptly  executed,  put  the  Indians  to  flight,  and 
after  pursuing  a  short  distance,  he  called  off  his  men  and  retreated  to  the  fort,  bringing  in 
the  wounded."  In  other  accounts  I  have  read  of  this  affair,  it  is  stated  that  ten  of  Captain 
Clark's  men  were  killed.  "  During  the  cold  weather,  while  the  Indians  were  lying  about 
the  fort,  although  none  had  been  seen  for  a  few  days,  a  party  of  seventeen  men  went  out  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  in  fire-wood,  which  the  army  had  cut  before  they  left  the  place, 
about  forty  or  fifty  rods  from  the  fort.  Near  the  bank  of  the  river  was  an  ancient  mound, 
behind  which  lay  a  quantity  of  wood.  A  party  had  been  out  for  several  preceding  morn- 
ings and  brought  in  wood,  supposing  the  Indians  would  not  be  watching  the  fort  in  such 
very  cold  weather.  But  on  that  fatal  morning,  the  Indians  had  concealed  themselves  be- 
hind the  mound,  and  as  the  soldiers  passed  round  on  one  side  of  the  mound,  a  part  of  the 
Indians  came  round  on  the  other,  and  enclosed  the  wood  party,  so  that  not  one  escaped. 
I  was  personally  acquainted  with  some  of  the  men  who  were  killed." 

The  published  statements  of  this  affair  say  that  the  Indians  enticed  the  men  out  in 
search  of  horses,  by  taking  off  their  bells  and  tinkling  them  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  no 
horses  were  left  at  the  fort,  as  they  must  either  starve  or  be  stolen  by  the  Indians  ;  so  that 
Mr.  Jolly's  version  of  the  incident  must  be  correct.  During  the  siege,  which  continued 
until  the  last  of  February,  the  garrison  were  very  short  of  provisions.  The  Indians  sus- 
pected this  to  be  the  fact,  but  were  also  nearly  starving  themselves.  In  this  predicament, 
they  proposed  to  the  garrison  that  if  they  would  give  them  a  barrel  of  flour  and  some 
meat,  they  would  raise  the  siege,  concluding  if  they  had  not  this  quantity  they  must  sur- 
render at  discretion  soon,  and  if  they  had  they  would  not  part  with  it.  In  this,  however, 
they  missed  their  object.  The  brave  Colonel  Gibson  turned  out  the  flour  and  meat 
promptly,  and  told  them  he  could  spare  it  very  well,  as  he  had  plenty  more.  The  Indians 
soon  after  raised  the  siege.  A  runner  was  sent  to  Fort  M'Intosh  with  a  statement  of  their 
distress,  and  requesting  reinforcements  and  provisions  immediately.  The  inhabitants  south 
of  the  Ohio  volunteered  their  aid,  and  General  M'Intosh  headed  the  escort  of  provisions, 
which  reached  the  fort  in  safety,  but  was  near  being  all  lost  from  the  dispersion  of  the  pack- 
horses  in  the  woods  near  the  fort,  from  a  fright  occasioned  by  a  feu  de  joie  fired  by  the 
garrison,  at  the  relief.  The  fort  was  finally  evacuated  in  August,  1779,  it  being  found  un- 
tenable at  such  a  distance  from  the  frontiers ;  and  Henry  Jolly  was  one  of  the  last  men 
who  left  it,  holding  at  that  time  in  the  continental  service  the  commission  of  ensign. 

New  Philadelphia,  the  county  seat,  is  100  miles  northeasterly 
from  Columbus.  It  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Tuscarawas,  on  a 
large  level  and  beautiful  plain.  It  was  laid  out  in  1804,  by  John 
Knisely,  and  additions  subsequently  made.     The  town  has  improved 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY.  489 

much  within  the  last  few  years,  and  is  now  flourishing.     It  contains 
1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and  1  Disciples  church,  5  mercantile 


Central  View  in  New  Philadelphia. 

stores,  2  printing  offices,  1  oil  and  1  grist  mill,  1  woollen  factory, 
and  a  population  estimated  at  over  1000. 

In  the  late  war,  some  Indians,  under  confinement  in  jail  in  this 
town,  were  saved  from  being  murdered  by  the  intrepidity  of  two  or 
three  individuals.  The  circumstances  are  derived  from  two  com- 
munications, one  of  which  is  from  a  gentleman  then  present. 

About  the  time  of  Hull's  surrender,  several  persons  were  murdered  on  the  Mohiccan, 
near  Mansfield,  which  created  great  alarm  and  excitement. 

Shortly  after  this  event,  three  Indians,  said  to  be  unfriendly,  had  arrived  at  Goshen. 
The  knowledge  of  this  circumstance  created  much  alarm,  and  an  independent  company  of 
cavalry,  of  whom  Alexander  M'Connel  was  captain,  were  solicited  by  the  citizens  to  pur- 
sue and  take  them.  Some  half  a  dozen,  with  their  captain,  turned  out  for  that  purpose. 
Where  daring  courage  was  required  to  achieve  any  hostile  movement,  no  man  was  more 
suitable  than  Alexander  M'Connel.  The  Indians  were  traced  to  a  small  island  near 
Goshen.  M'Connel  plunged  his  horse  into  the  river  and  crossed,  at  the  same  time  order- 
ing his  men  to  follow,  but  none  chose  to  obey  him.  He  dismounted,  hitched  his  horse,  and 
with  a  pistol  in  each  hand  commenced  searching  for  them.  He  had  gone  but  a  few  steps 
into  the  interior  of  the  island  when  he  discovered  one  of  them,  with  his  rifle,  lying  at 
full  length  behind,  a  log.  He  presented  his  pistol — the  Indian  jumped  to  his  feet,  but 
M'Connel  disarmed  him.  He  also  took  the  others,  seized  their  arms,  and  drove  them  be- 
fore him.  On  reaching  his  company,  one  of  his  men  hinted  that  they  should  be  put  to  death. 
'•  Not  until  they  have  had  a  trial  according  to  law,"  said  the  captain  ;  then  ordering  his 
company  to  wheel,  they  conducted  the  prisoners  to  the  county  jail. 

The  murder  which  had  been  perpetrated  on  the  Mohiccan  had  aroused  the  feelings  of 
the  white  settlers  in  that  neighborhood  almost  to  phrenzy.  No  sooner  did  the  report  reach 
them  that  some  strange  Indians  had  been  arrested  and  confined  in  the  New  Philadelphia 
jail,  than  a  company  of  about  40  men  was  organized  at  or  near  Wooster,  armed  with  rifles, 
under  the  command  of  a  Captain  Mullen,  and  marched  for  New  Philadelphia  to  dispatch 
these  Indians.  When  within  about  a  mile  of  the  town,  coming  in  from  the  west,  John  C. 
Wright,  then  a  practicing  lawyer  at  Steubenville,  (later  Judge,)  rode  into  the  place  from 
the  east  on  business.  He  was  hailed  by  Henry  Laffer,  Esq.,  at  that  time  sheriff  of  the 
county,  told  that  the  Indian  prisoners  were  in  his  custody,  the  advancing  company  of  men 
was  pointed  out  to  him,  their  object  stated,  and  the  inquiry  made,  "  what  is  to  be  done  V 
"  The  prisoners  must  be  saved,  sir,"  replied  Wright  ;  "  why  don't  you  beat  an  alarm  and 
call  out  the  citizens?"     To  tills  he  replied,  "  our  people  are  much  exasperated,  and  the  feat 

62 


490  TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 

is,  that  if  they  are  called  out  they  will  side  with  the  company,  whose  object  is  to  taKe  theij 
lives."  "  Is  there  no  one  who  will  stand  by  you  to  prevent  so  dastardly  a  murder  ?"  rejoined 
Wright.  "  None  but  M'Connel,  who  captured  them."  "  Have  you  any  arms!"  "  None 
but  an  old  broadsword  and  a  pistol."  "  Well,"  replied  W.,  "  go  call  M'Connel,  get  your 
weapons,  and  come  up  to  the  tavern ;  I'll  put  away  my  horse  and  make  a  third  man  to 
defend  the  prisoners  ;  we  must  not  have  so  digraceful  a  murder  committed  here." 

Wright  put  up  his  horse,  and  was  joined  by  Laffer  and  M'Connel.  About  this  time  the 
military  company  came  up  to  the  tavern  door,  and  there  halted  for  some  refreshments.  Mr. 
Wright  knew  the  captain  and  many  of  the  men,  and  went  along  the  line,  followed  by  the 
sheriff,  inquiring  their  object  and  remonstrating,  pointing  out  the  disgrace  of  so  cowardly 
an  act  as  was  contemplated,  and  assuring  them,  in  case  they  carried  out  their  brutal  design, 
they  would  be  prosecuted  and  punished  for  murder.  Several  left  the  line,  declaring  they 
would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  the  matter.  The  captain  became  angry,  ordered  the 
ground  to  be  cleared,  formed  his  men  and  moved  towards  the  jail.  M'Connel  was  at  the 
jail  door,  and  the  sheriff  and  Wright  took  a  cross  cut  and  joined  him  before  the  troops  ar- 
rived. The  prisoners  had  been  laid  on  the  floor  against  the  front  wall  as  a  place  of  safety. 
The  three  arranged  themselves  before  the  jail  door — M'Connel  with  the  sword,  sheriff  Laf- 
fer had  the  pistol,  and  Wright  was  without  weapon.  The  troops  formed  in  front,  a  parley 
was  had,  and  Wright  again  went  along  the  line  remonstrating,  and  detached  two  or  three 
more  men.  He  was  ordered  oft',  and  took  his  position  at  the  jail  door  with  his  companions. 
The  men  were  formed,  and  commands,  preparatory  to  a  discharge  of  their  arms,  issued. 

In  this  position  the  three  were  ordered  oft",  but  refused  to  obey,  declaring  that  the  prisoners 
should  not  be  touched  except  they  first  dispatched  them.  Their  firmness  had  its  effect ;  the 
order  to  fire  was  given,  and  the  men  refused  to  obey.  Wright  again  went  along  the  line 
remonstrating,  &c,  while  M'Connel  and  Laffer  maintained  their  position  at  the  door.  One 
or  two  more  were  persuaded  to  leave  the  line.  The  captain  became  very  angry  and  ordered 
him  off.  He  again  took  his  place  with  his  two  companions.  The  company  was  marched 
off  some  distance  and  treated  with  whiskey ;  and  after  some  altercation,  returned  to  the 
jail  door,  were  arranged  and  prepared  for  a  discharge  of  their  rifles,  and  the  three  ordered 
off  on  pain  of  being  shot.  They  maintained  their  ground  without  faltering,  and  the  com- 
pany gave  way  and  abandoned  their  project.  Some  of  them  were  afterwards  permitted, 
one  at  a  time,  to  go  in  and  see  the  prisoners,  care  being  taken  that  no  harm  was  done. 
These  three  gentlemen  received  no  aid  from  the  citizens  ;  the  few  that  were  about  looked 
on  merely.     Their  .courage  and  firmness  were  truly  admirable. 

The  Indians  were  retained  in  jail  until  Governor  Meigs,  who  had  been  some  time  ex- 
pected, arrived  in  New  Philadelphia.  He  instructed  Gen.  A.  Shane,  then  a  lieutenant,  re- 
cruiting for  the  United  States  service,  to  take  the  Indians  with  his  men  to  the  rendezvous  at 
Zanesville.  From  thence  they  were  ordered  to  be  sent  with  his  recruits  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Harrison,  at  Seneca,  at  which  place  they  were  discharged. 

Another  incident  occurred  in  Lieutenant  Shane's  journey  to  head-quarters,  which  illus- 
trates the  deep-rooted  prejudices  entertained  by  many  at  that  time  against  the  Indians. 
The  lieutenant  with  his  company  stopped  a  night  at  Newark.  The  three  Indians  were 
guarded  as  prisoners,  and  that  duty  devolved  by  turns  on  the  recruits.  A  physician,  who 
lived  in  Newark,  and  kept  a  small  drug  shop,  informed  the  officer  that  two  of  his  men  had 
applied  to  him  for  poison.  On  his  questioning  them  closely  what  use  they  were  to  make  of 
it,  they  partly  confessed  that  it  was  intended  for  the  Indians.  It  was  at  night  when  they 
applied  for  it,  and  they  were  dressed  in  fatigue  frocks.  In  the  morning  the  lieutenant  had 
his  men  paraded,  and  called  the  doctor  to  point  out  those  who  had  me'ditated  such  a  base 
act;  but  the  doctor,  either  unwilling  to  expose  himself  to  the  enmity  of  the  men,  or  unable 
to  discern  them,  the  whole  company  being  then  dressed  in  their  regimentals,  the  affair  was 
passed  over  with  some  severe  remarks  by  the  commanding  officer  on  the  unsoldier-hke 
conduct  of  those  who  could  be  guilty  of  such  a  dastardly  crime  of  poisoning. 

A  singular  legal  anecdote  is  related  as  having  occurred  at  New 
Philadelphia  at  an  early  day. 

The  court  was  held  on  this  occasion  in  a  log  tavern,  and  an  adjoining  log  stable  was  used 
as  a  jail,  the  stalls  answering  as  cells  for  the  prisoners.  Judge  T.  was  on  the  bench,  and 
in  the  exercise  of  his  judicial  functions  severely  reprimanded  two  young  lawyers  who  had 
got  into  a  personal  dispute.  A  huge,  herculean  backwoodsman,  attired  in  a  red  flannel 
shirt,  stood  among  the  auditors  in  the  apartment  which  served  the  double  purpose  of  court 
and  bar-room.  He  was  much  pleased  at  the  judge's  lecture — having  himself  been  prac- 
tising at  another  bar — and  hallooed  out  to  his  worship — who  happened  to  be  cross-eyed — in 
the  midst  of  his  harangue,  "  give  it  to  'em,  old  gimlet  eyes  !"     "  Who  is  that  V  demanded 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 


491 


the  judge.  He  of  the  flannel  shirt,  proud  of  being  thus  noticed,  stepped  out  from  among  the 
rest,  and  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  vociferated  "  its  this  'ere  old  koss!"  The 
judge,  who  to  this  day  never  failed  of  a  pungent  repartee  when  occasion  required,  called 
out  in  a  peculiarly  dry  nasal  tone,  "  sheriff!  take  that  old  koss,  put  him  in  the  stable,  and 
see  that  he  is  not  stolen  before  morning." 


Dover. 


Dover,  3  miles  nw.  of  New  Philadelphia,  was  laid  out  in  the  fall 
of  1807,  by  Slingluff  and  Deardorff,  and  w7as  an  inconsiderable  vil- 
lage until  the  Ohio  canal  went  into  operation.  It  is  now,  through 
the  enterprize  of  its  citizens  and  the  facilities  furnished  by  the  canal, 
one  of  the  most  thriving  villages  upon  it,  by  which  it  is  distant  from 


[On  the  right  is  shown  the  hotel ;  on  the  left,  the  store — beyond,  up  the  street,  is  a  build- 
»ug  of  considerable  elegance,  the  residence  of  Mr.  Bimeler.  Among  the  carefully  culti- 
vated shrubbery  in  the  gardens  adjoining,  are  cedar  trees  of  some  twenty  feet  in  height, 
trimmed  to  almost  perfect  cylinders.] 


mg 


492  TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY. 

Cleveland  93  miles.  Its  situation  is  fine,  being  upon  a  slight  eleva- 
tion on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tuscarawas,  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful 
and  fertile  country.  The  view  was  taken  on  the  line  of  the  canal : 
Deardorff's  mill  and  the  bridge  over  the  canal  are  seen  on  the  right ; 
in  the  centre  of  the  view  appears  the  spire  of  the  Baptist  church,  and 
on  the  extreme  left,  Welty  and  Hayden's  flouring  mill.  The  town 
is  sometimes  incorrectly  called  Canal  Dover,  that  being  the  name  of 
the  post-office  It  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Lutheran,  1  Moravian, 
1  Baptist,  and  1  Methodist  church  ;  6  mercantile  stores,  1  woollen 
factory,  2  furnaces,  1  saw  and  2  flouring  mills,  3  tanneries,  2  for- 
warding houses,  and  had  in  1840,  598  inhabitants,  since  which  it  is 
estimated  to  have  doubled  its  population. 

Eleven  miles  n.  of  the  county  seat,  and  eight  from  Dover,  is  the 
settlement  of  a  German  community,  a  sketch  of  whom  we  annex  from 
one  of  our  own  communications  to  a  public  print. 

In  the  spring  of  1817,  about  two  hundred  Germans  from  Wirtemberg  embarked  upon  the 
ocean.  Of  lowly  origin,  of  the  sect  called  Separatists,  they  were  about  to  seek  a  home  in 
the  New  World  to  enjoy  the  religious  freedom  denied  in  their  fatherland.  In  August  they 
arrived  in  Philadelphia,  poor  in  purse,  ignorant  of  the  world,  but  rich  in  a  more  exalted 
treasure.  On  their  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  one  young  man  gained  their  veneration  and 
affections  by  his  superior  intelligence,  simple  manners  and  kindness  to  the  sick.  Originally 
a  weaver,  then  a  teacher  in  Germany,  and  now  entrusting  his  fortunes  with  those  of  like 
faith,  Joseph  M.  Bimeler  found  himself,  on  reaching  our  shores,  the  acknowledged  one 
whose  sympathies  were  to  soften  and  whose  judgment  was  to  guide  them  through  the  trials 
and  vicissitudes  yet  to  come.  Acting  by  general  consent  as  agent,  he  purchased  for  them 
on  credit  5,500  acres  in  the  county  of  Tuscarawas,  to  which  the  colonists  removed  the 
December  and  January  following.  They  fell  to  work  in  separate  families,  erecting  bark 
huts  and  log  shanties,  and  providing  for  their  immediate  wants. 

Strangers  in  a  strange  land,  girt  around  by  a  wilderness  enshrouded  in  winter's  stern  and 
dreary  forms,  ere  spring  had  burst  upon  them  with  its  gladdening  smile,  the  cup  of  priva- 
tion and  suffering  was  held  to  their  lips  and  they  were  made  to  drink  to  the  dregs.  But 
although  poor  and  humble,  they  were  not  entirely  friendless.  A  distant  stranger,  by  chance 
hearing  of  the  distress  of  these  poor  German  emigrants,  sent  provisions  for  their  relief — an 
incident  related  by  some  of  them  at  the  present  day  with  tears  of  gratitude. 

For  about  eighteen  months  they  toiled  in  separate  families,  but  unable  thus  to  sustain 
themselves  in  this  then  new  country,  the  idea  was  suggested  to  combine  and  conquer  by  the 
mighty  enginery  of  associated  effort.  A  constitution  was  adopted,  formed  on  purely  re- 
publican and  democratic  principles,  under  which  they  have  lived  to  the  present  time.  By  it 
Uiey  hold  all  their  property  in  common.  Their  principal  officers  are  an  agent  and  three 
trustees,  upon  whom  devolve  the  management  of  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  community. 
Their  offices  are  elective,  females  voting  as  well  as  males.  The  trustees  serve  three  years, 
one  vacating  his  post  annually  and  a  new  election  held. 

For  years  the  colony  struggled  against  the  current,  but  their  economy,  industry  and  in- 
tegrity enabled  them  to  overcome  every  obstacle  and  eventually  to  obtain  wealth.  Their 
numbers  have  slightly  diminished  since  their  arrival,  in  consequence  of  a  loss  of  fifty  per- 
sons in  the  summer  of  1832,  by  cholera  and  kindred  diseases,  and  poverty  in  the  early  years 
of  their  settlement,  which  prevented  the  contracting  of  new  matrimonial  alliances. 

Their  property  is  now  valued  at  near  half  a  million.  It  consists  of  nine  thousand  acres 
of  land  in  one  body,  one  oil,  one  saw  and  two  flouring  mills,  two  furnaces,  one  woollen 
factory,  the  stock  of  their  domain  and  money  invested  in  stocks.  Their  village,  named 
Zoar,  situated  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the  Tuscarawas,  has  not  a  very  prepossessing 
appearance. 

Every  thing  is  for  use — little  for  show.  The  dwellings,  twenty-five  in  number,  are  sub- 
stantial and  of  comfortable  proportions  ;  many  of  them  log,  and  nearly  all  unpainted.  The 
barns  are  of  huge  dimensions,  and  with  the  rest  are  grouped  without  order,  rearing  their 
brown  sides  and  red  tiled  roofs  above  the  foliage  of  the  fruit-trees,  partially  enveloping 
them.  Turning  from  the  village,  the  eye  is  refreshed  by  the  verdure  of  the  meadows  that 
stretch  away  on  either  hand,  where  not  even  a  stick  or  a  chip  is  to  be  seen  to  mar  the  neat- 
ness and  beauty  of  the  greensward. 


TUSCARAWAS    COUNTY.  493 

The  sound  of  the  horn  at  day-break  calls  them  to  their  labors.  They  mostly  work  in 
groups,  in  a  plodding  but  systematic  manner  that  accomplishes  much.  Their  tools  arc 
usually  coarse,  among  which  is  the  German  sythe,  short  and  unwieldy  as  a  bush-hook, 
sickles  without  teeth,  and  hoes  clumsy  and  heavy  as  the  mattock  of  the  southern  slave. 
The  females  join  in  the  labors  of  the  field,  hoe,  reap,  pitch  hay,  and  even  clean  and  wheel 
out  in  barrows  the  offal  of  the  stables.  Their  costume  and  language  are  that  of  Germany. 
They  are  seen  about  the  village  going  to  the  field  with  implements  of  labor  across  their 
shoulders,  their  faces  shaded  by  immense  circular  rimmed  hats  of  straw — or  with  their  hair 
combed  straight  back  from  their  foreheads  and  tied  under  a  coarse  blue  cap  of  cotton,  toting 
upon  their  heads  baskets  of  apples  or  tubs  of  milk. 

Systematic  division  of  labor  is  a  prominent  feature  in  their  domestic  economy,  although 
here  far  from  reaching  its  attainable  perfection.  Their  clothing  is  washed  together,  and 
one  bakery  supplies  them  with  bread.  A  general  nursery  shelters  all  the  children  over 
three  years  of  age.  There  these  little  pocket  editions  of  humanity  are  well  cared  for  by 
kind  dames,  in  the  sere  and  yellow  leaf. 

The  selfishness  so  prominent  in  the  competitive  avocations  of  society,  is  here  kept  from 
its  odious  development  by  the  interest  each  strikingly  manifests  in  the  general  welfare,  as 
only  thus  can  their  own  be  promoted.  The  closest  economy  is  shown  in  all  their  opera- 
tions— for  as  the  good  old  man  Kreutzner,  the  Boniface  of  the  community,  once  observed 
in  broken  English,  when  starting  on  a  bee  line  for  a  decaying  apple  cast  by  a  heedless  stran- 
ger into  the  street — "saving  make  rich  .'"  Besides  acting  as  host  in  the  neat  village  inn, 
this  man,  Kreutzner,  is  the  veterinary  iEsculapius  of  this  society,  carrying  out  the  universal 
economy  still  farther  by  practicing  on  the  homoeopathic  principles !  Astonishing  are  the 
results  of  his  skill  on  his  quarto-limbed  patients,  who,  from  rolling  and  snorting  under  acute 
pains  of  the  abdominal  viscera,  are,  by  the  melting  on  the  lips  of  their  tongues  of  a  few  pills 
of  an  infinitesimal  size,  lifted  into  a  comfortable  state  of  physical  exaltation. 

With  all  the  peculiarities  of  their  religious  faith  and  practice  we  are  unacquainted  ;  but, 
like  most  sects  denominated  Christian,  there  is  sufficient  in  their  creed,  if  followed,  to  make 
their  lives  here  upright,  and  to  justify  the  hope  of  a  glorious  future.  Separatists  is  a  term 
applied  to  them,  because  they  separated  from  the  Lutheran  and  other  denominations.  They 
have  no  prayers,  baptisms  nor  sacraments,  and,  like  Jews,  eschew  pork.  Their  log  church 
is  often  filled  winter  evenings,  and  twice  on  the  Sabbath.  The  morning  service  consists 
of  music,  instrumental  and  vocal,  in  which  a  piano  is  used,  together  with  the  reading  and 
explanation  of  the  scriptures  by  one  of  their  number.  The  afternoon  exercises  differ  from 
it  in  the  substitution  of  catechising  from  a  German  work  for  biblical  instruction. 

They  owe  much  of  their  prosperity  to  Bimeler,  now  an  old  man,  and  justly  regarded  as  the 
patriarch  of  the  community.  He  is  their  adviser  in  all  temporal  things,  their  physician  to 
heal  their  bodily  infirmities,  and  their  spiritual  guide  to  point  to  a  purer  world.  Although 
but  as  one  of  them,  his  superior  education  and  excellent  moral  qualities  have  given  him  a 
commanding  influence,  and  gained  their  love  and  reverence.  He  returns  the  affection  of 
the  people,  with  whom  he  has  toiled  until  near  a  generation  has  passed  away,  with  his 
whole  soul.  He  has  few  thoughts  for  his  fatherland,  and  no  desire  to  return  thither  to  visit 
the  home  of  his  youth.  The  green  hills  of  this  beautiful  valley  enclose  the  dearest  objects 
of  his  earthly  affections  and  earthly  hopes. 

The  community  are  strict  utilitarians,  and  there  is  but  little  mental  development  among 
them.  Instruction  is  given  in  winter  to  the  children  in  German  and  English.  They  are 
a  very  simple-minded,  artless  people,  unacquainted  with  the  outer  world,  and  the  great 
questions,  moral  and  political,  which  agitate  it.  Of  scarcely  equaled  morality,  never  has  a 
member  been  convicted  of  going  counter  to  the  judicial  regulations  of  the  land.  Thus  they 
pass  through  their  pilgrimage  with  but  apparently  few  of  the  ills  that  fall  to  the  common 
lot,  presenting  a  reality  delightful  to  behold,  with  contentment  resting  upon  their  counte- 
nances and  hearts  in  which  is  enthroned  peace. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  villages  in  the  county,  with  their  distances 
and  directions  from  New  Philadelphia,  and  their  population  in  1840, 
some  of  which  are  thriving  places,  and  have  since  much  increased : 
Bolivar,  at  the  junction  of  the  Sandy  and  Beaver  with  the  Ohio 
canal,  11  n.,  253;  Lockport,  on  the  Ohio  canal,  2  sw.,  191  ;  New 
Cumberland,  10  ne.,  138  ;  Port  Washington,  on  the  Ohio  canal,  18 
sw.,  116;  Shanesville,  12  w.,  226,  and  Sandyville,  12  ne.,  on  the 
Sandy  and  Beaver  canal,  243.  Eastport,  Lawrence ville,  Rogers- 
ville,  Strasburg,  Westchester,  Gnadenhutten,  Trenton  and  Uhrichs- 


494  UNION    COUNTY. 

ville  are  also  small  places :  the  last  of  which  is  a  thriving  town,  on 
Stillwater  creek,  by  which  large  quantities  of  produce  are  shipped 
to  the  Ohio  canal,  only  a  few  miles  distant. 


UNION. 


Union  was  formed  April  1st,  1820,  from  Delaware,  Franklin,  Mad- 
ison and  Logan,  together  with  a  part  of  old  Indian  territory.  The 
surface  is  generally  level,  and  most  of  the  soil  clayey.  The  south- 
western part  is  prairie  land,  and  the  north  and  eastern  woodland  of 
great  fertility  when  cleared.  In  the  eastern  part  are  valuable  lime- 
stone quarries.  The  principal  products  are  corn,  grass,  wheat,  oats, 
potatoes,  butter  and  cheese.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships 
in  1840,  with  their  population. 


Allen, 

714 

Jackson, 

352 

Paris,             1151 

Claiborne, 

497 

Leesburgh, 

720 

Union,             894 

Darby, 

736 

Liberty, 

922 

Washington,  154 

Dover, 

457 

Mill  Creek, 

524 

York,              439 

Jerome, 

868 

The  population  of  Union,  in  1830,  was  3,192,  and  in  1840,  8443, 
or  19  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

The  first  white  men  who  ever  made  a  settlement  within  the  county 
were  James  Ewing  and  his  brother  Joshua.  They  purchased  land 
and  settled  on  Darby  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Jerome  Township,  in 
the  year  1798.  The  next  year  came  Samuel  Mitchell,  David  Mitch- 
ell, Samuel  Mitchell,  jr.,  Samuel  Kirkpatrick,  and  Samuel  McCul- 
lough  ;  and  in  1800,  George  Reed,  Samuel  Reed,  Robert  Snodgrass, 
and  Paul  Houston. 

James  Ewing's  farm  was  the  site  of  an  ancient  and  noted  Mingo 
town,  which  was  deserted  at  the  time  the  Mingo  towns,  in  what  is 
now  Logan  county,  were  destroyed  by  Gen.  Logan  of  Kentucky, 
in  1786.  When  Mr.  Ewing  took  possession  of  it,  the  houses  were 
still  remaining,  and,  among  others,  the  remains  of  a  blacksmith's 
shop,  with  coal,  cinders,  iron-dross,  &c.  Jonathan  Alder,  formerly 
a  prisoner  among  the  Indians,  says  the  shop  was  carried  on  by  a  ren- 
egade white  man  named  Butler,  who  lived  among  the  Mingoes.  Ex- 
tensive fields  had  formerly  been  cultivated  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  town. 

The  county  was  erected  through  the  exertions  of  Col.  James 
Curry,  who  was  then  a  member  of  the  state  legislature.  He  resided 
within  the  present  boundaries  of  the  county  from  the  year  1811  until 
his  death,  which  took  place  in  the  year  1834.  He  served  as  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Virginia  continental  line,  during  the  chief  part  of  the 
revolutionary  war.  He  was  taken  prisoner  when  the  American 
army  surrendered  at  Charleston,  S.  C.  In  early  youth  he  was  with 
the  Virginia  forces  at  Point  Pleasant,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kenhawa, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  with  the  Indians  at  that  place.  His 
account  of  that  battle  differed,  in  one  respect,  from  some  of  the 


UNION    COUNTY. 


495 


accounts  of  it  which  we  have  read.  His  recollection  was  perfectly 
distinct,  that  when  the  alarm  was  given  in  the  camp,  upon  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Indians  in  the  morning,  a  limited  number  of  men  from 
each  company  were  called  for,  and  sent  out  with  the  expectation 
that  they  would  have  a  fine  frolic  in  the  pursuit  of  what  they  sup- 
posed to  be  a  mere  scouting  party  of  Indians.  After  the  party  thus 
detached  had  been  gone  a  few  minutes,  a  few  scattering  reports  of 
rifles  began  to  be  heard.  Momently,  however,  the  firing  became 
more  rapid,  until  it  became  apparent  that  the  Indians  were  in  force. 
The  whole  available  force  of  the  whites  then  left  the  camp.  Du- 
ring the  forenoon,  Mr.  C.  received  a  wound  from  a  rifle  ball  which 
passed  directly  through  the  elbow  of  his  right  arm,  which  disabled 
him  for  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

During  his  residence  in  Ohio  he  was  extensively  known,  and  had 
many  warm  friends  among  the  leading  men  of  the  state.  He  was 
one  of  the  electors  by  whom  the  vote  of  the  state  was  given  to 
James  Monroe  for  president  of  the  United  States.  The  last  of  many 
public  trusts  which  he  held  was  that  of  associate  judge  for  this 
county.* 


Central  view  in  Marysville. 

Marysville,  the  county  seat,  so  named  from  a  daughter  of  the 
original  proprietor,  is  30  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  on  Mill  Creek,  a 
tributary  of  the  Scioto.  It  contains  1  Presbyterian  and  1  Metho- 
dist church,  an  academy,  1  newspaper  printing  office,  3  mercantile 
stores,  and  had  in  1843,  360  inhabitants ;  it  is  now  estimated  to  con- 
tain about  600. 

Milford,  5  miles  sw.  of  Marysville  on  Big  Darby,  is  a  flourishing 
village,  having  1  Presbyterian  and  1  Methodist  church,  3  mercantile 
stores,  and  about  400  inhabitants.  The  following  is  a  list  of  places 
in  the  county  with  their  population  in  1840 : — Essex  34,  Fairsburgh 
20,  Liberty  44,  Richwood  99,  Washington  10,  and  York  49. 

*  The  preceding  historical  items  respecting  this  county  were  communicated  by  a  resident. 


496  VAN    WERT    COUNTY. 


VAN  WERT. 

Van  Wert  was  formed  April  1st,  1820,  from  old  Indian  territory. 
It  was  named  from  Isaac  Van  Wart,  one  of  the  three  captors  of 
Maj.  Andre  in  the  revolutionary  war,  who  resided  near  Tarrytown, 
New  York,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1828,  aged  08  years.  The 
surface  is  level,  and  the  top  soil  loam,  and  the  sub-soil  blue  marl 
and  very  deep,  and  what  is  remarkable,  of  such  tenacity  that  water 
will  not  sink  through  it.  Hence,  in  wet  seasons,  the  crops  are  poor 
from  the  water  standing  on  the  soil.  When  the  country  is  cleared 
and  drained,  this  difficulty  will  be  obviated.  The  soil  is  very  rich, 
and  the  surface  covered  with  a  great  variety  of  timber.  The  prin- 
cipal product  is  Indian  corn.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  town- 
ships in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Harrison,         108         Pleasant,  192         Washington,       47 

Hoaglin,  40         Ridge,    '  211         Willshire,         434 

Jennings,  88         Tully,  99         York,  181 

Liberty,  117 

The  population  of  Van  Wert  in  1840,  was  1577,  or  about  4  per- 
sons to  the  square  mile. 

Van  Wert  received  its  present  boundaries  and  name  in  the  spring 
of  1820,  two  years  after  the  lands  of  the  northwestern  part  of  Ohio 
were  purchased  from  the  Indians,  by  the  treaty  of  St.  Mary's.  With 
most  of  the  14  counties  formed  by  the  same  act,  it  was  almost  an 
entire  wilderness,  the  surveyors'  marks  upon  the  township  lines 
being,  with  a  few  exceptions,  the  only  traces  of  civilization  in  the 
whole  region. 

The  ridge  upon  which  stand  the  towns  of  Van  Wert  and  Section  Ten,  is  a  subject  of 
curiosity  to  strangers.  It  is  of  great  utility  to  the  people  of  this  county  and  the  others,  (Put- 
nam, Hancock, Wyandot  to  Seneca.)  through  which  it  passes,  being  at  all  seasons  the  best 
natural  road  in  this  part  of  Ohio.  It  is  composed  entirely  of  sand  and  gravel,  and  has  an 
average  width  of  about  half  a  mile.  Its  highest  point  is  generally  near  the  south  side, 
from  which  it  gradually  slopes  to  the  north.  The  timber  is  such  as  is  usually  found  upon  the 
river  bottoms,  and  although  upon  it  are  as  large  trees  as  elsewhere,  yet  in  their  character 
they  form  a  striking  contrast  with  the  forest  on  either  side. 

At  a  depth  of  about  16  feet  through  sand  and  gravel,  pure  cold  water  is  found,  while 
through  the  clayey  soil  in  the  country  adjacent,  it  is  often  necessary  to  dig  from  20  to  40 
feet.  The  ridge  passes  out  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county,  and  is  temporarily  lost 
in  the  high  sandy  plain  near  Fort  Wayne.  Crossing  the  Maumee,  it  can  be  distinctly 
traced,  running  in  a  northeasterly  direction  ;  when,  although  frequently  eccentric  and  devious 
in  its  course,  it  runs  nearly  parallel  with  the  river,  being  distant  from  it  from  1  to  10  miles: 
it  is  again  lost  in  the  sandy  plains  nearly  north  of  Napoleon.  Has  not  this  ridge  been  the 
boundary  of  a  great  bay  of  Lake  Erie  !  when  its  waters  were,  perhaps,  180  feet  higher 
than  now?  The  sand,  gravel,  round  smooth  stones  and  shells,  all  bear  evidence  of  hav- 
ing been  deposited  by  water,  and  the  summit  of  the  ridge  is  every  where  at  the  same  level, 
or  relative  altitude. 

Van  Wert,  the  county  seat,  is  136  miles  nw.  of  Columbus,  and 
was  founded  in  1837,  by  James  Watson  Riley,  Esq.  It  is  hand- 
somely situated  on  a  natural  ridge,  elevated  about  20  feet  above  the 
general  surface  of  the  country,  on  a  fork  of  the  Little  Auglaize.  It 
contains  2  stores,  1  grist  and  2  saw  mills,  and  about  200  inhabitants 

The  site  of  the  town  of  Van  Wert,  has  evidently  been  an  Indian  town,  or  a  place  for 
winter  quarters ;  the  timber  standing  when  first  visited  by  the  writer,  and  probably  by 


VAN    WERT    COUNTY.  497 

white  men,  in  1825,  was  all  small  and  evidently  of  a  growth  of  less  than  50  years,  and  sev- 
eral wooden  houses,  covered  with  bark,  were  in  pretty  good  repair  when  the  town  was  laid 
out  in  1837  ;  numerous  graves,  on  a  commanding  bluff  upon  the  bank  of  the  creek,  as  well 
as  the  deep  worn  trails  upon  the  ridge,  up  and  down  the  creek,  and  in  various  other  direc- 
tions, bear  witness  that  this  deeply  sequestered,  yet  pleasant  spot,  unknown  to  the  whites  in 
all  the  wars,  from  St.  Clair's  defeat  to  the  close  of  the  late  war,  and  in  fact,  until  after  the 
treaty  of  St.  Mary's,  was  cherished  by  the  Indians  as  a  peaceful  and  quiet  home,  where 
they  could  in  security  leave  their  women  and  children,  when  they  sallied  out  upon  the  war 
path,  or  hunting  excursions. 

At  the  time  of  laying  out  the  town  plat,  an  old  Indian  of  the  Pottawatomie  tribe,  was 
encamped  near,  and  told  the  writer  that  he  had  with  his  family  spent  forty  winters  there, 
and  had  expected  there  to  leave  his  bones  ;  but,  added  he,  the  game  will  soon  disappear 
after  your  chain  has  passed  over  the  ground  ;  in  a  few  days  I  shall  take  my  leave,  and, 
added  he,  while  tears  almost  choked  his  utterance,  I  shall  never  return  again  to  this  place, 
and  the  haunts  of  the  deer,  the  bear  and  the  raccoon,  will  soon  be  broken  up,  and  brick 
houses  take  the  place  of  my  wigwam  !  !  This  Indian  had  been  a  brave,  said  "  he  owned 
a  farm  on  the  river  Raisin,  in  Michigan,  which  he  bought  from  the  government."  He 
had  a  red  haired  French  woman,  of  near  his  own  age,  a  prisoner  taken  from  Montreal  in 
infancy,  for  his  wife  ;  but  every  winter  he  returned  to  his  native  haunts. 

Soon  after  the  first  settlement  of  Van  Wert,  a  spring  of  clear  pure  well  water  was  found, 
which  had  been  carefully  hidden  years  before  by  the  Indians,  with  a  piece  of  bark  about  6 
feet  square.  This  bark  had  been  peeled  from  a  black  walnut,  flattened  out,  the  earth 
scraped  away  from  around  the  spring  for  about  16  inches  in  depth,  the  bark  laid  flat  over 
all,  and  then  the  whole  carefully  covered  with  earth,  so  that  no  trace  of  the  spring  could 
be  seen.  After  removing  the  bark,  the  spring  again  overflowed  and  resumed  its  old  chan- 
nel to  the  creek. 

Capt.  James  Riley  was  the  first  white  man  who  settled  in  Van  Wert  county  ;  he  moved 
his  family  into  the  forest,  on  the  St.  Mary's  river,  in  January,  1821,  and  began  clearing  up 
a  farm  and  the  erection  of  mills.  In  1822,  he  laid  out  a  town  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
river,  opposite  his  mills,  and  named  it  Willshire,  in  honor  of  his  benefactor  who  redeemed 
him  from  African  slavery.  His  sufferings  during  his  shipwreck  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and 
subsequent  captivity  among  the  Arabs,  have  been  detailed  in  a  volume  by  himself,  with 
which  the  public  are  already  familiar.  In  1823,  he  was  elected  as  a  single  representative 
to  the  state  legislature,  from  the  territory  which  now,  comprises  the  counties  of  Preble,  Mi- 
ami, Darke,  Shelby,  Mercer,  Allen,  Van  Wert,  Putnam,  Paulding,  Defiance,  Williams, 
Henry,  Wood  and  Lucas,  fourteen  counties,  which  now,  with  a  largely  increased  ratio  of 
votes,  send  eight  representatives  and  four  senators.  During  that  session,  which  is  justly 
pointed  to  as  pre-eminent  in  usefulness,  to  that  of  any  one  previous  or  subsequent,  he  bore 
a  conspicuous  part,  and  assisted  in  maturing  the  four  great  measures  of  the  session,  viz : 
the  act  for  improving  the  state  by  navigable  canals ;  the  revenue  act,  in  which  the  first  at- 
tempt to  establish  an  ad  valorem  system  of  taxation,  was  made  ;  the  act  providing  a  sink- 
ing fund,  and  an  act  for  the  encouragement  of  common  schools ;  the  last  named,  and  so 
much  of  the  first  as  relates  to  the  Miami  canal,  were  originated  by  him,  and  called  his 
measures. 

Capt.  Riley  lived  at  Willshire  7  years,  but  his  health  and  constitution  had  been  de- 
stroyed by  his  sufferings  in  Africa,  and  in  the  spring  of  1828,  he  was  carried  to  Fort 
Wayne  for  medical  aid  ;  after  lingering  on  the  verge  of  death  for  several  months,  he  was 
taken  on  a  bed  to  New  York,  and  in  1830,  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  resume  his  nautical 
life.  In  1831,  he  made  a  voyage  to  Mogadore,  to  visit  his  benefactor,  Mr.  Willshire,  es- 
tablished a  trade  there,  and  subsequently  made  nine  voyages  to  that  country,  during  one  of 
which  he  sent  his  vessel  home  in  charge  of  another,  and  travelled  through  Spain,  to  Mont- 
pelierin  France,  for  the  benefit  of  surgical  aid.  The  winter  of  1839-40,  he  spent  at  Mo- 
gadore and  the  city  of  Morocco,  which  latter  town  he  visited  in  company  with  Mr.  Willshire, 
and,  in  consequence  of  this  visit,  the  Emperor  granted  him  a  license  to  trade  with  the  peo- 
ple of  his  seaports,  during  life,  upon  highly  favorable  conditions,  never  before  granted  to 
any  christian  merchant.  On  the  10th  of  March,  1840,  he  left  New  York  in  his  brig,  the 
Wm.  Tell,  for  St.  Thomas,  in  the  West  Indies,  died  when  three  days  out,  and  was  con- 
signed to  the  ocean.  The  vessel  returned  tc^Mogadore  for  the  cargo  provided  by  him,  and 
was  wrecked  and  lost  while  at  anchor  in  the  harbor ;  all  on  board,  save  one,  perishing.* 

Willshire,  founded  in  1822,  by  Capt.  James  Riley,  is  in  the  sw. 
corner  of  the  county,  on  the  St.  Mary's  river,  and  contains  1  church, 

*  The  sketch  of  the  county  is  from  a  correspondent. 
63 


498  WARREN    COUNTY. 

2  stores,  2  grist  and  1  saw  mill,  and  about  100  inhabitants.  Section 
Ten  is  on  the  Miami  Extension  canal,  and  has  a  good  canal  water 
power,  as  well  as  being  the  best  accessible  point  on  the  canal  from 
the  county  towns  of  Van  Wert,  Putnam  and  Allen.  It  was  laid  out 
in  1845,  by  O.  H.  Bliss  and  B.  F.  Hollister,  and  has  about  300  in- 
habitants. 


WARREN. 

Warren  was  formed  from  Hamilton,  May  1st,  1803,  and  named 
from  Gen.  Joseph  Warren,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Bunker's  Hill. 
The  surface  is  level  or  undulating,  and  the  soil  very  fertile,  producing 
annually  over  a  million  of  bushels  of  corn.  Considerable  water 
power  is  furnished  by  its  streams.  The  principal  crops  are  corn, 
oats  and  wheat.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in  1840, 
with  their  population. 

Clear  Creek,  2821         Hamilton,       1718         Union,  1617 

Deerfield,       1875         Salem,  2955         Washington,  1306 

Franklin,       2455         Turtle  Creek,  4951         Wayne,  3392 

The  population  of  Warren  in  1820  was  17,838,  in  1830,  21,474,  in 

1840,  23,073,  or  57  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

In  the  latter  part  of  September,  1795,  about  one  month  after  the 
treaty  of  Greenville,  Mr.  Bedell  from  New  Jersey,  made  the  first 
settlement  in  the  county.  Previous  to  this,  Mill  Creek,  eleven  miles 
from  Cincinnati,  was  the  frontier  settlement  in  the  Miami  valley. 
He  erected  a  block  house  as  a  defence  against  Indians  about  a  mile 
south  of  Union  village,  at  a  place  since  known  as  BedelVs  station. 
Shortly  after,  a  settlement  was  commenced  at  Deerfield  by  Gen. 
David  Sutton,  Capt.  Nathan  Kelly  and  others.  In  the  course  of  two 
or  three  years  many  other  settlements  were  made,  principally  by 
people  from  New  Jersey. 

Among  the  early  settlers  was  Capt.  Robert  Benham.  He  lived 
in  a  double  cabin  about  a  mile  below  Lebanon,  on  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Fearney  farm,  where  he  died  a  few  years  previous  to 
the  late  war.  He  was  one  of  a  party  of  seventy  men  who  were 
attacked  by  Indians  near  the  Ohio,  opposite  Cincinnati,  in  the  war 
of  the  revolution,  the  circumstances  of  which  here  follow  from  a 
published  source. 

In  the  autumn  of  1779,  a  number  of  keel  boats  were  ascending  the  Ohio  under  the 
command  of  Maj.  Rodgers,  and  had  advanced  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Licking  without  ac- 
cident. Here,  however,  they  observed  a  few  Indians,  standing  upon  the  southern  extremity 
of  a  sandbar,  while  a  canoe,  rowed  by  three  others,  was  in  the  act  of  putting  off  from  the 
Kentucky  shore,  as  if  for  the  purpose  of  taking  them  aboard.  Rodgers  immediately  or- 
dered the  boats  to  be  made  fast  on  the  Kentucky  shore,  while  the  crew,  to  the  number 
of  seventy  men,  well  armed,  cautiously  advanced  in  such  a  manner  as  to  encircle  the  spc 
where  the  enemy  had  been  seen  to  land.  Only  five  or  six  Indians  had  been  seen,  and  nc 
one  dreamed  of  encountering  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  enemies.  When  Rodgers,  how 
ever,  had,  as  he  supposed,  completely  surrounded  the  enemy,  and  was  preparing  to  rush 
upon  them,  from  several  quarters  at  once,  he  was  thunderstruck  at  beholding  several  hun- 


WARREN    COUNTY.  499 

dred  savages  suddenly  spring  up  in  front,  rear,  and  upon  both  flanks!  They  instantly 
poured  in  a  close  discharge  of  rifles,  and  then  throwing  down  their  guns,  fell  upon  the  sur- 
vivors with  the  tomahawk  !  The  panic  was  complete,  and  the  slaughter  prodigious.  Maj 
Rodgers,  together  with  forty-five  others  of  his  men,  were  quickly  destroyed.  The  survivors 
made  an  effort  to  regain  their  boats,  but  the  five  men  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  them, 
had  immediately  put  off  from  shore  in  the  hindmost  boat,  and  the  enemy  had  already 
gained  possession  of  the  others.  Disappointed  in  the  attempt,  they  turned  furiously  upon 
the  enemy,  and  aided  by  the  approach  of  darkness,  forced  their  way  through  their  lines, 
and  with  the  loss  of  several  severely  wounded,  at  length  affected  their  escape  to  Harrods- 
burgh. 

Among  the  wounded  was  Captain  Robert  Benham.  Shortly  after  breaking  through  the 
enemy's  line  he  was  shot  through  both  hips,  and  the  bones  being  shattered,  he  fell  to  the 
ground.  Fortunately,  a  large  tree  had  lately  fallen  near  the  spot  where  he  lay,  and  with 
great  pain,  he  dragged  himself  into  the  top,  and  lay  concealed  among  the  branches.  The 
Indians  eager  in  pursuit  of  the  others,  passed  him  without  notice,  and  by  midnight  all  was 
quiet.  On  the  following  day,  the  Indians  returned  to  the  battle-ground,  in  order  to  strip 
the  dead  and  take  care  of  the  boats.  Benham,  although  in  danger  of  famishing,  permitted 
them  to  pass  without  making  known  his  condition,  very  correctly  supposing  that  his  crippled 
legs  would  only  induce  them  to  tomahawk  him  upon  the  spot  in  order  to  avoid  the  trouble 
of  carrying  him  to  their  town.  He  lay  close,  therefore,  until  the  evening  of  the  second  day, 
when  perceiving  a  raccoon  descending  a  tree,  near  him,  he  shot  it,  hoping  to  devise  some 
means  of  reaching  it,  when  he  could  kindle  a  fire  and  make  a  meal.  Scarcely  had  his  gun 
cracked,  however,  when  he  heard  a  human  cry,  apparently  not  more  than  fifty  yards  off. 
Supposing  it  to  be  an  Indian,  he  hastily  reloaded  his  gun,  and  remained  silent,  expecting 
the  approach  of  an  enemy.  Presently  the  same  voice  was  heard  again,  but  much  nearer. 
Still  Benham  made  no  reply,  but  cocked  his  gun  and  sat  ready  to  fire  as  soon  as  an  object 
appeared.  A  third  halloo  was  quickly  heard,  followed  by  an  exclamation  of  impatience 
and  distress,  which  convinced  Benham  that  the  unknown  must  be  a  Kentuckian.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  he  heard  the  expression,  "  whoever  you  are — for  God's  sake  answer  me  !"  he 
replied  with  readiness,  and  the  parties  were  soon  together.  Benham,  as  we  have  already 
observed,  was  shot  through  both  legs  !  the  man  who  now  appeared,  had  escaped  from  the 
same  battle,  with  both  arms  broken .'  Thus  each  was  enabled  to  supply  what  the  other 
wanted.  Benham  having  the  perfect  use  of  his  arms,  could  load  his  gun  and  kill  game 
with  great  readiness,  while  his  friend  having  the  use  of  his  legs,  could  kick  the  game  to  the 
spot  where  Benham  sat,  who  was  thus  enabled  to  cook  it.  When  no  wood  was  near  them, 
his  companion  would  rake  up  brush  with  his  feet,  and  gradually  roll  it  within  reach  of  Ben- 
ham's  hands,  who  constantly  fed  his  companion,  and  dressed  his  wounds,  as  well  as  his 
own — tearing  up  both  of  their  shirts  for  that  purpose.  They  found  some  difficulty  in  pro- 
curing water  at  first,  but  Benham  at  length  took  his  own  hat,  and  placing  the  rim  between 
the  teeth  of  his  companion,  directed  him  to  wade  into  the  Licking,  up  to  his  neck,  and  dip 
the  hat  into  the  water  (by  sinking  his  own  head.)  The  man  who  could  walk,  was  thus 
enabled  to  bring  water,  by  means  of  his  teeth,  which  Benham  could  afterwards  dispose  of 
as  was  necessary. 

In  a  few  days  they  had  killed  all  the  squirrels  and  birds  within  reach,  and  the  man  with 
the  broken  arms  was  sent  out  to  drive  game  within  gunshot  of  the  spot  to  which  Benham 
was  confined.  Fortunately,  wild  turkeys  were  abundant  in  those  woods,  and  his  compan- 
ion would  walk  around  and  drive  them  towards  Benham,  who  seldom  failed  to  kill  two  or 
three  of  each  flock.  In  this  manner  they  supported  themselves  for  several  weeks,  until 
their  wounds  had  healed,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  travel.  They  then  shifted  their  quarters, 
and  put  up  a  small  shed  at  the  mouth  of  Licking,  wh;re  they  encamped  until  late  in  No* 
vember,  anxiously  expecting  the  arrival  of  some  boat,  which  should  convey  them  to  the 
falls  of  Ohio. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  they  observed  a  flat  boat  moving  leisurely  down  the  river. 
Benham  hoisted  his  hat  upon  a  stick  and  hallooed  loudly  for  help.  The  crew,  however, 
supposing  them  to  be  Indians — at  least  suspecting  them  of  an  intention  to  decoy  them 
ashore,  paid  no  attention  to  their  signals  of  distress,  but  instantly  put  over  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  and  manning  every  oar,  endeavored  to  pass  them  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Benham  beheld  them  pass  him  with  a  sensation  bordering  on  despair,  for  the  place  was 
much  frequented  by  Indians,  and  the  approach  of  winter  threatened  them  with  destruction, 
unless  speedily  relieved.  At  length,  after  the  boat  had  passed  him  nearly  half  a  mile,  he 
saw  a  canoe  put  off  from  its  stern,  and  cautiously  approached  the  Kentucky  shore,  evidently 
recocnoitering  them  with  great  suspicion.  He  called  loudly  upon  them  for  assistance, 
mentioned  his  name,  and  made  known  his  condition.     After  a  long  parley,  and  many  evi 


;00 


WARREN    COUNTY. 


tiences  of  reiuctance  on  the  part  of  the  crew,  the  canoe  at  length  touched  the  shore,  and 
Benham  and  his  friend  were  taken  on  board.  Their  appearance  excited  much  suspicion. 
They  were  almost  entirely  naked,  and  their  faces  were  garnished  with  six  weeks'  growth 
of  beard.  The  one  was  barely  able  to  hobble  upon  crutches,  and  the  other  could  manage 
to  feed  himself  with  one  of  his  hands.  They  were  taken  to  Louisville,  where  their  clothes 
(which  had  been  carried  off  in  the  boat  which  deserted  them)  were  restored  to  them,  and 
after  a  few  weeks  confinement,  both  were  perfectly  restored. 

Benham  afterwards  served  in  the  northwest  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Indian  war — 
accompanied  the  expeditions  of  Harmar  and  Wilkinson — shared  in  the  disaster  of  St.  Clair 
and  afterwards  in  the  triumph  of  Wayne. 


Broadway,  Lebanon. 

Lebanon,  the  county  seat,  is  28  miles  ne.  of  Cincinnati,  80  sw. 
tof  Columbus,  and  22  s.  of  Dayton,  in  a  beautiful  and  fertile  coun- 
try- Turnpikes  connect  it  with  Cincinnati,  Dayton,  and  Colum- 
bus. It  is  also  connected  with  Middletowii,  19  miles  distant,  by  the 
Warren  county  canal,  which,  commencing  here,  unites  there  with 
the  Miami  canal. 

This  vicinity  was  first  settled  in  the  spring  of  1796,  by  Henry 
Taylor,  who  built  a  mill  one  mile  west,  on  Turtle  Creek.  Shortly 
after,  Ichabod  Corwin,  John  Osbourn,  Jacob  Vorhees,  Samuel  Shaw, 
Daniel  Bonte,  and  a  Mr.  Manning,  settled  near  him.  Lebanon  was 
laid  out  in  the  fall  of  1803,  by  Ichabod  Corwin,  Ephraim  Hathaway, 
and  Silas  Hurin.  Then  one  house  was  on  its  site,  a  two  story  log 
dwelling,  built  in  1797,  by  Ichabod  Corwin,  which  stood  on  Broad- 
way, opposite  the  present  residence  of  Mr.  Edwin  A.  Wilds.  When 
the  town  was  laid  out,  this  was  occupied  as  a  tavern  by  Ephraim 
Hathaway,  under  the  sign  of  a  black  horse,  and  continued  a  place 
of  "entertainment"  for  travellers  until  about  1810.  A  store  was 
also  opened  in  this  building  in  the  summer  of  1803,  by  John  Huston. 
Justice  as  well  as  food  and  clothing,  was  for  a  time  dispensed  there, 
— the  act  forming  the  county,  making  this  the  place  for  holding 
courts,  which  it  continued  to  be  for  about  three  years,  when  the  first 
court  house,  now  used  as  a  town  hall,  was  built.  Among  the  early 
settlers  of  Lebanon,  are  recollected  the  names  of  Wm.  Ferguson, 
Daniel  F.  Reeder,  John  Adams,  Joshua  Hollingsworth,  John  Prill, 
Peter  Yauger,  Samuel  M'Crea,  David  Corwin,  Richard  Cunningham, 
Wm.  R.  Goodwin,  and  Judge  Joshua  Collet,  the  first  lawyer  in  the 
county.  In  1806  the  Western  Star,  then  a  Jeffersonian  paper,  and 
now  continued,  was  established  by  Judge  John  M'Lean.     Lebanon 


WARREN    COUNTY.  501 

is  the  present  residence  of  Hon.  Thomas  Cor  win.  In  1810  the  town 
was  incorporated. 

The  Little  Miami  railroad  runs  four  miles  east  of  Lebanon,  to  which 
it  is  contemplated  to  construct  a  branch.  The  Warren  county  canal 
is  supplied  by  a  reservoir  of  30  or  40  acres  n.  of  the  town.  Leba- 
non is  regularly  laid  out  in  squares,  and  compactly  built.  It  contains 
1  Presbyterian,  1  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  2  Baptist,  1  Episcopal 
Methodist,  and  1  Prot.  do.  church,  2  printing  offices,  9  dry  goods 
and  6  grocery  stores,  1  grist  and  2  saw  mills,  1  woollen  manufactory, 
a  classical  academy  for  both  sexes,  and  had  in  1840,  1,327  inhab- 
itants. 

The  late  Judge  Francis  Dunlavy,  who  died  at  Lebanon,  in  1839,  was  born  in  Virginia, 
in  1761.  When  ten  years  of  age  his  father's  family  removed  to  western  Pennsylvania.  At 
the  early  age  of  14  years  he  served  in  a  campaign  against  the  Indians,  and  continued  mostly 
in  this  service  until  the  close  of  the  revolution.  He  assisted  in  building  Fort  M'Intosh, 
about  the  year  1777,  and  was  afterwards  in  the  disastrous  defeat  of  Crawford,  from  whence, 
with  two  others,  he  made  his  way  alone  through  the  woods  without  provisions,  to  Pitts- 
burgh. In  '87  he  removed  to  Kentucky,  in  '91  to  Columbia,  and  in  '97  to  this  neighborhood. 
By  great  perseverance  he  acquired  a  good  education,  mainly  without  instructors,  and  part 
of  the  time  taught  school  and  surveyed  land  until  the  year  1800.  He  was  returned  a 
member  of  the  convention  from  Hamilton  county  which  formed  the  state  constitution. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  first  legislature  in  1803,  at  the  first  organization  of  the  judi- 
ciary was  appointed  presiding  judge  of  the  first  circuit.  This  place  he  held  14  years,  and 
though  his  circuit  embraced  10  counties,  he  never  missed  a  court,  frequently  swimming  his 
horse  over  the  Miamies  rather  than  fail  being  present.  On  leaving  the  bench  he  practiced 
at  the  bar  15  years,  and  then  retired  to  his  books  and  study.  He  was  a  strong-minded 
philanthropic  man,  of  great  powers  of  memory,  and  a  most  useful  member  of  society. 

The  Hon.  Jeremiah  Morrow  resides  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
county.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  which  formed  the 
state  constitution,  a  representative  in  congress  at  various  times,  a 
member  the  United  States'  senate  from  1813  to  1319,  and  governor 
of  Ohio  from  1822  to  1826.  His  highness  the  Duke  of  Saxe  Weimar, 
who  was  in  this  country  in  1825,  gives  in  his  travels  a  pleasant  de- 
scription of  the  then  chief  magistrate  of  the  state. 

The  dwelling  of  the  governor  consists  of  a  plain  frame  house,  situated  on  a  little  eleva- 
tion not  far  from  the  shore  of  the  Little  Miami,  and  is  entirely  surrounded  by  fields.  The 
business  of  the  state  calls  him  once  a  month  to  Columbus,  the  seat  of  government,  and  the 
remainder  of  his  time  he  passes  at  his  country  seat,  occupied  with  farming,  a  faithful  copy 
of  an  ancient  Cincinnatus  ;  he  was  engaged  at  our  arrival  in  cutting  a  wagon  pole,  but  he 
immediately  stopped  his  work  to  give  us  a  hearty  welcome.  He  appeared  to  be  about  fifty 
years  of  age  ;  is  not  tall,  but  thin  and  strong,  and  has  an  expressive  physiognomy,  with 
dark  and  animated  eyes.  He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
in  the  state  of  Ohio.  He  offered  us  a  night's  lodging  at  his  house,  which  invitation  we 
accepted  very  thankfully.     When  seated  round  the  chimney  fire  in  the  evening,  he  related 

to  us  a  great  many  of  the  dangers  and  difficulties  the.  first  settlers  had  to  contend  with 

We  spent  our  evening  with  the  governor  and  his  lady.  Their  children  are  settled,  and  they 
have  with  them  only  a  couple  of  grandchildren.  When  we  took  our  seats  at  supper,  the 
governor  made  a  prayer.  There  was  a  bible  and  several  religious  books  lying  on  the  table. 
After  breakfasting  with  our  hospitable  host,  we  took  our  leave. 

Union  village,  4  miles  w.  of  Lebanon,  is  a  settlement  of  Shakers, 
or  as  they  call  themselves,  "the  United  Society  of  Believers."  They 
came  here  about  the  year  1805,  and  now  number  near  400  souls. 
The  village  extends  about  a  mile  on  one  street.  The  houses  and 
shops  are  very  large,  many  of  them  brick,  and  all  in  a  high  degree 
neat  and  substantial.     They  are  noted  for  the  cleanliness  and  strict 


502 


WARREN    COUNTY. 


propriety  of  conduct  characteristic  of  the  sect  elsewhere,  and  take 
no  part  in  politics  or  military  affairs,  keeping  themselves  completely 
aloof  from  the  world,  only  so  far  as  is  necessary  to  dispose  of  their 
garden  seeds  and  other  products  of  agriculture  and  articles  of  me- 
chanical skill.  They  own  here  about  3000  acres  of  land,  and  hold 
all  their  property  in  common. 


Shakers  Dancing. 

The  community  are  divided  into  five  families,  each  family  having 
an  eating-room  and  kitchen.  A  traveller  thus  describes  their  cere- 
monies at  the  table. 

Two  long  tables  were  covered  on  each  side  of  the  room, behind  the  tables  were  benches, 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  room  was  a  cupboard.  At  a  signal  given  with  a  horn,  the  brothers 
entered  the  door  to  the  right,  and  the  sisters  the  one  to  the  left,  marching  two  and  two  to 
the  table.  The  sisters  in  waiting,  to  the  number  of  six,  came  at  the  same  time  from  the 
kitchen,  and  ranged  themselves  in  one  file  opposite  the  table  of  the  sisters  ;  after  which, 
they  all  fell  on  their  knees,  making  a  silent  prayer,  then  arose,  took  hold  of  the  benches  be- 
hind them,  sat  down  and  took  their  meal  in  the  greatest  silence.  I  was  told  this  manner  was 
observed  at  all  their  daily  meals.  They  eat  bread,  butter  and  cakes,  and  drank  tea.  Each 
member  found  his  cup  filled  before  him — the  serving  sisters  filling  them  when  required. 
One  of  the  sisters  was  standing  at  the  cupboard  to  pour  out  the  tea — the  meal  was  very 
short,  the  whole  society  rose  at  once,  the  benches  were  put  back,  they  fell  again  on  their 
knees,  rose  again,  and  wheeling  to  the  right,  left  the  room  with  a  quick  step.  I  remarked 
among  the  females  some  very  pretty  faces,  but  they  were  all,  without  exception,  of  a  pale 
and  sickly  hue.  They  were  disfigured  by  their  ugly  costume,  which  consists  of  a  white 
starched  bonnet.     The  men  likewise  had  bad  complexions. 

Franklin  is  10  miles  nw.  of  Lebanon,  on  the  Dayton  and  Cincin- 
nati turnpike,  with  the  Miami  canal  running  east  of  it,  and  the  Miami 
river  bounding  it  on  the  west.  It  was  laid  out  in  1795,  a  few  months 
after  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  within  Symmes'  purchase,  by  its  pro- 
prietors, two  young  men  from  New  Jersey,  Daniel  C.  Cooper  and 
Wm.  C.  Schenck,  father  of  the  Hon.  Robt.  Schenck.  The  first  cabin 
was  built  by  them,  on  or  near  lot  21  Front  street.  -Jn  the  spring  of 
'96,  six  or  eight  cabins  stood  on  the  town  plot.     A  church,  common 


WARREN    COUNTY. 


503 


for  all  denominations,  on  the  site  of  the  Baptist  church,  was  the  first 
erected  ;  it  was  built  about  the  year  1808. 


View  in  Franklin. 

The  town  is  on  a  level  plot,  and  regularly  laid  out.  The  view 
shows  on  the  right  the  Methodist  church,  next  to  it,  merchants'  block, 
beyond  the  Baptist  church,  and  on  the  extreme  left,  the  spire  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Franklin  contains  3  churches,  a  high  school, 
4  dry  goods  and  2  grocery  stores,  2  forwarding  and  commission 
houses,  and  had  in  1840,  770  inhabitants. 

Waynesville  is  9  miles  ne.  of  Lebanon,  on  the  Cincinnati  and 
Columbus  turnpike.  This  place  was  laid  out  in  1802,  by  Samuel 
Highway,  for  himself  and  others.  This  vicinity  was  first  settled  in 
1796,  by  Mr.  Highway,  Dr.  E.  Baine  and  others.  Its  first  settlers 
were  Friends,  who  now  comprise  a  large  part  of  its  population. 
About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the  village  runs  the  Little  Miami 
railroad.  From  near  this  road  the  town,  which  lies  principally  upon 
a  side  hill,  shows  to  great  advantage.  Within  a  few  years  past, 
Waynesville  has  taken  a  start,  and  is  now  a  thriving  business  town, 
containing  2  Friends'  meeting-house,  1  Methodist  church,  4  mercan- 
tile stores,  2  flouring  and  2  saw  mills,  1  woollen  and  1  last  factory, 
and  had  in  1840,  427  inhabitants,  since  which  it  has  nearly  doubled 
in  population. 

About  6  miles  east  of  Lebanon,  on  the  Little  Miami  river,  is  a  very 
extensive  ancient  fortification,  called  Fort  Ancient.  The  extreme 
length  of  these  works,  in  a  direct  line,  is  nearly  a  mile,  although,  fol- 
lowing their  angles — retreating  and  salient — they  reach  probably 
a  distance  of  six  miles.  The  drawing  and  description  annexed 
are  from  the  article  of  Caleb  Atwater,  Esq.,  in  the  Archseologia 
Americana. 

The  fortification  stands  on  a  plain,  nearly  horizontal,  about  236  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  river,  between  two  branches  with  very  steep  and  deep  banks.  The  openings  in  the 
walls  are  the  gateways.     The  plain  extends  eastward  along  the  state  road,  nearly  level, 


504 


WARREN    COUNTY. 


about  half  a  mile.  The  fortification  on  all  sides,  except  on  the  east  and  west  where, the 
road  runs,  is  surrounded  with  precipices  nearly  in  the  shape  of  the  wall.  The  wall  on  the 
inside  varies  in  its  height,  according  to  the  shape  of  the  ground  on  the  outside,  being  gene- 
rally from  eight  to  ten  feet ;  but  on  the  plain,  it  is  about  nineteen  and  a  half  feet  high  inside 
and  out,  on  a  base  of  four  and  a  half  poles.  In  a  few  places  it  appears  to  be  washed  away 
in  gutters,  made  by  water  collecting  on  the  inside. 

At  about  twenty  poles  east  from  the  gate,  through  which  the  state  road  runs,  are  two 
mounds,  about  ten  feet  eight  inches  high,  the  road  running  between  them  nearly  equi- 
distant from  each.  From  these  mounds  are  gutters  running  nearly  north  and  south,  that 
appear  to  be  artificial,  and  made  to  communicate  with  the  branches  on  each  side.  North- 
east from  the  mounds,  on  the  plain,  are  two  roads,  B,  each  about  one  pole  wide,  elevated 


Fort  Ancient. 
about  three  feet,  and  which  run  nearly  parallel,  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile,  and  then  form 
an  irregular  semicircle  round  a  small  mound.     Near  the  southwest  end  of  the  fortification 
are  three  circular  roads,  A,  between  thirty  and  forty  poles  in  length,  cut  out  of  the  preci- 
pice between  the  wall  and  the  river.     The  wall  is  made  of  earth. 

Many  conjectures  have  been  made  as  to  the  design  of  the  authors  in  erecting  a  work  with 
no  less  than  58  gateways.  Several  of  these  openings  have  evidently  been  occasioned  by 
the  water,  which  had  been  collected  on  the  inside  until  it  overflowed  the  walls  and  wore 
itself  a  passage.     In  several  other  places  the  walls  might  never  have  been  completed. 

The  three  parallel  roads,  A,  dug,  at  a  great  expense  of  labor,  into  the  rocks  and  rocky 
soil  adjacent,  and  parallel  to  the  Little  Miami  river,  appear  to  have  been  designed  for  per- 
sons to  stand  on,  who  wished  to  annoy  those  who  were  passing  up  and  down  the  river 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY.  505 

The  Indians,  as  I  have  been  informed,  made  this  use  of  these  roads  in  their  wars  with  each 
other  and  with  the  whites.  Whether  these  works  all  belong  to  the  same  era  and  the  same 
people,  I  cannot  say,  though  the  general  opinion  is  that  they  do.  On  the  whole,  I  have 
ventured  to  class  them  among  "  Ancient  Fortifications,"  to  which  they  appear  to  have 
higher  claims  than  almost  any  other,  for  reasons  too  apparent  to  require  a  recital. 

The  two  parallel  lines,  B,  are  two  roads  very  similar  to  modern  turnpikes,  and  are  made 
to  suit  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  make  of  the  ground.  If  the  roads  were  for  foot  races,  the 
mounds  were  the  goals  from  whence  the  pedestrians  s'arted,  or  around  which  they  ran. 
The  area  which  these  parallel  walls  enclose,  smoothed  by  art,  might  have  been  the  place 
where  games  were  celebrated.  We  cannot  say  that  these  works  were  designed  for  such 
purposes ;  but  we  can  say,  that  similar  works  were  thus  used  among  the  early  inhabitants 
of  Greece  and  Rome. 

Haiveysburg,  so  named  from  George  Harvey,  who  laid  it  out  about 
30  years  since,  is  a  flourishing  town,  13  miles  ne.  of  Lebanon,  and 
contains  2  Friends'  meeting-houses,  1  United  Brethren  and  1  Metho- 
dist church,  1  classical  academy,  5  dry  goods  stores,  and  about  500 
inhabitants.  Springboro',  9  n.  of  Lebanon,  has  1  Friends'  meeting- 
house and  1  Universalist  church,  4  stores,  2  grist  mills,  and  about  90 
dwellings.  Palmyra,  8  sw.  of  Lebanon,  on  the  Cincinnati  turnpike, 
has  1  Methodist  and  1  Universalist  church,  4  stores,  and  about  70 
dwellings.  Deerfield,  Roachester,  Butlersville,  Morrow,  Ridgeville 
and  Yankeetown,  are  villages,  the  largest  of  which  may  contain  350 
inhabitants. 


WASHINGTON. 

Washington  was  formed  July  27th,  1788,  by  proclamation  of  Gov. 
St.  Clair,  being  the  first  county  formed  within  the  limits  of  Ohio.  Its 
original  boundaries  were  as  follows :  "  Beginning  on  the  bank  of  the 
Ohio  river,  where  the  western  boundary  line  of  Pennsylvania  crosses 
it,  and  running  with  that  line  to  Lake  Erie  ;  thence  along  the 
southern  shore  of  said  lake  to  the  mouth  of  Cuyahoga  river  :  thence 
up  the  said  river  to  the  portage  between  it  and  the  Tuscarawas 
branch  of  the  Muskingum  ;  thence  down  that  branch  to  the  forks, 
at  the  crossing  place  above  Fort  Laurens  ;  thence  with  a  line  to  be 
drawn  westerly  to  the  portage,  on  that  branch  of  the  Big  Miami,  on 
which  the  fort  stood  that  was  taken  by  the  French  in  1752,  until  it 
meets  the  road  from  the  lower  Shawnese  town  to  Sandusky  ;  thence 
south  to  the  Scioto  river,  and  thence  with  that  river  to  the  mouth, 
and  thence  up  the  Ohio  river  to  the  place  of  beginning."  The  sur- 
face is  generally  hilly  and  broken,  excepting  the  broad  strips  of  allu- 
vial land  on  the  Ohio  and  Muskingum.  In  the  middle  and  western 
part  are  extensive  tracts  of  fertile  land.  The  uplands  near  the 
large  streams  are  commonly  broken,  but  well  adapted  to  pasturage. 
The  principal  products  are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  potatoes,  dairy  pro- 
ducts, fruit  and  wool.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 

64 


506 


6 

WASHINGTON 

COUNTY. 

Adams, 

791 

Independence,  335 

Roxbury, 

1225 

Aurelius, 

886 

Jolly, 

582 

Salem, 

881 

Barlow, 

880 

Ludlow, 

539 

Union, 

888 

Belpre, 

1296 

Lawrence, 

571 

Warren, 

931 

Decatur, 

439 

Liberty, 

515 

Waterford, 

1166 

Fearington,1019 

Marietta, 

2689 

Watertown, 

1128 

Grandview 

,  514 

Newport, 

1678 

Wesley, 

991 

The  population  of  Washington  in  1820,  was  10,425  ;  in  1830, 
11,731,  and  in  1840,  20,694,  or  31  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile. 

This  county  was  the  first  settled  in  Ohio,  and  under  the  auspices 
of  the  New  England  Ohio  company.  Its  early  settlers  were  from 
New  England,  the  descendants  of  whom  constitute  the  larger  share 
of  its  present  population. 


Fort  Harmar. 

In  the  autumn  of  1785,  a  detachment  of  United  States  troops,  un- 
der the  command  of  Maj.  John  Doughty^  commenced  the  erection, 
and  the  next  year  completed  Fort  Harmar,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Muskingum,  at  its  junction  with  the  Ohio.  It  was  named  in  honor 
of  Col.  Josiah  Harmar,  to  whose  regiment  Maj.  Doughty  was  at- 
tached. It  was  the  first  military  post  erected  by  Americans  within 
the  limits  of  Ohio,  excepting  Fort  Laurens,  built  in  1778.  (See  p.  485.) 
The  outlines  of  the  fort  formed  a  regular  pentagon,  embracing 
within  the  area  about  three-quarters  of  an  acre.  Its  walls  were 
formed  of  large  horizontal  timbers,  and  the  bastions  of  large  upright 
timbers,  of  about  14  feet  in  height,  fastened  to  each  other  by  strips 
of  timber  tree-nailed  into  each  picket.  In  its  rear,  Maj.  Doughty 
laid  out  fine  gardens.  It  continued  to  be  occupied  by  United  States 
troops  until  September,  1790,  when  they  were  ordered  to  Cincin- 
nati. A  company  under  Capt.  Haskell  continued  to  make  the  fort 
their  head-quarters  during  the  Indian  war,  sending  out  occasionally 
small  detachments  to  assist  the  colonists  at  Marietta,  Belpre  and 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY.  507 

Waterford,  in  guarding  their  garrisons  against  the  Indians.  The 
barracks  and  houses  not  needed  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
troops,  were  occupied  by  the  inhabitants  living  at  Marietta,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Muskingum. 

In  the  autumn  of  1787,  the  directors  of  the  Ohio  company  organi- 
zed in  New  England,  preparatory  to  a  settlement.  Upon  the  23d 
of  November,  they  made  arrangements  for  a  party  of  47  men  to  set 
forward  under  the  superintendence  of  Gen.  Rufus  Putnam  ;  and  not 
long  alter,  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  they  started  on  their  toilsome 
journey.  Some  of  these,  as  well  as  most  of  those  who  followed 
them  to  the  colony,  had  served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  either 
as  officers  or  soldiers,  being  men  who  had  spent  the  prime  of  their 
lives  in  the  struggle  for  liberty. 

*'  During  the  winter  of  1787-8,  these  men  were  pressing  on  over  the 
Alleghanies  by  the  old  Indian  path  which  had  been  opened  into 
Braddock's  road,  and  which  has  since  been  followed  by  the  national 
turnpike  from  Cumberland  westward.  Through  the  dreary  winter 
days  they  trudged  on,  and  by  April  were  all  gathered  on  the  Yohio- 
gany,  where  boats  had  been  built,  and  started  for  the  Muskingum. 
On  the  7th  of  April  they  landed  at  the  spot  chosen,  and  became  the 
founders  of  Ohio,  unless  we  regard  as  such  the  Moravian  missiona- 
ries. 

"  As  St.  Clair,  who  had  been  appointed  governor  the  preceding 
October,  had  not  yet  arrived,  it  became  necessary  to  erect  a  tem- 
porary government  for  their  internal  security ;  for  which  purpose  a 
set  of  laws  was  passed,  and  published  by  being  nailed  to  a  tree  in 
the  village,  and  Return  Jonathan  Meigs  was  appointed  to  admin- 
ister them.  It  is  a  strong  evidence  of  the  good  habits  of  the  people 
of  the  colony,  that  during  three  months,  but  one  difference  occurred, 
and  that  was  compromised.  Indeed,  a  better  set  of  men  altogether, 
could  scarce  have  been  selected  for  the  purpose,  than  Putnam's  little 
band.  Washington  might  well  say,  'no  colony  in  America  was 
ever  settled  under  such  favorable  auspices  as  that  which  was  first 
commenced  at  the  Muskingum.  Information,  property  and  strength, 
will  be  its  characteristics.  I  know  many  of  the  settlers  personally, 
and  there  never  were  men  better  calculated  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  such  a  community.' 

"  On  the  2d  of  July,  a  meeting  of  the  directors  and  agents  was 
held  on  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  for  the  purpose  of  naming  the 
new-born  city  and  its  public  squares.  As  the  settlement  had  been 
merely  '  The  Muskingum,'  the  name  Marietta  was  now  formally 
given  to  it,  in  honor  of  Marie  Antoniette. 

"  On  the  4th  of  July,  an  oration  was  delivered  by  James  M.  Var- 
num,  who,  with  S.  H.  Parsons  and  John  Armstrong,  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  judicial  bench  of  the  territory,  on  the  16th  of  October, 
1787.  Five  days  later,  the  governor  arrived  and  the  colony  began 
to  assume  form.  The  ordinance  of  1787,  provided  two  district  grades 
of  government  for  the  northwest  territory,  under  the  first  of  which 
the  whole  power  was  in  the  hands  of  the  governor  and  three  judges, 


508  WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 

and  this  form  was  at  once  organized  upon  the  governor's  arrival. 
The  first  law,  which  was  '  for  regulating  and  establishing  the  mili- 
tia,' was  published  upon  the  25th  of  July ;  and  the  next  day,  ap- 
peared the  governor's  proclamation,  erecting  all  the  country  that 
had  been  ceded  by  the  Indians  east  of  the  Scioto  river  into  the 
county  of  Washington. 

"  From  that  time  forward,  notwithstanding  the  doubt  yet  exist- 
ing as  to  the  Indians,  all  at  Marietta  went  on  prosperously  and 
pleasantly.  On  the  2d  of  September,  the  first  court  was  held,  with 
becoming  ceremonies,"*  which  was  the  first  civil  court  ever  con- 
vened in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

"  The  procession  was  formed  at  the  Point,  (where  most  of  the  settlers  resided,)  in  the 
following  order  : — 1st,  The  high  sheriff,  with  his  drawn  sword  ;  2d,  the  citizens  ;  3d,  the 
officers  of  the  garrison  at  Fort  Harmar  ;  4th,  the  members  of  the  bar;  5th,  the  supreme 
judges  ;  6th,  the  governor  and  clergyman  ;  7th,  the  newly  appointed  judges  of  the  court  of 
lOiiimon  pleas,  Generals  Rufus  Putnam  and  Benj.  Tupper. 

"  They  marched  up  a  path  that  had  been  cut  and  cleared  through  the  forest  to  Campus 
Martius  Hall,  (stockade,)  where  the  whole  counter-marched,  and  the  judges,  (Putnam  and 
Tupper,)  took  their  seats.  The  clergyman,  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler,  then  invoked  the  divine 
blessing.  The  sheriff,  Col.  Ebenezer  Sproat,  (one  of  nature's  nobles,)  proclaimed  with  his 
solemn  '  0  yes,'  that  a  court  is  opened  for  the  administration  of  even-handed  justice  to  the 
poor  and  the  rich,  to  the  guilty  and  the  innocent,  without  respect  of  persons  ;  none  to  be 
punished  without  atrial  by  their  peers,  and  then  in  pursuance  of  the  laws  and  evidence  in  the 
case.'  Although  this  scene  was  exhibited  thus  early  in  the  settlement  of  the  state,  few 
ever  equalled  it  in  the  dignity  and  exalted  character  of  its  principal  participators.  Many 
of  them  belong  to  the  history  of  our  country,  in  the  darkest  as  well  as  most  splendid  pe- 
riods of  the  revolutionary  war.  To  witness  this  spectacle,  a  large  body  of  Indians  was 
collected,  from  the  most  powerful  tribes  then  occupying  the  almost  entire  west.  They  had 
assembled  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty.  Whether  any  of  them  entered  the  hall  of 
justice,  or  what  were  their  impressions,  we  are  not  told."t 

"  The  progress  of  the  settlement,  [says  a  letter  from  the  Musk- 
ingum,] is  sufficiently  rapid  for  the  first  year.  We  are  continually 
erecting  houses,  but  arrivals  are  faster  than  we  can  possibly  pro- 
vide convenient  covering.  Our  first  ball  was  opened  about  the  mid- 
dle of  December,  at  which  were  fifteen  ladies,  as  well  accomplished 
in  the  manners  of  polite  circles  as  any  I  have  ever  seen  in  the  old 
states.  I  mention  this  to  show  the  progress  of  society  in  this  new 
world  ;  where,  I  believe,  we  shall  vie  with,  if  not  excel,  the  old 
states,  in  every  accomplishment  necessary  to  render  life  agreeable 
and  happy." 

Soon  after  the  landing,  preparations  were  made  to  build  the  stock- 
aded fort,  Campus  Martius,  to  which  allusion  has  already  been  made ; 
and  although  it  was  begun  in  the  course  of  that  year,  it  was  not 
entirely  completed  with  palisades  and  outworks,  or  bastions,  until  the 
winter  of  1791. 

The  walls  formed  a  regular  parallelogram,  the  sides  of  which  were  180  feet  each.  At 
each  corner  was  erected  a  strong  block-house,  surmounted  by  a  tower  and  sentry  box. 
These  houses  were  20  feet  square  below  and  24  feet  above,  and  projected  6  feet  beyond  the 
curtains,  or  main  walls  of  the  fort.  The  intermediate  curtains  were  built  up  with  dwelling 
houses,  made  of  wood,  whip-sawed  into  timbers  four  inches  thick,  and  of  the  requisite 
width  and  length.  These  were  laid  up  similar  to  the  structure  of  log  houses,  with  the  ends 
nicely  dove-tailed  or  fitted  together  so  as  to  make  a  neat  finish.     The  whole  were  two 

*  Annals  of  the  West.  t  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  the  American  Pioneer. 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 


509 


stories  high,  and  covered  with  good  shingle  roofs.  Convenient  chimneys  were  erected  of 
bricks,  for  cooking  and  warming  the  rooms.  A  number  of  the  dwelling  houses  were  built 
and  owned  by  private  individuals,  who  had  families.      In  the  west  and  south  fronts  were 


Campus  Martius  in  1791. 

strong  gateways ;  and  over  that,  in  the  centre  of  the  front  looking  to  the  Muskingum 
river,  was  a  belfry.  The  chamber  underneath  was  occupied  by  the  Hon.  Winthrop  Sar- 
gent, as  an  office,  he  being  secretary  to  the  governor  of  the  N.  W.  Territory,  General  St. 
Clair,  and  performing  the  duties  of  governor  in  his  absence.  This  room  projected  over  the 
gateway,  like  a  block-house,  and  was  intended  for  the  protection  of  the  gate  beneath  in 
time  of  an  assault.  At  the  outer  corner  of  each  block-house  was  erected  a  bastion,  stand- 
ing on  four  stout  timbers.  The  floor  of  the  bastion  was  a  little  above  the  lower  story  of 
the  block-house.  They  were  square,  and  built  up  with  thick  planks  to  the  height  of  a 
man's  head,  so  that  when  he  looked  over  he  stepped  on  a  narrow  platform,  or  "  banquet," 
running  round  the  sides  of  the  bulwark.  Port-holes  were  made  for  musketry,  as  well  as 
for  artillery,  a  single  piece  of  which  was  mounted  in  the  southwest  and  northeast  bastions. 
In  these  the  sentries  were  regularly  posted  every  night,  as  more  convenient  of  access  than 
the  towers  ;  a  door  leading  into  them  from  the  upper  story  of  the  block-houses.  The  lower 
room  of  the  southwest  block-house  was  occupied  for  a  guard-house.  Running  from  corner 
to  corner  of  the  block-houses  was  a  row  of  palisades,  sloping  outwards,  and  resting  on 
stout  rails.  Twenty  feet  in  advance  of  these  was  a  row  of  very  strong  and  large  pickets, 
set  upright  in  the  earth.  Gateways  through  these  admitted  the  inmates  of  the  garrison. 
A  few  feet  beyond  the  outer  palisades  was  placed  a  row  of  abattis,  made  from  the  tops  and 
branches  of  trees,  sharpened  and  pointing  outwards,  so  that  it  would  have  been  very  difficult 
for  an  enemy  to  have  penetrated  even  within  their  outworks.  The  dwelling  houses  occu- 
pied a  space  from  15  to  30  feet  each,  and  were  sufficient  for  the  accommodation  of  forty 
or  fifty  families,  and  did  actually  contain  from  200  to  300  persons,  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren, during  the  Indian  war. 

Before  the  Indians  commenced  hostilities,  the  block-houses  were  occupied  as  follows  : — 
the  southwest  one  by  the  family  of  Gov.  St.  Clair  ;  the  northwest  one  for  public  wor.-hip 
vnd  holding  of  courts.  The  southeast  block-house  was  occupied  by  private  families;  and 
the  northeast  as  an  office  for  the  accommodation  of  the  directors  of  the  company.  The 
area  within  the  walls  was  144  feet  square,  and  afforded  a  fine  parade-ground.  In  the  centre 
was  a  well,  80  feet  in  depth,  for  the  supply  of  water  to  the  inhabitants  in  case  of  a  siege. 
A  large  sun-dial  stood  for  many  years  in  the  square,  placed  on  a  handsome  post,  and  gave 
note  of  the  march  of  time.     It  is  still  preserved  as  a  relic  of  the  old  garrison. 

After  the  war  commenced,  a  regular  military  corps  was  organized,  and  a  guard  con- 
stantly kept  night  and  day.  The  whole  establishment  formed  a  very  strong  work,  and  re- 
flected great  credit  on  the  head  that  planned  it.  It  was  in  a  manner  impregnable  to  the 
attacks  of  Indians,  and  none  but  a  regular  army  with  cannon  could  have  reduced  it.  It 
is  true,  that  the  heights  across  the  Muskingum  commanded  and  looked  down  upon  the  de- 
fences of  the  fort ;  but  there  was  no  enemy  in  a  condition  to  take  possession  of  this  ad- 
vantage. 


510  WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 

The  garrison  stood  on  the  verge  of  that  beautiful  plain  overlooking  the  Muskingum,  on 
which  are  seated  those  celebrated  remains  of  antiquity  ;  and  erected  probably  for  a  similar 
purpose,  the  defence  of  the  inhabitants.  The  ground  descends  into  shallow  ravines  on  the 
north  and  south  sides ;  on  the  west  is  an  abrupt  descent  to  the  river  bottoms,  or  alluvions  ; 
and  the  east  passed  out  on  to  the  level  plain.  On  this  the  ground  was  cleared  of  trees  be- 
yond the  reach  of  rifle  shots,  so  as  to  afford  no  shelter  to  a  hidden  foe.  Extensive  fields  of 
corn  were  growing  in  the  midst  of  the  standing  girdled  trees  beyond.  The  front  wall 
of  the  garrison  was  about  150  yards  from  the  Muskingum  river.  The  appearance  of  the 
fort  from  without  was  grand  and  imposing  ;  at  a  little  distance  resembling  one  of  the  mili- 
tary palaces  or  castles  of  the  feudal  ages.  Between  the  outer  palisades  and  the  river  were 
laid  out  neat  gardens  for  the  use  of  Gov.  St.  Clair  and  his  secretary,  with  the  officers  of 
the  company. 

Opposite  the  fort,  on  the  shore  of  the  river,  was  built  a  substantial  timber  wharf,  at  which 
was  moored  a  fine  cedar  barge  for  twelve  rowers,  built  by  Capt.  Jonathan  Devoll,  for  Gen. 
Putnam  ;  a  number  of  pirogues,  and  the  light  canoes  of  the  country  ;  and  last,  not  least, 
"  the  May-Flower,"  or  "  Adventure  Galley,"  in  which  the  first  detachment  of  colonists 
were  transported  from  the  shores  of  the  Yohiogany  to  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum.  In 
these,  especially  the  canoes,  during  the  war,  most  of  the  communications  were  carried  on 
between  the  settlements  of  the  company  and  the  more  remote  towns  above  on  the  Ohio 
river.  Travelling  by  land  was  very  hazardous  to  any  but  the  rangers,  or  spies.  There 
were  no  roads  nor  bridges  across  the  creeks,  and  for  many  years  after  the  war  had  ceased, 
the  travelling  was  nearly  all  done  by  canoes  on  the  rivers.* 

The  names  of  the  early  settlers  who  came  the  first  season  to  Ma- 
rietta, as  far  as  recollected,  were  as  follows : 

Of  the  agents,  were  Gen.  Putnam,  Winthrop  Sargeant,  secretary  of  the  territory, 
Judges  Parsons  and  Varnum  of  the  settlers,  Capt.  Dana,  Capt.  Jonathan  Devol,  Joseph 
Barker,  Col.  Battelle,  Major  Tyler,  Dr.  True,  Capt.  William  Gray,  Capt.  Lunt,  the  Bridges, 
Ebenezer  and  Thomas  Cory,  Andrew  M'Clure,  Wm.  Mason,  Thomas  Lord,  Wm.  Gridley, 
Gilbert  Devol,  Moody,  Russels,  Deavens,  Oakes,  Wright,  Clough,  Green,  Shipman,  Dor- 
rance,  the  Maxons,  Wells,  &c.  The  first,  boat  of  families  arrived  on  the  19th  of  August. 
in  the  same  season,  consisting  of  Gen.  Tuppers,  Col.  Ichabod  Nye,  Col.  Cushings,  Major 
Coburn's,  and  Major  Goodale's. 

In  the  spring  of  1789,  settlements  were  pushed  out  to  Belpre,  Waterford,  and  Duck 
Creek,  where  they  began  to  clear  and  plant  the  land,  build  houses  and  stockades.  Among 
the  first  settlers  at  Waterford,  were  Benjamin  Convers,  Gilbert  Devol,  sen.,  Phineas  Co- 
burn,  Win.  Gray,  Col.  Robert  Oliver,  Major  Hatfield  White,  Andrew  Story,  Samuel  Gush- 
ing, John  Dodge,  Allen  and  Gideon  Devol,  George,  William,  and  David  Wilson,  Joshua 
Sprague,  with  his  sons  William  and  Jonathan,  Capt.  D.  Davis,  Phineas  Coburn,  Andrew 
Webster,  Eben  Ayres,  Dr.  Farley,  David  Brown,  A.  Kelly,  James  and  Daniel  Convers. 

At  Belpre,  (the  French  for  "  beautiful  meadow'")  were  three  stockades,  the  upper,  lower, 
and  middle  ;  the  last  of  which  was  called  "  farmer's  castle,"  which  stood  on  the  banks  of 
the  Ohio,  nearly,  if  not  quite,  opposite  the  beautiful  island,  since  known  as  "  Blannerhassets," 
the  scene  of  "  Burr's  conspiracy."  Among  the  persons  at  the  upper,  were  Capt.  Dana, 
Capt.  Stone,  Col.  Bent,  Wm.  Browning,  Judge  Foster,  John  Rowse,  Mr.  K>ppel,  Israel 
Stone.  At  farmer's  castle,  were  Col.  dishing,  Major  Haskel,  Aaron  Waldo  Putnam,  Col. 
Fisher,  Mr.  Sparhawk,  and  it  is  believed  George  and  Israel  Putnam,  jr.  At  the  lower, 
were  Major  Goodale,  Col.  Rice,  Esq.  Pierce,  Judge  Israel  Loring,  Deacon  Miles,  Major 
Bradford,  and  Mr.  Goodenow.  In  the  summer  of  1789,  Col.  Ichabod  Nye  and  some  others 
built  a  block-house  at  Newberry,  below  Belprie.  Mr.  Nye  sold  his  lot  there  to  Aaron  N. 
Clough,  who,  with  Stephen  Guthrie,  Jos.  Leavins,  Joel  Oakes,  Eleazer  Curtis,  Mr.  Denham, 
J.  Littleton,  and  a  Mr.  Brown,  were  located  at  that  place  during  the  subsequent  Indian  war. 

Every  exertion  possible  for  men  in  these  circumstances,  was  made  to  secure  food  and 
prepare  for  future  difficulties.  Col.  Oliver,  Major  Hatfield  White,  and  John  Dodge,  of  the 
Waterford  settlement,  began  mills  on  Wolf  Creek,  about  three  miles  from  the  fort,  and  got 
them  running ;  and  these,  the  first  mills  in  Ohio,  were  never  destroyed  during  the  subse- 
quent Indian  war,  though  the  proprietors  removed  their  families  to  the  fort  at  Marietta. 
Col.  E.  Sproat  and  Enoch  Shephard,  began  mills  on  Duck  Creek,  three  miles  from  Mari- 
etta, from  the  completion  of  which  they  were  driven  by  the  Indian  war.  Thomas  Stanby 
began  mills  higher  up,  near  the  Duck  Creek  settlement ;  these  were  likewise  unfinished. 

*  The  engravings  of  Fort  Harmar  and  Campus  Martius,  together  with  the  accompanying 
descriptions,  are  from  the  communications  of  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth,  in  the  Am.  Pioneer. 


WASHINGTON    COUNTS.  511 

The  Ohio  company  built  a  large  horse  mill  near  Campus  Martius,  and  soon  after,  a  floating 
mill.  * 

During  the  Indian  war,  which  soon  succeeded  the  first  settlements, 
the  inhabitants  suffered  much  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  Although 
some  of  the  settlers  were  killed,  and  others  carried  into  captivity, 
yet  the  massacre  at  Big  Bottom,  (see  p.  377,)  was  the  most  alarming 
event.  The  escape  of  the  settlers  from  greater  suffering  from  this 
source,  was  owing  to  the  strong  fortifications  erected,  and  the  admi- 
rable judgment  and  foresight  they  displayed  in  taking  precautions 
against  danger.  Among  the  incidents  connected  with  the  troubles 
with  the  Indians,  to  which  we  have  barely  space  to  allude,  was  the 
taking  prisoner  at  Waterford,  of  Daniel  Con  vers,  (then  a  lad  of  10, 
now  of  Zanesville,)  who  was  carried  to  Detroit,  the  murder  of  Warth 
while  at  work  near  Fort  Harmar :  the  taking  prisoner  of  Major  Good- 
ale,  of  Belpre,  who  was,  it  is  supposed,  murdered  ;  the  death  of  Capt. 
Rogers,  who  was  out  with  Mr.  Henderson,  as  a  spy,  and  was  killed 
near  the  Muskingum,  about  a  mile  from  Marietta ;  the  death  of  a 
Mr.  Waterman,  near  Waterford,  and  the  narrow  escape  of  Return 
J.  Meigs,  into  Fort  Harmar,  by  his  fleetness  of  foot,  while  pursued  by 
the  enemy.  On  the  other  hand  retaliation  was  in  a  measure  inflicted 
upon  the  Indians,  and  among  those  most  active  in  this  duty  was  Ham- 
ilton Carr,  a  man  eminently  distinguished  as  an  Indian  hunter  and 
spy.  During  the  war  a  stockade  was  erected  near  the  mouth  of 
Olive  Green  Creek,  above  Waterford,  which  became  the  frontier 
garrison,  and  had  in  it  about  seven  or  eight  men  and  boys  able  to 
bear  arms.  Just  before  Wayne's  victory,  Aug.  4th,  1794,  they  lost 
one  man,  a  Mr.  Abel  Sherman,  who  went  into  the  woods  incautiously, 
and  was  killed  by  the  Indians.  A  tomb-stone  with  a  scalped  head 
rudely  carved  upon  it,  marks  the  spot  where  he  lies. 

Among  the  inmates  of  this  garrison  was  Geo.  Ewing,  esq.,  father  of  the  Hon.  Thomas 
Ewing.  His  fortune  and  history  were  similar  to  that  of  many  of  the  revolutionary  officers 
who  emigrated  to  the  west  at  that  early  day.  He  inherited  a  handsome  patrimony  and  sold 
it,  investing  the  proceeds  in  bonds  and  mortgages,  and  entered  the  continental  army  as  a 
subaltern  officer  in  1775,  he  being  then  but  little  over  21  years  of  age.  He  continued  to 
serve,  with  a  few  short  intermissions,  daring  the  war.  When  the  bonds  fell  due,  they  were 
paid  in  continental  money,  which,  proving  worthless,  reduced  him  to  poverty.  In  1785,  he 
migrated  to  the  west,  and  remained  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Ohio  until  1792,  when  he 
crossed  over  and  settled  at  Olive  Green. 

From  the  communication  of  one  of  the  early  settlers  at  Olive 
Green,  we  annex  some  facts  respecting  their  privations  and  the  dis- 
covery of  a  salt  well. 

The  inhabitants  had  among  them  but  few  of  what  we  consider  the  necessaries  and  con- 
veniences of  life.  Brittle  wares,  such  as  earthen  and  glass,  were  wholly  unknown,  and  but 
little  of  the  manufactories  of  steel  and  iron,  both  of  which  were  exceedingly  dear.  Iron  and 
salt  were  procured  in  exchange  for  ginseng  and  peltry,  and  carried  on  pack  horses  from  Ft. 
Cumberland  or  Chambersburg.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  garrison  to  be  wholly 
without  salt  for  months,  subsisting  upon  fresh  meat,  milk  and  vegetables,  and  bread  made 
of  corn  pounded  in  a  mortar — they  did  not  yet  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  the  hand-mill. 

There  had  been  an  opinon,  founded  upon  the  information  of  the  Indians,  that  there  were 

*  From  the  "  Reminiscences  of  the  First  Settlement  of  Ohio,"  by  Horace  Nye,  published 
in  the  Western  Recorder. 


512 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 


salt  springs  in  the  neighborhood,  but  the  spot  was  carefully  concealed.  Shortly  after 
Wayne's  victory,  in  1794,  and  after  the  inhabitants  had  left  the  garrison  and  gone  to  their 
farms,  a  white  man,  who  had  been  long  a  prisoner  with  the  Indians,  was  released  and  re- 
turned to  the  settlements.  He  stopped  at  Olive  Green,  and  there  gave  an  account  of  the 
salt  springs,  and  directions  for  finding  them.  A  party  was  immediately  formed,  (of  whom 
George  Ewing,  jr.,  then  a  lad  of  17,  was  one,)  who,  after  an  absence  of  7  or  8  days,  re- 
lumed, to  the  great  joy  of  the  inhabitants,  with  about  a  gallon  of  salt,  which  they  had 
made  in  their  camp  kettle.  This  was,  as  I  think,  in  August,  1795.  A  supply,  though  a 
very  small  one,  was  made  there  that  season  for  the  use  of  the  frontier  settlement. 

Whether  this  salt  spring  was  earlier  known  to  the  whites  I  am  unable  to  say.  It  may 
have  been  so  to  spies  and  explorers,  and  perhaps  to  the  early  missionaries  ;  but  this  was  the 
first  discovery  which  was  made  available  to  the  people. 


Marietta  College. 

Marietta,  the  county  seat,  and  the  oldest  town  in  Ohio,  is  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  at  its  confluence  with  the  Ohio,  104  miles 
se.  of  Columbus.  It  is  built,  principally  upon  a  level  plot  of  ground, 
in  the  midst  of  most  beautiful  scenery.  Many  of  the  dwellings  are 
constructed  with  great  neatness,  and  embellished  with  handsome 
door-yards  and  highly  cultivated  gardens.  Its  inhabitants  are  mostly 
of  New  England  descent,  and  there  are  few  places  in  our  country 
that  can  compare  with  this  in  point  of  morality  and  intelligence — 
but  few  of  its  size  that  have  so  many  cultivated  and  literary  men. 
Marietta  contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Episcopal,  1  Baptist,  1  Methodist, 
1  German  do.,  1  Universalist  and  1  Catholic  church ;  a  male  and 
female  academy,  in  excellent  repute  ;  a  college,  2  public  libraries, 
1  bank,  1  or  2  printing  offices,  a  variety  of  mechanical  and  manufac 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY.  613 

turing  establishments,  about  20  mercantile  stores,  and  in  1840,  had  a 
population  of  1814. 

Ship  building,  which  was  carried  on  very  extensively  at  an  early 
day,  and  then  for  a  season  abandoned,  has  again  been  commenced, 
and  is  now  actively  prosecuted.  From  the  year  1800  to  1807,  the 
business  was  very  thriving.  Com.  Abm.  Whipple,  a  veteran  of  the 
revolution,  conducted  the  one  first  built,  the  St.  Clair,  to  the  ocean. 

At  that  time  Marietta  was  made  "  a  port  of  clearance,"  from  which  vessels  could  receive 
regular  papers  for  a  foreign  country.  "  This  circumstance  was  the  cause  of  a  curious  inci- 
dent, which  took  place  in  the  year  1806  or  1807.  A  ship,  built  at  Marietta,  cleared  from 
that  port  with  a  cargo  of  pork,  flour,  &c,  for  New  Orleans.  From  thence  she  sailed  to 
England  with  a  load  of  cotton,  and  being  chartered  to  take  a  cargo  to  St.  Petersburg,  the 
Americans  being  at  that  time  carriers  for  half  the  world,  reached  that  port  in  safety.  Her 
papers  being  examined  by  a  naval  officer,  and  dating  from  the  port  of  Marietta,  Ohio,  she 
was  seized,  upon  the  plea  of  their  being  a  forgery,  as  no  such  port  was  known  in  the  civil- 
ized world.  With  considerable  difficulty  the  captain  procured  a  map  of  the  United  States, 
and  pointing  with  his  finger  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  traced  the  course  of  that  stream 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  ;  from  thence  he  led  the  astonished  and  admiring  naval  officer 
along  the  devious  track  of  the  latter  river  to  the  port  of  Marietta,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Musk- 
ingum, from  whence  he  had  taken  his  departure.  This  explanation  was  entirely  satisfac- 
tory, and  the  American  was  dismissed  with  every  token  of  regard  and  respect." 

Marietta  College  was  chartered  in  1835.  It  was  mainly  estab- 
lished with  a  view  to  meet  demands  in  the  west  for  competent  teach- 
ers and  ministers  of  the  gospel.  The  institution  ranks  high  among 
others  of  the  kind,  and  its  officers  of  instruction  are  such  as  to  merit 
the  confidence  of  the  enlightened  patrons  of  thorough  education.  A 
new  college  edifice  has  lately  been  reared,  and  from  the  indications 
given,  the  prospects  of  the  institution  for  a  generous  patronage  are 
highly  auspicious.  The  catalogue  for  1846-7,  gives  the  whole  num- 
ber of  students  at  177,  of  whom  60  were  undergraduates,  and  117 
in  the  preparatory  academy.  The  officers  are  Henry  Smith,  M.  A., 
president ;  John  Kendrick,  M.  A.,  J.  Ward  Andrews,  M.  A.,  and 
Hiram  Bingham,  M.  A.,  professors  ;  Samuel  Maxwell,  M.  A.,  prin- 
cipal of  the  academy,  and  Geo.  A.  Rosseter,  M.  A.,  tutor. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Marietta  were  many  who  merit  ex- 
tended sketches ;  we  have,  however,  but  space  for  brief  notices  of  a 
few  of  the  more  prominent. 

Ruftjs  Putnam  was  born  April  8th,  1738,  O.  S.,  at  Sutton,  Massachusetts.  At  the  age 
of  15,  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  millwright,  with  whom  he  served  four  years,  aod  then  en- 
listed as  a  common  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  war.  He  served  faithfully  three 
years,  was  engaged  in  several  actions,  and  was  at  the  time  the  army  disbanded,  in  1761, 
serving  as  ensign,  to  which  office  his  good  conduct  had  promoted  him.  After  this,  he 
resumed  the  business  of  millwright,  at  which  he  continued  seven  or  eight  years,  employing 
his  leisure  in  studying  mathematics  and  surveying. 

He  was  among  the  first  to  take  up  arms  in  the  revolutionary  contest,  and  as  an  evidence 
of  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held,  was  appointed  lieut.  colonel.  He  was  afterwards 
appointed,  by  congress,  military  engineer.  He  served  throughout  the  war  with  honor,  and 
was  often  consulted  and  held  in  high  estimation  by  Washington.  On  the  8th  of  January, 
1783,  he  was  honored  with  the  commission  of  brigadier  general,  having  some  time  pre- 
viously served  as  colonel.  He  was  appointed  by  the  Ohio  company  superintendent  of  all 
business  relating  to  their  contemplated  settlement ;  and  in  April,  1788,  commenced  the  first 
settlement  at  Marietta.  In  1789,  he  was  appointed  by  Washington  a  judge  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  territory.  On  the  5th  of  May,  1792,  he  was  appointed  brigadier  general  in 
the  army  of  the  United  States,  destined  to  act  against  the  Indians;  but  resigned  the  next 
year,  in  consequence  of  ill  health.  In  October,  1796,  he  was  appointed  surveyor  general 
of  the  United  States,  in  which  office  he  continued  until  1803.     He  was  a  member,  from 

65 


514  WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 

this  county,  of  the  convention  which  formed  the  state  constitution.  From  this  time  hi* 
advanced  age  led  him  to  decline  all  business  of  a  public  nature,  and  he  sought  the  quiet  of 
private  life.     He  died  at  Marietta,  May  1st,  1824,  at  the  age  of  86. 

General  Putnam  was  a  man  of  strong,  good  sense,  modest,  benevolent,  and  scrupulous 
to  fulfill  the  duties  which  he  owed  to  God  and  man.  In  person  he  was  tall,  of  command- 
ing appearance,  and  possessed  a  frame  eminently  fitted  for  the  hardships  and  trials  of  war. 
His  mind,  though  not  brilliant,  was  solid,  penetrating  and  comprehensive,  seldom  erring 
in  conclusions. 

Return  Jonathan  Meigs  was  born  at  Middletown,  Ct.,  in  1765,  graduated  at  Yale, 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  his  native  town.  He  was  among  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Marietta.  In  the  winter  of  1802-3,  he  was  elected  chief  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  state.  The  next  year  he  resigned  this  office,  having  received  from  Jefferson 
the  appointment  of  commandant  of  the  United  States'  troops  and  militia  in  the  upper  dis- 
trict of  Louisiana,  and  shortly  after  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  the  territory  of 
Louisiana.  In  April,  1807,  he  was  commissioned  a  judge  of  Michigan  territory  ;  resigned 
the  commission  in  October,  and  becoming  a  candidate  for  governor  of  Ohio,  was  elected, 
in  a  spirited  canvass,  over  his  competitor,  General  Massie  ;  but  not  having  the  constitu- 
tional qualification  of  the  four  years'  residence  in  the  state,  prior  to  the  election,  his  election 
was  contested  and  decided  against  him.  In  the  session  of  1807-8,  he  was  appointed  sen- 
ator in  congress,  which  office  he  afterwards  resigned,  and  was  elected  governor  of  Ohio  in 
1810.  In  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  while  holding  the  gubernatorial  office,  he  acted  with 
great  promptness  and  energy.  In  March,  1814,  having  been  appointed  post-master  gen- 
eral of  the  United  States,  he  resigned  that  office,  and  continued  in  his  new  vocation  until 
1823,  during  which  he  managed  its  arduous  duties  to  the  satisfaction  of  Presidents  Madison 
and  Monroe.  He  died  at  Marietta,  March  29th,  1825.  In  person  he  was  tall  and  finely 
formed,  with  a  high  retreating  forehead,  black  eyes,  and  aquiline  and  prominent  nose.  His 
features  indicated  his  character,  and  were  remarkably  striking,  expressive  of  mildness,  in- 
telligence, promptness  and  stability  of  purpose.  His  moral  character  was  free  from  re- 
proach, and  he  was  benevolent,  unambitious,  dignified,  but  easy  of  access. 

Rev.  Daniel  Story,  the  earliest  protestant  preacher  of  the  gospel  in  the  territory  north- 
west of  the  Ohio,  except  the  Moravian  missionaries,*  was  a  native  of  Boston,  and  gradu- 
ated at  Dartmouth  in  1780.  The  directors  and  agents  of  the  Ohio  company  having  passed 
a  resolution  in  1788,  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  and  the  teaching  of  youth,  Rev.  Ma- 
nasseh  Cutler,  one  of  the  company's  directors,  in  the  course  of  that  year  engaged  Mr. 
Story,  then  preaching  at  Worcester,  to  go  to  the  west  as  a  chaplain  to  the  new  settlement 
at  Marietta.  In  the  spring  of  1789,  he  commenced  his  ministerial  labors  as  an  evangelist, 
visiting  the  settlements  in  rotation.  During  the  Indian  war  from  1791  to  1795,  he  preached, 
during  most  of  the  time,  in  the  northwest  block-house  of  Campus  Martius.  The  Ohio 
company  at  the  same  time  raised  a  sum  of  money  for  the  education  of  youth,  and  employed 
teachers.  These  testimonials  sufficiently  prove  that  the  company  felt  for  the  spiritual,  as 
well  as  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  colonists. 

When  the  war  was  over,  Mr.  Story  preached  at  the  different  settlements ;  but  as  there 
were  no  roads,  he  made  these  pastoral  visits  by  water,  in  a  log  canoe,  propelled  by  stout 
arms  and  willing  hearts.  In  1796,  he  established  a  Congregational  church,  composed  of 
persons  residing  at  Marietta,  Belprie,  Waterford  and  Vienna,  in  Virginia.  Mr.  Story  died 
December  30th,  1804,  at  the  age  of  49  years.  He  was  a  remarkable  man,  and  peculiarly 
fitted  for  the  station  he  held.T 

Herman  Blannerhasset,  whose  connection  with  the  ill-fated  project 
of  Aaron  Burr  has  given  his  name  a  wide-spread  notoriety,  was  a 
resident  of  Marietta  as  early  as  1796.  About  the  year  1798,  he 
commenced  his  improvements  on  the  beautiful  island  since  known 
by  bis  name,  embosomed  on  the  Ohio,  near  the  lower  end  of  this 
county.  He  afterwards  resided  upon  it  for  a  number  of  years,  sur- 
rounded with  all  that  made  life  dear,  when  the  tempter  entered  this 
Eden  and  forever  blighted  his  earthly  prospects.     After  years  of 

*  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  agent  of  the  Ohio  company,  although  not  employed  as  a  clergy- 
man, in  1788,  prior  to  Mr.  Story's  emigration,  had  voluntarily  delivered  several  sermons  at 
Marietta. 

t  The  preceding  biographical  sketches  are  abridged  from  those  elsewhere  published,  and 
written  by  Dr.  S.  P.  Hildreth. 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 


515 


wandering,  he  finally  died  in  1822,  on  the  island  of  Guernsey.  His 
beautiful  and  accomplished  wife  subsequently  returned  to  this  coun- 
try, and  preferred  claims  against  the  United  States,  but  without 
success.  She  died  in  New  York,  in  1842.  The  island  will  evei 
remain  a  memento  of  the  fate  of  this  unfortunate  family,  around 
whose  melancholy  fortunes  the  genius  of  Wirt  has  weaved  a  tribute 
of  eloquence  alike  imperishable. 


Ancient  Works,  Marietta. 

At  Marietta  are  some  ancient  works,  which,  although  not  more 
remarkable  than  others  in  the  state,  and  not  as  extensive  as  some, 
are  more  generally  known,  from  having  been  so  frequently  described 
and  alluded  to  by  travellers.  The  description  which  follows  is 
from  Harris's  Tour,  and  the  engraved  plan  from  the  Archaeologia 
Americana. 

"  The  situation  of  these  works  is  on  an  elevated  plain,  above  the 
present  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  on  the  east  side,  and  about  half  a 
mile  from  its  junction  with  the  Ohio.  They  consist  of  walls  and 
mounds  of  earth,  in  direct  lines,  and  in  square  and  circular  forms. 

"  The  largest  square  fort,  by  some  called  the  town,  contains  40 
acres,  encompassed  by  a  wall  of  earth  from  6  to  10  feet  high,  and 


516 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 


from  25  to  36  feet  in  breadth  at  the  base.  On  each  side  are  three 
openings,  at  equal  distances,  resembling  12  gateways.  The  en- 
trances at  the  middle  are  the  largest,  particularly  on  the  side  next 
to  the  Muskingum.  From  this  outlet  is  a  covert  way,  formed  of  two 
parallel  walls  of  earth,  231  feet  distant  from  each  other,  measuring 


Movnd  at  Marietta. 

from  centre  to  centre.  The  wralls  at  the  most  elevated  part,  on  the 
inside,  are  21  feet  in  height,  and  42  in  breadth  at  the  base;  but  on 
the  outside  average  only  five  feet  in  height.  This  forms  a  passage 
of  about  360  feet  in  length,  leading  by  a  gradual  descent  to  the  low 
grounds,  where,  at  the  time  of  its  construction,  it  probably  reached 
the  river.  Its  walls  commence  at  60  feet  from  the  ramparts  of  the 
fort,  and  increase  in  elevation  as  the  way  descends  towards  the 
river ;  and  the  bottom  is  crowned  in  the  centre,  in  the  manner  of  a 
well-founded  turnpike  road. 

"  Within  the  wralls  of  the  fort,  at  the  northwest  corner,  is  an  ob- 
long elevated  square,  188  feet  long,  132  broad,  and  9  feet  high  ;  level 
on  the  summit,  and  nearly  perpendicular  at  the  sides.  At  the  centre 
•of  each  of  the  sides,  the  earth  is  projected,  forming  gradual  ascents 
to  the  top,  equally  regular,  and  about  6  feet  in  width.  Near  the 
south  wall  is  another  elevated  square,  150  feet  by  120,  and  8  feet  high, 
similar  to  the  other,  excepting  that  instead  of  an  ascent  to  go  up  on 
the  side  next  the  wall,  there  is  a  hollow  way  10  feet  wide,  leading 
20  feet  towards  the  centre,  and  then  rising  with  a  gradual  slope  to 
the  top.  At  the  southeast  corner  is  a  third  elevated  square,  108  by 
54  feet,  with  ascents  at  the  ends,  but  not  so  high  nor  perfect  as  the 
two  others.  A  little  to  the  southwest  of  the  centre  of  the  fort  is  a 
circular  mound,  about  30  feet  in  diameter  and  5  feet  high,  near  which 
are  four  small  excavations  at  equal  distances,  and  opposite  each 
other.  At  the  southwest  corner  of  the  fort  is  a  semi-circular  para- 
pet, crowned  with  a  mound,  which  guards  the  opening  in  the  wall. 
Towards  the  southeast  is  a  smaller  fort,  containing  20  acres,  with  3 


WAYNE    COUNTY. 


517 


gateway  in  the  centre  of  each  side  and  at  each  corner.     These 
gateways  are  defended  by  circular  mounds. 

"  On  the  outside  of  the  smaller  fort  is  a  mound,  [shown  in  the 
engraving,]  in  form  of  a  sugar-loaf,  of  a  magnitude  and  height  which 
strike  the  beholder  with  astonishment.  Its  base  is  a  regular  circle, 
115  feet  in  diameter:  its  perpendicular  altitude  is  30  feet.  It  is  sur 
rounded  by  a  ditch  4  feet  deep  and  15  feet  wide,  and  defended  by  a 
parapet  4  feet  high,  through  which  is  a  gateway  towards  the  fort,  20 
feet  in  width." 


Har mar,  from  the  Virginia  shore  of  the  Ohio. 

Harmar  is  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Musk- 
ingum, opposite  Marietta.  It  contains  1  Methodist  church,  a  male 
and  female  academy,  5  mercantile  stores,  1  steam  mill,  1  extensive 
foundery,  a  large  hotel,  (shown  on  the  left  of  the  view,)  and  had  in 
in  1840,  692  inhabitants.  Steamboat  building  has  been  extensively 
carried  on  here.  It  will  probably  become  a  manufacturing  town,  a 
grant  having  lately  been  given  by  the  state  to  use  the  waters  of  the 
Muskingum  at  the  dam. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  small  villages  in  this  county,  with 
their  population  in  1840.  Beverly  317,  Plymouth  141,  Watertown 
126,  and  Lowell  92.  The  last  named  has  since  much  increased.  It 
is  on  the  Muskingum,  10  miles  above  Marietta,  where  a  high  dam 
across  the  river  furnishes  much  water  power,  and  will  probably  at 
some  future  day  make  this  an  important  seat  of  manufactures. 


WAYNE. 

Wayne  was  established  by  proclamation  of  Gov.  St.  Clair,  Aug. 
15th,  1796,  and  was  the  third  county  formed  in  the  N.  W.  Territory. 
Its  original  limits  were  very  extensive,  and  were  thus  defined  in  the 


518  WAYNE    COUNTY. 

act  creating  it.  "  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  river, 
upon  Lake  Erie,  and  with  the  said  river  to  the  Portage,  between  it 
and  the  Tuscarawas  branch  of  the  Muskingum  ;  thence  down  the 
said  branch  to  the  forks  at  the  carrying  place  above  Fort  Laurens ; 
1  hence  by  a  west  line  to  the  east  boundary  of  Hamilton  county, 
(which  is  a  due  north  line  from  the  lower  Shawnese  town  upon  the 
Scioto  river,)  thence  by  a  line  west-northerly  to  the  southern  part 
of  the  Portage,  between  the  Miamis  of  the  Ohio  and  the  St.  Mary's 
liver;  thence  by  a  line  also  west-northerly  to  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  Portage,  between  the  Wabash  and  the  Miamis  of  Lake  Erie, 
where  Fort  Wayne  now  stands ;  thence  by  a  line  west-northerly  to 
the  southern  part  of  Lake  Michigan;  thence  along  the  western 
shores  of  the  same  to  the  northwest  part  thereof;  (including  the 
lands  upon  the  streams  emptying  into  the  said  lake ;)  thence  by  a 
due  north  line  to  the  territorial  boundary  in  Lake  Superior,  and  with 
the  said  boundary  through  Lakes  Huron,  Sinclair  and  Erie  to  the 
mouth  of  Cuyahoga  river,  the  place  of  beginning."  These  limits 
embrace  what  is  now  a  part  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
and  all  of  Michigan,  and  the  towns  of  Ohio  City,  Chicago,  Sault  St. 
Mary's,  Mackinaw,  etc.  The  surface  of  the  county  is  mostly  roll- 
ing, but  interspersed  with  numerous  glades  of  level  land  ;  the  pre- 
vailing soil  is  a  deep  clayey  loam,  capable  of  the  highest  fertility. 
Coal  of  an  excellent  quality  abounds  in  the  northeastern  part,  and 
excellent  quarries  of  limestone  in  the  south:  it  is  one  of  the  best 
counties  for  wheat  in  Ohio.  The  principal  productions  are  wheat, 
oats,  corn,  grass,  potatoes,  sheep  and  swine.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  its  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 

Franklin,     1504         Perry,  2100 

Green,         1751         Plain,  2134 

Jackson,      1645         Salt  Creek,       2223 
Lake,  1145         Sugar  Creek,    2223 

Milton,        1352         Wayne,  1841 

Mohecan,   2046         Wooster,  3119 

East  Union,    1864         Paint,  1610 

The  population  of  Wayne,  in  1820,  was  11,933;  in  1830,  23,327; 
and  in  1840,  36,015,  or  68  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1846,  the  principal  part  of  the  townships  of  Jackson,  Lake, 
Mohecan  and  Perry  were  taken  from  Wayne  to  form  a  part  of  the 
new  county  of  Ashland. 

This  county  was  named  from  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne.  He  was  born  in  Chester  county, 
Pa.,  January  1st,  1745.  After  leaving  school  he  became  a  surveyor,  and  paid  some  atten- 
tion to  philosophy  and  engineering,  by  which  he  obtained  the  friendship  of  Dr.  Franklin, 
who  became  his  patron.  He  entered  the  army  of  the  revolution  in  1775,  and  was  made 
brigadier  general  in  1777.  He  was  in  the  army  through  the  war,  and  particularly  distin- 
guished himself  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine,  Germantown  and  Monmouth.  His  attack 
upon  Stony  Point,  in  July,  1779,  an  almost  inaccessible  height,  defended  by  600  men  and 
a  strong  battery  of  artillery,  was  the  most  brilliant  exploit  of  the  war.  At  midnight,  he 
led  his  troops  with  unloaded  muskets,  flints  out,  and  fixed  bayonets,  and  without  firing  a 
single  gun,  carried  the  fort  by  storm  and  took  543  prisoners.  He  was  struck,  in  the  attack, 
by  a  musket  ball  in  the  head,  which  was  momentarily  supposed  to  be  a  mortal  wound  ;  he 
called  to  his  aids  to  carry  him  forward  and  let  him  die  in  the  fort.     The  crowning  acts  of 


Baughman, 

1741 

Canaan, 

1826 

Chester, 

1985 

Chippewa, 

1787 

Clinton, 

873 

Congress, 

2008 

WAYNE    COUNTY. 


519 


his  life  were  his  victory  over  the  Indians  on  the  Maumee,  and  the  treaty  of  Greenville  in 
1795.  His  life  of  peril  and  glory  was  terminated  in  1796,  in  a  cabin  at  Presque  Isle,  (now 
Erie,  Pa.,)  then  in  the  wilderness.  His  remains  were  there  deposited,  at  his  own  request, 
under  the  flag-staff  of  the  fort,  on  the  margin  of  Lake  Erie ;  and  were  removed  in  1809, 
by  his  son,  to  Radnor  church-yard,  Delaware  county,  Pa.  Wayne  was  one  of  the  best 
generals  of  the  revolution.  He  was  irresistible  in  leading  a  charge,  and  a  man  of  great 
impetuosity  of  character,  bordering  on  rashness  ;  but  he  conducted  his  last  campaign  with 
great  caution  and  skill. 

Killbuck's  creek,  in  this  county,  was  named  from  Killbuck,  a  Del- 
aware chief.  His  village,  called  Killbuck's  town,  was  on  the  road 
from  Wooster  to  Millersburg,  on  the  east  side  of  the  creek,  about  10 
miles  south  of  Wooster.  It  is  laid  down  on  maps  published  as  early 
as  1764.  When  the  country  was  first  settled,  Killbuck  was  a  very 
old  man.     There  were  several  chiefs  by  this  name. 


Central  View  in  Wooster. 

An  Indian  settlement  stood  just  south  of  Wooster,  on  the  site  of 
the  Baptist  burying-ground.  It  was  named  Beaver-hat,  from  an 
Indian  chief  of  that  name,  who  resided  there  with  a  few  others. 
His  Indian  name  was  Paupelenan,  and  his  camp  or  residence  was 
called  by  him  Apple  chauquecake,  i.  e,  "  Apple  Orchard."  The  In- 
dian trail  from  Pittsburgh  to  Lower  Sandusky,  passed  just  north  of 
Beaver  Hat. 

Wooster,  the  county  seat,  named  from  Gen.  David  Wooster,  an 
officer  of  the  revolution,  is  93  miles  northeast  of  Columbus,  and  52 
southerly  from  Cleveland,  on  the  stage  road  between  the  two  places. 
It  is  situated  near  the  junction  of  Apple  with  Killbuck  creek,  on  a 
gradual  slope  of  ground,  elevated  about  50  feet  above  the  latter,  and 
is  surrounded  by  a  beautiful  undulating  country.  To  the  south, 
from  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  town,  is  seen  the  beautiful 
valley  of  the  Killbuck,  stretching  away  for  many  miles,  until  the 
prospect  is  hid  by  the  highlands  in  the  county  of  Holmes,  12  or  14 
miles  distant.  Wooster  is  compactly  and  well  built,  and  is  a  place 
of  much  business.     The  view  was  taken  near  Archer's  store,  and 


520  WAYNE    COUNTV. 

shows  a  part  of  the  public  square,  with  the  west  side  of  Market 
street:  the  county  buildings  are  shown  on  the  left,  and  the  spire  of 
the  Baptist  church  in  the  distance.  The  town  contains  1  Presby- 
terian, 1  Methodist,  1  German  Lutheran,  1  German  Reformed,  1 
Seceder,  1  Disciples,  1  Lutheran,  1  Baptist  church,  a  female  sem- 
inary in  good  repute,  4  grocery,  10  dry  goods,  2  hardware,  2  book 
and  3  drug  stores,  1  bank,  and  had  in  1840,  1913  inhabitants,  and 
now  is  estimated  to  contain  2700.  Carriage  making  is  extensively 
carried  on. 

This  county  lies  within  what  was  once  called  "the  New  Purchase," 
a  very  extensive  tract,  lying  south  of  the  Reserve,  east  of  the  Tus- 
carawas, north  of  the  Greenville  treaty  line,  and  extending  as  far 
west  as  the  western  line  of  the  Reserve.  The  land  office  for  this 
tract  was  at  Canton,  Col.  Thomas  Gibson,  register,  and  Col.  John 
Sloan,  now  of  Wooster,  receiver.  The  first  lands  were  sold  in  this 
district  at  Canton,  in  1808,  when  was  purchased  the  sites  of  Mans- 
field, Richland  county,  Wooster,  and  a  few  scattering  tracts  in  the 
purchase. 

Wooster  was  laid  out  in  the  fall  of  1808,  by  the  proprietors,  John 
Beaver,  William  Henry  and  Joseph  H.  Larwill,  on  a  site  337  feet 
above  Lake  Erie.  The  first  house  built  in  the  county  was  a  log 
structure  now  standing  on  Liberty  street,  in  Wooster,  immediately 
west  of  the  residence  of  William  Larwill.  It  was  raised  about  the 
time  the  town  was  laid  out,  and  was  first  occupied  by  William  Lar- 
will and  Abraham  Miller,  a  young  man.  The  next  spring  the  father 
of  the  latter  moved  in  from  Stark  county,  with  his  family — the  first 
that  settled  in  the  town — and  opened  it  as  a  house  of  entertainment. 
About  the  same  time,  James  Morgan,  from  Virginia,  settled  with  his 
family  on  Killbuck,  just  north  of  the  old  Indian  town.  In  1810,  the 
yellow  brick  building  on  the  north  side  of  Liberty  street,  adjoining 
the  public  square,  was  erected  by  John  Beaver,  being  the  first  brick 
edifice  erected  in  the  county.  In  the  fall  of  1808,  a  road  was  cut 
from  what  is  now  Massilon,  to  Wooster,  which  was,  it  is  said,  the 
first  road  made  in  the  county.  The  first  state  road  running  through 
the  county,  from  Canton  to  Wooster,  was  laid  out  in  1810,  by  the 
commissioners. 

When  Wooster  was  settled,  there  were  no  white  inhabitants  be- 
tween it  and  the  lake ;  on  the  west,  none  short  of  the  Maumee,  Fort 
Wayne  and  Vincennes ;  on  the  south,  none  until  within  a  few  miles 
of  Coshocton,  and  those  on  the  Tuscarawas  were  the  nearest  on  the 
east.  Wooster  was  made  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county,  May 
30tb,  1811.  Previously,  the  whole  county  was  comprised  in  Kill- 
buck  township,  which  had,  by  the  census  of  1810,  but  320  inhab- 
itants. Wooster  was  not  the  first  county  seat.  The  spot  chosen 
by  the  first  commissioners  was  on  an  eminence  now  known  as  Mad- 
ison hill,  about  1^  miles  southeast  of  the  town,  on  land  then  owned 
by  Bezaleel  Wells  &  Co.,  which  place  they  called  Madison.  But  a 
single  cabin  was  afterwards  built  there.     The  selection  displeased 


WILLIAMS    COUNTY.  .  521 

the  people  of  the  county,  which  resulted  in  the  legislature  appoint- 
ing new  commissioners,  who  located  it  at  Wooster. 

The  first  mill  was  erected  in  the  county  in  1809,  by  Joseph  Stibbs, 
of  Canton,  on  Apple  creek,  about  a  mile  east  of  Wooster.  Some 
time  after,  Stibbs  sent  a  man  by  the  name  of  Michael  Switzer,  who 
opened  for  him,  in  a  small  building  attached  to  the  mill,  a  store,  con- 
sisting of  a  small  stock  of  goods  suitable  for  the  settlers  and  Indians. 

One  morning  a  singular  incident  occurred.  In  the  store  was 
William  Smith,  Hugh  Moore,  Jesse  Richards,  J.  H.  Larwill  and  five 
or  six  Indians.  Switzer  was  in  the  act  of  weighing  out  some  pow- 
der from  an  eighteen  pound  keg,  while  the  Indians  were  quietly 
smoking  their  pipes  filled  with  a  mixture  of  tobacco,  sumach  leaves 
and  kinnickinnick,  or  yellow  willow  bark,  when  a  puff  of  wind 
coming  in  at  the  window,  blew  a  spark  from  one  of  their  pipes  into 
the  powder.  A  terrific  explosion  ensued.  The  roof  of  the  building 
was  blown  into  four  parts,  and  carried  some  distance — the  sides  fell 
out,  the  joists  came  to  the  floor — and  the  floor  and  chimney  alone 
were  left  of  the  structure.  Switzer  died  in  a  few  minutes — Smith 
was  blown  through  the  partition  into  the  mill,  and  badly  injured. 
Richards  and  the  Indians  were  also  hurt,  and  all  somewhat  burned. 
Larwill,  who  happened  to  be  standing  against  the  chimney,  escaped 
with  very  little  harm,  except  having,  like  the  rest,  his  face  well 
blackened,  and  being  knocked  down  by  the  shock. 

The  Indians,  fearful  that  they  might  be  accused  of  doing  it  inten- 
tionally, some  days  after  called  a  council  of  citizens  for  an  investi- 
gation, which  was  held  on  the  bottom,  on  Christmas  run,  west  of  the 
town. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  a  block-house  was  erected  in  Wooster,  on  the 
site  of  Col.  John  Sloan's  residence.  It  was  built  by  Captain  George 
Stidger,  of  Canton,  and  was  intended  more  particularly  for  a  com- 
pany he  had  here  and  other  troops  who  might  be  passing  through  the 
country. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  small  villages  in  the  county,  with  their 
distances  and  directions  from  Wooster,  the  largest  of  which  may 
contain  350  inhabitants.  Congress     11,  and  New  Pittsburg  9 

nw.  ;  Jefferson  4,  and  Reedsburg,  8  w. ;  Blaclmeyville,  8  nsvv.  ; 
Millbrook,  6  sw. ;  Moreland,  6  s.  ;  Edinburgh  6,  and  Mt.  Eaton,  14 
se.  ;  Moscow  10,  and  Dalton,  13  e.  ;  Smithville  6,  Bristol  13,  Chip- 
pewa 15,  and  Doyleston,  17  ne. 


WILLIAMS. 

Williams  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820, 
and  organized  in  April,  1824.  It  was  named  from  David  Williams, 
a  native  of  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  and  one  of  the  three  captors  of  Maj. 
Andre,  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  The  surface  is  slightly  rolling 
or  level.     In  the  west  are  oak  openings  with  a  light  sandy  soil.     In 

00 


522  ,  WOOD    COUNTY. 

the  north  is  a  rich  black  soil.  The  principal  crops  are  com,  pota- 
toes, oats  and  wheat.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  townships  in 
1840,  with  their  population. 


Brady, 

351 

Florence, 

119 

Springfield, 

359 

Bridewater, 

110 

Hicksville, 

67 

St.  Joseph, 

191 

Centre, 

339 

Jefferson, 

363 

Superior, 

166 

Defiance, 

944 

Milford, 

175 

Tiffin, 

222 

Delaware, 

201 

Mill  Creek, 

110 

Washington, 

98 

Farmer, 

281 

Pulaski, 

279 

The  population  of  Williams  in  1830,  was  1039,  and  in  1840, 
4464,  or  6  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile.  This  county  was  much 
reduced  in  1845,  by  the  formation  of  Defiance,  to  which  the  town- 
ships of  Defiance,  Delaware,  Farmer,  Hicksville,  Milford,  Tiffin  and 
Washington,  now  belong. 

This  county  is  now  settling  fast.  The  population  are  principally 
from  Ohio,  New  England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Germany. 
Previous  to  1835,  there  were  but  few  families  within  its  present 
limits. 

Bryan,  the  county  seat,  is  173  miles  nw.  of  Columbus  and  18  from 
Defiance.  It  was  laid  out  in  1840,  and  named  from  Hon.  John  A. 
Bryan,  formerly  auditor  of  the  state,  and  later  charge  de  affairs  to 
Peru.     It  is  a  small  village,  containing  perhaps  40  or  50  dwellings. 


WOOD. 


Wood  was  formed  from  old  Indian  territory,  April  1st,  1820,  and 
named  from  the  brave  and  chivalrous  Col.  Wood,  a  distinguished 
officer  of  engineers  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  surface  is  level,  and 
covered  by  the  black  swamp,  the  soil  of  which  is  a  rich,  black  loam, 
and  very  fertile,  and  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  grazing.  The  popu- 
lation are  mainly  of  New  England  descent,  with  some  Germans 
The  principal  crops  are  corn,  hay,  potatoes,  oats  and  wheat.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  townships  in  1840,  with  their  population. 
Bloom,       437     Liberty,  215     Perry  sburg,    1041 

Centre,         97     Middleton,  193     Plain,  272 

Freedom,  238     Milton  and  Weston,    539     Portage,  199 

Henry,       213     Montgomery,  609     Troy,  383 

Jackson,       26     Perry,  559     Washington,     244 

The  population  of  Wood  in  1830,  was  1096,  and  in  1840,  5458, 
or  10  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile. 

This  county  lies  within  the  Maumee  valley,  a  country  as  yet  new 
and  thinly  settled,  but  destined  to  be  one  of  the  most  highly  cul- 
tivated and  densely  populated  in  the  west.  We  annex  a  sketch  of 
its  early  history,  in  a  communication  from  Hezekiah  L.  Hosmer,  Esq., 
of  Perrysburg. 

The  military  expeditions  against  the  Indian  tribes  in  the  west,  commenced  under  the 
colonial  governments  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  were  finally  terminated  on  this 


WOOD    COUNTY.  523 

river,  by  the  decisive  victory  of  Gen.  Wayne,  in  1794.  Previous  to  that  event,  no  portion 
of  the  west  was  more  beloved  by  the  Indians  than  the  valleys  of  the  Maumee  and  its  trib- 
utaries. In  the  daily  journal  of  Wayne's  campaign,  kept  by  George  Will,  under  date  of 
August  6th,  1794,  when  the  army  was  encamped  56  miles  in  advance  of  Fort  Recovery, 
the  writer  says :  "  We  are  within  6  miles  of  the  Auglaize  river,  and  I  expect  to  eat  green 
corn  to-morrow."  On  the  8th  of  the  same  month,  after  the  arrival  of  the  army  at  the 
Camp  Grand  Auglaize,  (the  site  of  Fort  Defiance,)  he  continues:  "  We  have  marched  4 
or  5  miles  in  corn-fields  down  the  Auglaize,  and  there  is  not  less  than  1000  acres  of  corn 
around  the  town."  This  journal,  kept  from  that  time  until  the  return  of  the  army  to  Fort 
Greenville,  is  full  of  descriptions  of  the  immense  corn-fields,  large  vegetable  patches,  and 
old  apple  trees,  found  along  the  banks  of  the  Maumee,  from  its  mouth  to  Fort  Wayne.  It 
discloses  the  astonishing  fact,  that  for  a  period  of  eight  days  while  building  Fort  Defiance, 
the  army  obtained  their  bread  and  vegetables  from  the  corn-fields  and  potatoe  patches  sur- 
rounding the  fort.  In  their  march  from  Fort  Defiance  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  the  army 
passed  through  a  number  of  Indian  towns,  composed  of  huts,  constructed  of  bark  and 
skins — which  afforded  evidence  that  the  people  who  had  once  inhabited  them  were  com- 
posed, not  only  of  Indians,  but  of  Canadian  French  and  renegade  Englishmen. 

What  the  condition  of  the  valley  was  for  some  years  after  Wayne's  campaign,  may  be 
gathered  from  the  following  extracts  from  one  of  Judge  Burnet's  letters,  published  by  the 
Ohio  Historical  society.  After  assigning  some  reasons  for  the  downfall  of  the  Indians,  he 
says:  "  My  yearly  trips  to  Detroit,  from  1796  to  1802,  made  it  necessary  to  pass  through 
some  of  their  towns,  and  convenient  to  visit  many  of  them.  Of  course,  I  had  frequent  op- 
portunities of  seeing  thousands  of  them,  in  their  villages  and  at  their  hunting  camps,  and  of 
forming  a  personal  acquaintance  with  some  of  their  distinguished  chiefs.  I  have  eat  and 
slept  in  their  towns,  and  partaken  of  their  hospitality,  which  had  no  limit  but  that  of  their 
contracted  means.  In  journeying  more  recently  through  the  state,  in  discharging  my  judi- 
cial duties,  I  sometimes  passed  over  the  ground,  on  which  I  had  seen  towns  filled  with 
happy  families  of  that  devoted  race,  without  perceiving  the  smallest  trace  of  what  had 
once  been  there.  All  their  ancient  settlements,  on  the  route  to  Fort  Defiance,  and  from 
thence  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  had  been  broken  up  and  deserted.  The  battle-ground  of 
Gen.  Wayne,  which  I  had  often  seen  in  the  rude  state,  in  which  it  was  when  the  decisive 
action  of  1794  was  fought,  was  so  altered  and  changed  that  I  could  not  recognize  it,  and 
not  an  indication  remained  of  the  very  extensive  Indian  settlements  which  I  had  formerly 
seen  there.  It  seemed  almost  impossible  that  in  so  short  a  period,  such  an  astonishing 
change  could  have  taken  place."  These  extracts  prove,  that  even  after  the  battle  of  Presque 
Isle,  although  crushed  and  humbled,  the  Indian  refused  to  be  divorced  from  the  favorite 
home  and  numerous  graves  of  his  race.  A  chain  of  causes  which  followed  this  battle, 
finally  wrested  from  him  the  last  foothold  of  his  soil.  These  may  be  said  to  have  com- 
menced with  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  made  on  the  3d  of  August,  1795,  with  the  Wyan- 
dots,  Ottawas,  and  other  tribes,  located  in  this  region.  By  this  treaty,  among  various  other 
cessions  of  territory,  a  tract  of  land  12  miles  square  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  and  one  of  6 
miles  square  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  were  given  to  the  United  States.  This  treaty  was 
followed  by  the  establishment  of  the  boundaries  of  the  county  of  Wayne,  which  included 
a  part  of  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  the  whole  of  Michigan. 

Notwithstanding  this  actual  declaration  of  ownership  by  the  government,  few  only  of  the 
whites  of  the  country,  were  willing  to  penetrate  and  reside  in  this  yet  unforsaken  abode  of  the 
Indian.  Col.  John  Anderson  was  the  first  white  trader  of  any  notoriety  on  the  Maumee. 
He  settled  at  Fort  Miami  as  early  as  1800.  Peter  Manor,  a  Frenchman,  was  here  previous 
to  that  time,  and  was  adopted  by  the  chief  Fontogany,  by  the  name  of  Sawendebans,  or  "  the 
Yellow  Hair!"  Manor,  however,  did  not  come  here  to  reside  until  1808.  Indeed,  I  can 
not  learn  the  names  of  any  of  the  settlers  prior  to  1810,  except  the  two  above  mentioned. 
We  may  mention  among  those  who  came  during  the  year  1810,  Maj.  Amos  Spafford,  An- 
drew Race,  Thomas  Learning,  Halsey  W.  Learning,  James  Carlin,  Wm.  Carter,  George 
Blalock,  James  Slason,  Samuel  H.  Ewing,  Jesse  Skinner,  David  Hull,  Thomas  Dick,  Wm. 
Peters,  Ambrose  Hickox,  Richard  Gifford.  All  these  individuals  were  settled  within  a 
circumference  of  10  miles,  embracing  the  ampitheatre  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  as  early 
as  1810.  Maj.  Amos  Spafford  came  here  to  perform  the  duties  of  collector  of  the  port 
of  Miami.  He  was  also  appointed  deputy  post-master.  A  copy  of  his  return  to  the  gov- 
ernment as  collector,  for  the  first  quarter  of  his  service,  ending  on  the  30th  June,  1810, 
shows  the  aggregate  amount  of  exports  to  have  been  $5640,85.  This  was,  for  skins  and 
furs,  $5610,85,  and  for  20  gallons  of  bear's  oil,  $30. 

When  war  broke  out  in  1812,  there  were  67  families  residing  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids. 
Manor — or  Minard,  the  Frenchman  above  alluded  to — states  that  the  first  intimation  that 


524  WOOD    COUNTY. 

the  settlers  had  of  Hull's  surrender  at  Detroit,  manifested  itself  by  the  appearance  of  a 
party  of  British  and  Indians  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  a  few  days  after  it  took  place.  The 
Indians  plundered  the  settlers  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  departed  for  Detroit  in  canoes. 
Three,  of  their  number  remained,  with  the  intention  of  going  into  the  interior  of  the  state. 
One  of  these  was  a  Delaware  chief  by  the  name  of  Sac-a-manc.  Manor  won  his  con- 
fidence, under  the  pretence  of  friendship  for  the  British,  and  was  by  him  informed,  that  in  a 
few  days  a  grand  assemblage  of  all  the  northwestern  tribes  was  contemplated  at  Fort 
Maiden,  and  that  in  about  two  days  after  that  assemblage,  a  large  number  of  British  and 
Indians  would  be  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  on  their  march  to  relieve  Fort  Wayne,  then 
under  investment  by  the  American  army,  as  was  supposed.  He  also  informed  him,  that 
when  they  came  again,  they  would  mas-acre  all  the  Yankees  found  in  the  valley,  Sac-a- 
manc  left  for  the  interior  of  the  state,  after  remaining  a  day  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  The 
day  after  his  departure,  Minard  called  upon  Maj.  SpafTord,  and  warned  him  of  the  hostile 
intentions  of  the  Indians,  as  he  had  received  them  from  Sac-a-manc.  The  major  placed 
no  confidence  in  them,  and  expressed  a  determination  to  remain,  until  our  army  from  the 
interior  should  reach  this  frontier.  A  few  days  after  this  conversation,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Gordon  was  seen  approaching  the  residence  of  Maj.  Spafford  in  great  haste.  This  individ- 
ual had  been  reared  among  the  Indians  ;  but  had  previous  to  this  time  received  some  fa- 
vors of  a  trifling  character  from  Maj.  Spafford.  The  major  met  him  in  his  corn-field,  and 
was  informed  that  a  party  of  about  50  Pottawatomies  on  their  way  to  Maiden  had  taken 
this  route,  and  in  less  than  two  hours  would  be  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  He  also  urged  the 
major  to  make  good  his  escape  immediately.  Most  of  the  families  at  the  foot  of  the 
rapids  had  left  the  valley  after  receiving  intelligence  of  Hull's  surrender.  The  major  assem- 
bled those  that  were  left  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  they  put  in  tolerable  sailing  con- 
dition an  old  barge,  in  which  some  officers  had  descended  the  river  from  Fort  Wayne,  the 
previous  year.  They  had  barely  time  to  get  such  of  their  effects  as  were  portable  on  board, 
and  row  down  into  the  bend  below  the  town,  before  they  heard  the  shouts  of  the  Indians 
above.  Poinding  no  Americans  here,  the  Indians  passed  on  to  Maiden.  The  major  and  his 
companions  sailed  in  their  crazy  vessel  down  the  lake,  to  the  Quaker  settlement  at  Milan, 
on  Huron  river,  where  they  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Sac-a-manc,  on  his  re- 
turn from  the  interior  of  the  state,  a  few  days  after  the  event,  showed  Manor  the  scalps  of 
three  persons  that  he  had  killed  during  his  absence,  on  Owl  creek,  near  Mount  Vernon.  At 
the  time  mentioned  by  him,  a  detachment  of  the  British  army,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Elliott,  accompanied  by  about  500  Indians,  came  to  th»  foot  of  the  rapids.  They  were 
anxious  to  obtain  guides.  Manor  feigned  lameness  and  ignorance  of  the  country,  above 
the  head  of  the  rapids,  a  distance  of  18  miles  up  the  river.  By  this  means,  he  escaped 
being  pressed  into  their  service  above  that  point.  He  accompanied  them  that  far  with  his 
cart  and  poney,  and  was  then  permitted  to  return.  On  his  return  he  met  Col.  Elliott,  the 
commander  of  the  detachment,  at  the  foot  of  Presque  Isle  Hill,  who  stopped  him,  and  after 
learning  the  services  he  had  performed,  permitted  him,  with  a  curse,  to  go  on.  A  mile  be- 
low him,  he  met  a  party  of  about  40  Pottawotamies,  who  also  desired  to  know  where  he 
was  going.  Manor  escaped  being  compelled  to  return,  by  telling  them  he  was  returning  to 
the  foot  of  the  rapids,  after  forage  for  the  army.  The  British  and  Indians  pursued  their 
march  up  the  river,  until  they  saw  the  American  flag  waving  over  Winchester's  encamp- 
ment at  Defiance,  when  they  returned  in  double  quick  time  to  Canada.  On  their  return, 
they  burned  the  dwellings,  stole  the  horses  and  destroyed  the  corn-fields  of  the  settlers  at 
the  foot  of  the  rapids. 

Manor,  soon  after  his  arrival  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  went  down  the  river  to  the  British 
fleet,  then  lying  at  the  mouth  of  Swan  creek,  under  command  of  Capt.  Mills.  Here  he 
reported  himself,  told  what  he  had  done  for  the  army,  and  desired  leave  to  go  to  his  family 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Capt.  Mills,  having  no  evidence  of  his  loyalty  beyond  his  own 
word,  put  him  under  hatches  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  Through  the  aid  of  his  friend,  Beau- 
grand,  Minard  was  released  in  a  few  days,  joined  his  family,  and  was  afterwards  a  scout 
for  our  army  during  the  remainder  of  the  war.  He  is  now  living  at  the  head  of  the  rapids, 
on  a  reservation  of  land  granted  him  by  the  government,  at  the  request  of  his  Indian  father, 
Ton-tog-sa-ny. 

After  peace  was  declared,  most  of  the  settlers  that  had  lived  here  previous  to  the  war, 
returned  to  their  old  possessions.  They  were  partly  indemnified  by  government  for  their 
losses.  Many  of  them  lived  in  the  block-houses  on  Fort  Meigs,  and  one  or  two  of  the  citi- 
zens of  our  town  were  born  in  one  of  them.  The  settlement  of  the  valley  was  at  first 
slow,  but  the  foot  of  the  rapids  and  vicinity  was  settled  long  before  any  of  the  rest.  In 
1816,  government  sent  an  agent  to  lay  out  a  town,  at  the  point  best  calculated  for  com- 
mercial purposes.     That  agent  sounded  the  river  from  its  mouth,  and  fixed  upon  Perrys- 


WOOD    COUNTY.  525 

burg.  The  town  was  laid  out  that  year,  and  named  after  Com.  Perry,  by  Hon.  Josiah 
Meigs,  then  comptroller  of  the  treasury.  This  county  was  then  embraced  in  the  county 
limits  of  Logan  county — Bellefontaine,  being  the  county  seat.  When  the  limits  of  Wood 
county  were  first  determined,  there  was  a  great  struggle  between  these  three  towns  at  the 
foot  rapids — Orleans,  Maumee  and  Perrysburg,  for  the  county  seat.  The  decision  in  favor 
of  Perrysburg  was  the  cause  of  the  abandonment  of  the  little  town  of  Orleans,  which  soon 
after  fell  into  decay. 

The  last  remnant  of  the  powerful  Ottawa  tribe  of  Indians  removed  from  this  valley  west 
of  the  Mississippi  in  1838.  They  numbered  some  interesting  men  among  them.  There 
was  Nawash,  Ockquenoxy,  Charloe,  Ottoca,  Petonquet,  men  of  eloquence,  remembered  by 
many  of  our  citizens.  Their  burying-grounds  and  village-sites,  are  scattered  along  both 
banks  of  the  river,  from  its  mouth  to  Fort  Defiance. 

This  part  of  the  Maumee  valley  has  been  noted  for  military  opera- 
tions. Wayne's  victory  over  the  Indians,  (see  page  318,)  Aug.  20th. 
1794,  was  gained  within  its  borders.  It  was  also  the  theatre  of  some 
important  operations  in  the  war  of  1812. 

About  the  middle  of  June,  1812,  the  army  of  Hull  left  Urbana,and  passed  through  the 
present  counties  of  Logan,  Hardin,  Hancock  and  Wood,  into  Michigan.  They  cut  a  road 
through  the  forest,  and  erected  Forts  M' Arthur  and  Findlay  on  the  route,  and  arrived  at 
the  Maumee  on  the  30th  of  June,  which  they  crossed  at  or  near  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  Hull 
surrendered  at  Detroit  on  the  16th  of  the  August  following. 

In  the  same  summer,  Gen.  Edward  W.  Tupper,  of  Gallia  county,  raised  about  1000  men 
for  six  months'  duty,  mainly  from  Gallia,  Lawrence  and  Jackson  counties,  who,  under  the 
orders  of  Gen.  Winchester,  marched  from  Urbana  north  by  the  route  of  Hull,  and  reached 
the  foot  of  the  Maumee  rapids.  The  Indians  appearing  in  force  on  the  opposite  bank,  Tup- 
per endeavored  to  cross  the  river  with  his  troops  in  the  night ;  but  the  rapidity  of  the  current . 
and  the  feeble,  half-starved  condition  of  his  men  and  horses  were  such,  that  the  attempt 
failed.  The  enemy  soon  after  collected  a  superior  force,  and  attacked  Tupper  in  his  camp, 
but  were  driven  off  with  considerable  loss.  They  returned  to  Detroit,  and  the  Americans 
marched  back  to  Fort  M' Arthur. 

On  the  10th  of  January,  1813,  Gen.  Winchester,  whose  troops  had  been  stationed  at  Forts 
Wayne  and  Defiance,  arrived  at  the  rapids,  having  marched  from  the  latter  along  the  north 
bank  of  the  Maumee.  There  they  encamped  until  the  17th,  when  Winchester  resumed 
his  march  north,  and  was  defeated  with  great  loss  on  the  22d,  on  the  River  Raisin,  near 
the  site  of  Monroe,  Michigan. 

On  receiving  information  of  Winchester's  defeat,  Gen*  Harrison  sent  Dr.  M'Keehan  from 
Portage  river  with  medicines  and  money  to  Maiden,  for  the  relief  of  the  wounded  and  the 
prisoners.  He  was  accompanied  by  a  Frenchman  and  a  militia  man,  and  was  furnished 
with  a  letter  from  Harrison,  addressed  to  any  British  officer  whom  he  might  meet,  describ- 
ing his  errand.  The  night  after  they  left,  they  halted  at  the  Maumee  rapids  to  take  a  few 
hours  sleep,  in  a  vacant  cabin  upon  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  about  50  rods  north  of  the 
present  bridge.  The  cariole  in  which  they  travelled  was  left  at  the  door,  with  a  flag  of 
truce  set  up  in  it.  They  were  discovered  in  the  night  by  a  party  of  Indians,  accompanied, 
it  is  said,  by  a  British  officer;  one  of  the  men  was  killed,  and  the  others  taken  to  Maiden, 
where  the  doctor  was  thrown  into  prison  by  Proctor  and  loaded  with  irons. 

After  the  defeat  of  Winchester,  Gen.  Harrison,  about  the  1st  of  Feb.,  established  his  ad- 
vanced post  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  He  ordered  Capt.  Wood,  of  the  engineer  corps,  to 
fortify  the  position,  as  it  was  his  intention  to  make  this  point  his  grand  depot.  The  fort 
erected  was  afterwards  named  Meigs,  in  honor  of  Governor  Meigs. 

Harrison  ordered  all  the  troops  in  the  rear  to  join  him  immediately.  He  was  in  hopes, 
by  the  middle  of  February,  to  advance  upon  Maiden,  and  strike  a  blow  that  should,  in 
some  measure,  retrieve  the  misfortunes  that  had  befallen  the  American  arms  in  this  quarter. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  intelligence  was  brought  of  the  encampment  of  about  600  In- 
dians, about  20  miles  down,  near  the  Bay  shore.  Harrison  had  with  him  at  this  time  about 
2000  men  at  the  post.  The  same  night,  or  that  following,  600  men  left  the  fort  under 
Harrison,  and  marched  down  the  river  on  the  ice  about  20  miles,  when  they  discovered 
some  fires  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  which  proved  to  have  been  that  of  the  Indians  who 
had  fled  the  day  before.  Here  the  detachment,  which  had  been  joined  by  500  men  more 
from  the  post,  waited  a  faw  minutes,  without  having  time  to  warm  themselves,  it  being  in- 
tensely cold,  when  the  object  of  the  expedition  was  made  known.  This  was  to  march  after 
the  Indians  ;  and  all  those  unable  by  fatigue  to  continue,  were  ordered  to  follow  the  next 
d'iy.     On  resuming  the  line  of  march,  the  army  had  proceeded  only  about  two  miles  when 


526  WOOD    COUNTY. 

their  only  cannon,  with  the  horses  attached,  broke  through  the  ice.  This  was  about  twc 
hours  before  morning,  and  the  moon  unfortunately  was  nearly  down.  In  endeavoring  to 
extricate  the  horses,  Lieut.  Joseph  H.  Larwill,  who  had  charge  of  the  piece,  with  two  of 
his  men,  broke  through  the  ice  and  narrowly  escaped  drowning.  The  army  thereupon 
halted,  and  a  company  ordered  to  assist  in  recovering  the  cannon,  which  was  not  acco'm- 
plished  until  daybreak.  Some  of  the  men  gave  out  from  being  wet,  cold  and  fatigued  ;  but 
the  lieut.,  with  the  remainder,  proceeded  with  the  cannon  after  the  main  army,  which  they 
overtook  shortly  after  sunrise,  on  an  island  near  the  mouth  of  the  bay.  The  spies  were  then 
arriving  with  the  intelligence  that  the  Indians  had  left  the  river  Raisin  for  Maiden.  Upon 
this  the  troops,  having  exhausted  their  provisions,  returned,  arriving  at  Fort  Meigs  just  as 
the  evening  gun  had  been  fired,  having  performed  a  march  of  45  miles  on  the  ice  in  less 
than  24  hours.* 

A  few  days  after  this,  about  250  men  volunteered  to  go  on  an  enterprize  of  the  most  des- 
perate nature.  On  Friday,  the  26th,  the  volunteer  corps  destined  for  this  duty  were  ad- 
dressed on  parade  by  Gen.  Harrison,  who  informed  them,  that  when  they  had  got  a  suffi- 
cient distance  from  the  fort,  they  were  to  be  informed  of  the  errand  they  were  upon,  and 
that  all  who  then  wished  could  return,  but  not  afterwards.  He  represented  the  undertaking 
as  in  a  high  degree  one  of  peril  and  privation ;  but  he  promised  that  those  who  deported 
themselves  in  a  gallant  and  soldierlike  manner  should  be  rewarded,  and  their  names  for- 
warded to  the  general  government. 

The  corps  took  up  their  line  of  march  and  concentrated  at  what  is  now  Lower  Sandusky, 
where  was  then  a  block-house,  on  the  site  of  Fort  Stephenson,  at  that  time  garrisoned  by 
two  companies  of  militia. 

The  force  which  was  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Langham,  consisted  of  68  regulars,  120 
Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  militia,  32  men  under  Lieut.  Madiss,  and  22  Indians,  making, 
with  their  officers,  242  men  ;  besides  these,  were  24  drivers  of  sleds  and  several  pilots. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  March,  they  left  the  block-house,  with  six  days'  provisions, 
and  had  proceeded  about  half  a  mile  when  Capt.  Langham  ordered  a  halt.  He  addressed 
the  soldiers  and  informed  them  of  the  object  of  the  expedition,  which  was  to  move  down  to 
Lake  Erie  and  cross  over  the  ice  to  Maiden,  and,  in  the  darkness  of  night,  to  destroy  with 
combustibles  the  British  fleet  and  the  public  stores  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  This  being 
done,  the  men  were  to  retreat  in  their  sleighs  to  the  point  of  the  Maumee  bay,  when  their  re- 
treat was  to  be  covered  by  a  large  force  under  Harrison.  At  this  time,  independent  of  the 
garrison  at  Maiden,  in  that  vicinity  was  a  large  body  of  Indians,  and  it  required  a  combi- 
nation of  circumstances  to  render  the  enterprize  successful.  Capt.  Langham  gave  liberty 
for  all  who  judged  it  to  be  too  hazardous,  to  withdraw.  About  20  of  the  militia  and  6  or  7 
of  the  Indians  availed  themselves  of  the  liberty.  The  rest  moved  down  the  river  in  sleighs, 
and  took  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  bay,  passing  through  and  across  the  peninsula,  and 
crossed  at  the  bay  of  Portage  river,  and  soon  came  in  view  of  the  lake  and  its  embosoming 
islands.  Some  of  the  men  walking  out  on  the  ice  of  the  lake,  were  alarmed  by  what  was 
judged  to  be  a  body  of  men  moving  towards  them.  It  was  subsequently  discovered  to  be 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  reflecting  on  ice  thrown  up  in  ridges. 

The  party  encamped  near  the  lake,  and  being  without  any  tents,  were  thoroughly  wet 
by  the  snow  and  rain.  After  the  guards  were  stationed,  and  all  had  retired  to  rest,  the 
report  of  a  musket  was  heard,  and  every  man  sprang  to  his  post,  ready  for  action.  It  proved 
to  have  been  a  false  alarm — an  accidental  discharge  through  the  carelessness  of  one  of  the 
men.  Capt.  Langham  was  almost  determined  to  have  the  soldier  shot  for  his  carelessness, 
as  it  now  had  become  particularly  necessary  for  the  utmost  precaution  ;  but  motives  of 
humanity  prevailed,  and  he  was  suffered  to  go  unpunished. 

On  the  next  morning,  March  3d,  they  proceeded  on  the  ice  to  Middle  Bass  island,  some 
17  miles  from  their  encampment.  Just  before  they  left  the  lake  shore,  an  ensign  and  13  of  the 
militia,  one  of  the  Indian  chiefs  and  several  of  the  Indians,  deserted  them.  During  their 
progress  to  the  island,  the  weather  was  stormy,  wind  blowing  and  snowing,  and  in  places  it 
was  quite  slippery.  They  arrived  at  the  northwest  side  of  the  island  early  in  the  afternoon, 
wben  the  weather  moderated. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  sled  tracks  were  discovered  on  the  ice,  going  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Maiden.  These  were  presumed  to  have  been  made  by  two  Frenchmen,  who  left 
Sandusky  the  day  before  the  corps  of  Langham.  They  had  then  stated  they  were  going  to 
the  river  Huron,  which  was  in  an  opposite  direction  :  the  officers  now  felt  assured  they 
were  inimical  to  their  designs,  and  were  on  their  way  to  give  the  British  notice  of  their 
intentions.  Moreover,  to  the  north  of  the  island  on  which  they  were,  the  ice  was  weak, 
and  the  lake  appeared  to  be  broken  up  to  the  north. 

*  MSS.  journal  of  Joseph  H.  Larwill. 


WOOD    COUNTY.  527 

It  being  the  intended  route  to  go  by  the  western  Sister  island,  to  elude  the  spies  of  the 
enemy,  the  guides  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  it  was  totally  impossible  to  go  to  Maiden  ; 
that  the  river  Detroit  and  the  lake  from  the  middle  Sister  were  doubtless  broken  up,  and 
that  there  was  a  possibility  of  getting  as  far  north  as  the  middle  Sister  ;  but  as  the  distance 
from  that  to  Detroit  river,  18  miles,  had  to  be  performed  after  night,  they  could  not  attempt 
going,  being  fully  satisfied  that  they  could  not  arrive  at  the  point  of  destination,  and  as  the 
weather  was  and  had  been  soft,  that,  should  a  southerly  wind  blow  up,  the  lake  would  in- 
evitably break  up,  and  they  might  be  caught  on  it  or  one  of  the  islands.  They  then  affirmed 
they  had  gone  as  far  as  they  thought  it  either  safe  or  prudent,  and  would  not  take  the  re- 
sponsibility on  them  any  farther.  Capt.  Langham  called  the  guides  and  officers  together. 
He  stated  that  he  had  been  instructed  to  go  no  farther  than  the  guides  thought  safe,  asked 
the  opinion  of  the  officers,  who  unanimously  decided  that  it  was  improper  to  proceed,  and 
that  they  should  return. 

The  weather  having  slighly  improved,  although  still  unfavorable,  a  second  council  was 
called  of  the  officers  and  guides,  but  with  the  same  result.  The  captain  then  called  the 
men  and  gave  the  opinion  of  their  superiors,  and  presented  the  importance  of  the  expedi- 
tion to  the  government  should  they  succeed ;  on  the  other  hand,  he  represented  that  they 
might  be  lost  on  the  lake  by  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  without  rendering  any  service  to 
their  country,  who  would  thus  be  deprived  of  the  choice  troops  of  the  army.  The  soldiers, 
on  thus  being  called  for  their  opinion,  expressed  themselves  as  ready  to  go  wherever  their 
officers  would  lead  ;  at  the  same  time,  said  they  should  abide  by  the  decision  of  their 
superiors,  whose  judgment  was  better  than  their  own. 

The  party  returned  by  the  way  of  Presque  Isle,  at  which  point  they  met  Gen.  Harrison 
with  a  body  of  troops.  From  thence  they  proceeded  to  Fort  Meigs  in  safety.  In  the  course 
of  their  journey  back,  they  found  the  lake  open  near  the  western  Sister  island.* 

On  the  9th  of  March,  the  day  being  very  fine,  several  of  the  men  went  down  as  far  as  the 
old  British  fort.  Some  of  them  discovered  a  party  of  Indians,  and  gave  the  alarm.  The 
latter  fired  at  them,  and  one  man,  while  running,  was  shot  through  the  left  skirt  of  his  coat. 
Luckily  a  hymn-book  which  he  carried  there  received  the  ball,  which  was  buried  in  its 
leaves.  The  men  escaped  safely  into  the  fort ;  but  Lieut.  Walker,  who  was  out  hunting 
wild  fowl,  was  killed.  His  body  was  found  the  next  day  and  brought  into  the  fort,  where 
Viis  grave  is  to  be  seen  at  the  present  day. 

Harrison  had  determined,  if  possible,  to  regain  Detroit,  and  in  a  measure  atone  for  the 
disasters  of  the  war  in  this  quarter  ;  but  the  weather  had  proved  unfavorable  for  the  trans- 
portation to  Fort  Meigs  of  a  sufficient  body  of  troops  for  such  an  object.  His  force  there 
was  diminished,  soon  after  his  arrival,  by  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  of  a  part  of 
those  at  the  rapids,  and  nothing  more  was  left  lor  him  but  to  remain  on  the  defensive. 
Satisfied  that,  in  his  weakened  condition,  the  enemy  would  make  a  descent  from  Maiden 
upon  the  fort  as  soon  as  the  ice  broke  up  in  the  lake,  he  left  in  March  for  the  interior,  to 
hasten  on  all  the  troops  he  could  raise  to  its  defence.  On  the  12th  of  April  he  returned 
at  the  head  of  a  detachment  of  troops,  and  applied  himself  with  great  assiduity  to  com- 
pleting the  defences. 

About  this  time  a  Canadian  Frenchman,  with  about  a  dozen  of  his  own  countrymen,  all 
volunteers,  had  a  desperate  boat  fight  with  an  equal  number  of  Indians  in  the  river,  near 
the  north  side  of  the  large  island  below  the  fort,  and  defeated  them.  The  whites  were  all 
either  killed  or  wounded,  except  the  captain  and  two  of  his  men.  As  they  were  returning 
to  the  fort,  they  saw  a  solitary  Indian,  the  sole  survivor  of  his  party,  rise  up  in  one  of  their 
two  canoes  and  paddle  to  the  shore. 

[Explanations. — a,  grand  battery,  commanded  by  Capt.  Daniel 
Cushing  ;  b,  mortar  battery  ;  e,  i,  o,  minor  batteries  ;  g,  battery  com- 
manded at  the  2d  siege  by  Col.  (now  Gen.)  Gaines ;  c,  magazines. 
The  black  squares  on  the  lines  of  the  fort  represent  the  position  of 
the  block-houses.  The  dotted  lines  show  the  traverses,  or  walls  of 
earth,  thrown  up.  The  longest,  the  grand  traverse,  had  a  base  of 
20  feet,  was  12  in  height,  and  about  900  in  length.  The  traverses 
running  lengthwise  of  the  fort,  were  raised  as  a  protection  against 
the  batteries  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  those  running 

*  The  foregoing  narrative  of  this  entcrprize  is  from  the  mss.  journal  of  Joseph  H.  Larwill, 
who  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  party. 


528 


WOOD    COUNTY. 


crosswise,  were  to  defend  them  from  the  British  batteries  on  this 
side.  The  British  batteries  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  were  named 
as  follows :  a,  queen's  ;  b,  sailors  ;  d,  king's,  and  c,  mortar.     The  fort 


Fort  Meigs  and  its  Environs* 

stood  upon  high  ground,  on  the  margin  of  a  bank,  elevated  about  60 
feet  above  the  Maumee.  The  surface  is  nearly  level,  and  is  covered 
by  a  green  sward.  The  outline  of  the  fort  is  now  well  defined,  and 
the  grand  traverse  yet  rises  six  or  eight  feet  from  the  surrounding 
ground.  The  work  originally  covered  about  10  acres,  but  was  re- 
duced in  area  between  the  two  sieges,  to  accommodate  a  smaller 
number  of  troops.  Just  above,  a  large  number  of  sunken  graves  in 
dicate  the  locality  of  the  soldiers'  burying-ground.  The  graves  of 
Lieut.  Walker  and  Lieut.  M'Cullough — the  last  of  whom  was  shot 
while  conversing  with  General  Harrison — are  within  the  fort.  The 
first  is  surmounted  by  a  small  stone,  with  an  inscription — the  last  is 
enclosed  by  a  fence.  (See  page  328.)  To  understand  the  position 
of  Fort  Meigs,  with  reference  to  the  British  fort  and  surrounding 
country,  see  map  on  page  319.] 


*  From  the  survey  of  Lieut.  Joseph  H.  Larwill,  made  between  the  two  sieges,  July  19th, 
1813. 


WOOD    COUNTV.  529 

"  On  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  in  Lake  Erie,  General  Proctor,  with  all  hie  disposable  force, 
consisting  of  regulars  and  Canadian  militia  from  Maiden,  and  a  large  body  of  Indiana 
under  their  celebrated  chief,  Tecumseh,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  two  thousand  men,  laid 
siege  to  Fort  Meigs.  To  encourage  the  Indians,  he  had  promised  them  an  easy  conquest, 
and  assured  them  that  General  Harrison  should  be  delivered  up  to  Tecumseh.  On  the  26th 
of  April,  the  British  columns  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  and  established 
their  principal  batteries  on  a  commanding  eminence  opposite  the  fort.  On  the  27th,  the 
Indians  crossed  the  river,  and  established  themselves  in  the  rear  of  the  American  lines. 
The  garrison,  not  having  completed  their  wells,  had  no  water  except  what  they  obtained 
from  the  river,  under  a  constant  firing  of  the  enemy.  On  the  first,  second,  and  third  of 
May,  their  batteries  kept  up  an  incessant  shower  of  balls  and  shells  upon  the  fort.  On  the 
night  of  the  third,  the  British  erected  a  gun  and  mortar  battery  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
river,  within  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  American  lines.  The  Indians  climbed  the 
trees  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort,  and  poured  in  a  galling  fire  upon  the  garrison.  In  this 
situation  General  Harrison  received  a  summons  from  Proctor  for  a  surrender  of  the  garri- 
son, greatly  magnifying  his  means  of  annoyance  ;  this  was  answered  by  a  prompt  refusal, 
assuring  the  British  general  that  if  he  obtained  possession  of  the  fort,  it  would  not  be  by 
capitulation.*  Apprehensive  of  such  an  attack,  General  Harrison  had  made  the  governors 
of  Kentucky  and  Ohio  minutely  acquainted  with  his  situation,  and  stated  to  them  the  ne- 
cessity of  reinforcements  for  the  relief  of  Fort  Meigs.  His  requisitions  had  been  zealously 
anticipated,  and  General  Clay  was  at  this  moment  descending  the  Miami  with  twelve  hun- 
dred Kentuckians  for  his  relief. 

"At  twelve  o'clock  in  the  night  of  the  fourth,  an  officert  arrived  from  General  Clay,  with 
the  welcome  intelligence  of  his  approach,  stating  that  he  was  just  above  the  rapids,  and 
could  reach  him  in  two  hours,  and  requesting  his  orders.  Harrison  determined  on  a  general 
sally,  and  directed  Clay  to  land  eight  hundred  men  on  the  right  bank,  take  possession  of  the 
British  batteries,  spike  their  cannon,  immediately  return  to  their  boats,  and  cross  over  to 
the  American  fort.  The  remainder  of  Clay's  force  were  ordered  to  land  on  the  left  bank, 
and  fight  their  way  to  the  fort,  while  sorties  were  to  be  made  from  the  garrison  in  aid  of 
these  operations  Captain  Hamilton  was  directed  to  proceed  up  the  river  in  a  periauger, 
land  a  subaltern  on  the  left  bank,  who  should  be  a  pilot  to  conduct  Gen.  Clay  to  the  fort  ; 
and  then  cross  over  and  station  his  periauger  at  the  place  designated  for  the  other  division 
to  land.  General  Clay,  having  received  these  orders,  descended  the  river  in  order  of  battle 
in  solid  columns,  each  officer  taking  position  according  to  his  rank.     Col.  Dudley,  being 

*  "  The  conversation  which  took  place  between  General  Harrison  and  Major  Chambers, 
of  the  British  army,  was,  as  nearly  as  can  be  recollected,  as  follows: — 

"  Major  Chambers. — General  Proctor  has  directed  me  to  demand  the  surrender  of  this 
post.     He  wishes  to  spare  the  effusion  of  blood. 

"  General  Harrison. — The  demand  under  present  circumstances,  is  a  most  extraordinary 
one.  As  General  Proctor  did  not  send  me  a  summons  to  surrender  on  his  first  arrival,  I 
had  supposed  that  he  believed  me  determined  to  do  my  duty.  His  present  message  indi- 
cates an  opinion  of  me  that  I  am  at  a  loss  to  account  for. 

"  Major  Chambers. — General  Proctor  could  never  think  of  saying  anything  to  wound 
your  feelings,  sir.  The  character  of  General  Harrison,  as  an  officer,  is  well  known.  Gen. 
Proctor's  force  is  very  respectable,  and  there  is  with  him  a  larger  body  of  Indians  than  has 
ever  before  been  embodied. 

"  General  Harrison. — I  believe  I  have  a  very  correct  idea  of  General  Proctor's  force ;  it 
is  not  such  as  to  create  the  least  apprehension  for  the  result  of  the  contest,  whatever  shape 
he  may  be  pleased  hereafter  to  give  to  it.  Assure  the  general,  however,  that  he  will  never 
have  this  post  surrendered  to  him  upon  any  terms.  Should  it  fall  into  his  hands,  it  will 
be  in  a  manner  calculated  to  do  him  more  honor,  and  to  give  him  larger  claims  upon  the 
gratitude  of  his  government,  than  any  capitulation  could  possibly  do." 

tThis  messenger  was  Capt.  William  Oliver,  now  of  Cincinnati,  then  a  young  man, 
noted  for  his  heroic  bravery,  He  had  previously  been  sent  from  the  fort  at  a  time  when  it 
was  surrounded  by  Indians,  through  the  wilderness,  with  instructions  to  General  Clay.  His 
return  to  the  fort  was  extremely  dangerous.  Capt.  Leslie  Coombs,  now  of  Lexington,  Ky., 
had  been  sent  by  Col.  Dudley  to  communicate  with  Harrison.  He  approached  the  fort, 
and  when  within  about  a  mile,  was  attacked  by  the  Indians,  and  after  a  gallant  resistance 
was  foiled  in  his  object  and  obliged  to  retreat  with  the  loss  of  nearly  all  of  his  companions. 
Oliver  managed  to  get  into  the  fort  through  the  cover  of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  by  which 
he  eluded  the  vigilance  of  Tecumseh  and  his  Indians,  who  were  very  watchful  and  had 
closely  invested  it. — H.  H. 

67 


530  WOOD    COUNTY. 

the  eldest  in  command,  led  the  van,  and  was  ordered  to  take  the  men  in  the  twelve  front 
boats,  and  execute  General  Harrison's  orders  on  the  right  bank.  He  effected  his  landing  at 
the  place  designated,  without  difficulty.  General  Clay  kept  close  along  the  left  bank  until 
he  came  opposite  the  place  of  Col.  Dudley's  landing,  but  not  finding  the  subaltern  there, 
he  attempted  to  cross  over  and  join  Col.  Dudley  ;  this  was  prevented  by  the  violence  of 
the  current  on  the  rapids,  and  he  again  attempted  to  land  on  the  left  bank,  and  effected  it 
with  only  fifty  men  amid  a  brisk  fire  from  the  enemy  on  shore,  and  made  his  way  to  the- 
fort,  receiving  their  fire  until  within  the  protection  of  its  guns.  The  other  boats  under  the 
command  of  Col.  Boswell,  were  driven  further  down  the  current,  and  landed  on  the  right 
to  join  Col.  Dudley.  Here  they  were  ordered  to  re-embark,  land  on  the  left  bank,  and 
proceed  to  the  fort.  In  the  mean  time  two  sorties  were  made  from  the  garrison,  one  on 
the  left,  in  aid  of  Col.  Boswell,  by  which  the  Canadian  militia  and  Indians  were  defeated, 
and  he  enabled  to  reach  the  fort  in  safety,  and  one  on  the  right  against  the  British  batteries, 
which  was  also  successful."* 

"  Col.  Dudley,  with  his  detachment  of  eight  hundred  Kentucky  militia,  completely  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  the  British  from  their  batteries,  and  spiking  the  cannon.  Having  accom- 
plished this  object,  his  orders  were  peremptory  to  return  immediately  to  his  boats  and  cross 
over  to  the  fort ;  but  the  blind  confidence  which  generally  attends  militia  when  successful, 
proved  their  ruin.  Although  repeatedly  ordered  by  Col.  Dudley,  and  warned  of  their  dan- 
ger, and  called  upon  from  the  fort  to  leave  the  ground  ;  and  although  there  was  abundant 
time  for  that  purpose,  before  the  British  reinforcements  arrived  ;  yet  they  commenced  a 
pursuit  of  the  Indians,  and  suffered  themselves  to  be  drawn  into  an  ambuscade  by  some 
feint  skirmishing,  while  the  British  troops  and  large  bodies  of  Indians  were  brought  up, 
and  intercepted  their  return  to  the  river. t     Elated  with  their  first  success,  they  considered 

*"  The  troops  in  this  attack  on  the  British  battery  were  commanded  by  Col.  John  Miller, 
of  the  19th  United  States  regiment,  and  consisted  of  about  250  of  the  17th  and  19th  Reg- 
iments, 100  twelve-month  volunteers,  and  Capt.  Seebre's  company  of  Kentucky  militia. 
They  were  drawn  up  in  a  ravine  under  the  east  curtain  of  the  fort,  out  of  reach  of  the 
enemy's  fire ;  but  to  approach  the  batteries  it  was  necessary,  after  having  ascended  from 
the  ravine,  to  pass  a  plain  of  200  yards  in  width,  in  the  woods  beyond,  which  were  the 
batteries  protected  by  a  company  of  grenadiers,  and  another  of  light  infantry,  upwards  of 
200  strong.  These  troops  were  flanked  on  the  right  by  two  or  three  companies  of  Cana- 
dian militia,  and  on  the  left  by  a  large  body  of  Indians  under  Tecumseh.  After  passing 
along  the  ranks  and  encouraging  the  men  to  do  their  duty,  the  general  placed  himself  upon 
the  battery  of  the  right  rear  angle,  to  witness  the  contest.  The  troops  advanced  with 
loaded,  but  trailed  arms.  They  had  scarcely  reached  the  summit  of  the  hill,  when  they 
received  the  fire  of  the  British  infantry.  It  did  them  little  harm  ;  but  the  Indians  being 
placed  in  position,  and  taking  sight  or  aim,  did  great  execution.  They  had  not  advanced 
more  than  fifty  yards  on  the  plain  before  it  became  necessary  to  halt  and  close  the  ranks. 
This  was  done  with  as  much  order  by  word  of  command  from  the  officers  as  if  they  had 
been  on  parade.  The  charge  was  then  made,  and  the  enemy  fled  with  so  much  precipita- 
tion that  although  many  were  killed  none  were  taken.  The  general,  from  his  position  on 
the  battery,  seeing  the  direction  that  a  part  of  them  had  taken,  dispatched  Major  Todd 
with  the  reserve  of  about  fifty  regulars,  who  quickly  returned  with  two  officers  and  forty- 
three  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates.  In  this  action  the  volunteers  and  militia 
suffered  less  than  the  regulars,  because  from  their  position  the  latter  were  much  sooner  un- 
masked by  the  hill,  and  received  the  first  fire  of  all  the  enemy.  It  was  impossible  that 
troops  could  have  behaved  better  than  they  did  upon  this  sortie." 

t  After  Dudley  had  spiked  the  batteries  which  had  but  few  defenders,  some  of  his  men 
loitered  about  the  banks  and  filled  the  air  with  cheers.  Harrison,  and  a  group  of  officers 
who  were  anxiously  watching  them  from  the  grand  battery  (a,)  with  a  presentiment  of  the 
horrible  fate  that  awaited  them,  earnestly  beckoned  them  to  return.  Supposing  they  were 
returning  their  cheers,  they  reiterated  their  shouts  of  triumph.  Harrison  seeing  this,  ex- 
claimed in  tones  of  anguish,  "  they  are  lost !  they  are  lost .' — can  I  never  get  men 
to  obey  my  orders  ?"  He  then  offered  a  reward  of  a  thousand  dollars  to  any  man  who 
would  cross  the  river  and  apprize  Col.  Dudley  of  his  danger.  This  was  undertaken  by  an 
officer.  Upon  arriving  at  the  beach  he  attempted  to  launch  a  large  perogue  which  was 
drawn  up  there,  but  before  this  could  be  effected,  and  he  with  the  assistance  of  some  men 
could  reach  the  middle  of  the  river,  the  enemy  had  already  arrived  in  force  from  below. 

This  defeat  of  Dudley  was  occasioned  by  the  impetuous  valor  of  his  men.  In  one  of 
the  general  orders  after  the  5th  of  May,  Harrison  takes  occasion  to  warn  his  men  against 
that  rash  bravery  which  he  says  "  is  characteristic  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  and  if  persisted 
in  is  as  fatal  in  its  results  as  cowardice." 


WOOD    COUNTY.  531 

the  victory  as  already  gained,  and  pursued  the  enemy  nearly  two  miles  into  the  woods  and 
swamps,  where  they  were  suddenly  caught  in  a  defile  and  surrounded  by  double  their  num- 
bers. Finding  themselves  in  this  situation,  consternation  prevailed  ;  their  line  became 
broken  and  disordered,  and  huddled  together  in  unresisting  crowds,  they  were  obliged  to 
surrender  to  the  mercy  of  the  savages.  Fortunately  for  these  unhappy  victims  of  their 
own  rashness,  General  Tecumseh  commanded  at  this  ambuscade  and  had  imbibed  since 
his  appointment  more  humane  feelings  than  his  brother  Proctor.  After  the  surrender  and 
all  resistance  had  ceased,  the  Indians,  finding  five  hundred  prisoners  at  their  mercy,  began 
the  work  of  massacre  with  the  most  savage  delight.  Tecumseh  sternly  forbade  it,  and 
buried  his  tomahawk  in  the  head  of  one  of  his  chiefs  who  refused  obedience.  This  order 
accompanied  with  this  decisive  manner  of  enforcing  it,  put  an  end  to  the  massacre.  Of 
eight  hundred  men  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  escaped.  The  residue  were  slain  or  made 
prisoners.  Colonel  Dudley  was  severely  wounded  in  the  action,  and  afterwards  toma- 
hawked and  scalped. 

"  Proctor,  seeing  no  prospect  of  taking  the  fort,  and  finding  his  Indians  fast  leaving  him, 
raised  the  siege  on  the  9th  of  May,  and  returned  with  precipitation  to  Maiden  Tecumseh 
and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Indians  remained  in  service  ;  but  large  numbers  left  it  in 
disgust,  and  were  ready  to  join  the  Americans.  On  the  left  bank,  in  the  several  sorties 
of  the  5th  of  May,  and  during  the  siege,  the  American  loss  was  eighty-one  killed  and  one 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  wounded." 

When  the  enemy  raised  the  siege,  they  gave  a  parting  salute,  which 
killed  10  or  12,  and  wounded  double  that  number.  "  However,"  says 
one  who  was  present,  "we  were  glad  enough  to  see  them  off  on  any 
terms.  The  next  morning  found  us  something  more  tranquil ;  we 
could  leave  the  ditches,  and  walk  about  with  something  more  of  an 
air  of  freedom  than  we  had  done  for  the  last  14  days  ;  and  here  I 
wish  I  could  present  to  the  reader  a  picture  of  the  condition  we  found 
ourselves  in,  when  the  withdrawal  of  the  enemy  gave  us  time  to  look 
at  each  other's  outward  appearance.  The  scarcity  of  water  had 
put  the  washing  of  our  hands  and  faces,  much  less  our  linen,  out  of 
the  question.  Many  had  scarcely  any  clothing  left,  and  that  which 
they  wore  was  so  begrimmed  and  torn  by  our  residence  in  the  ditch 
and  other  means,  that  we  presented  the  appearance  of  so  many 
scarecrows." 

The  British  force  under  Proctor,  during  the  siege,  amounted,  as 
nearly  as  could  be  ascertained,  to  3200  men,  of  whom  600  were- 
British  regulars,  800  Canadian  militia,  and  1800  Indians.  Those 
under  Harrison,  including  the  troops  who  arrived  on  the  morning  of 
the  5th,  under  Gen.  Clay,  were  about  1200.  The  number  of  his  men 
fit  for  duty,  was,  perhaps,  less  than  1100. 

We  give  below  an  extract  from  an  article  on  the  siege  of  Fort 
Meigs,  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Lorraine,  originally  published  in  the  Ladies' 
Repository,  for  March,  1845. 

One  afternoon,  as  numbers  were  gathered  together  on  the  "  parade,"  two  strangers, 
finely  mounted,  appeared  on  the  western  bank  of  the  river,  and  seemed  to  be  taking  a  very 
calm  and  deliberate  survey  of  our  works.  It  was  a  strange  thing  to  see  travellers  in  that 
wild  country,  and  we  commonly  held  such  to  be  enemies,  until  they  proved  themselves  to 
be  friends.  So  one  of  our  batteries  was  cleared  forthwith,  and  the  gentlemen  were  saluted 
with  a  shot  that  tore  up  the  earth  about  them,  and  put  them  to  a  hasty  flight.  If  that  ball 
had  struck  its  mark,  much  bloodshed  might  have  been  prevented  ;  for  we  learned  subse- 
quently that  our  illustrious  visitors  were  Proctor  and  Tecumseh.  The  garrison  was  imme- 
diately employed  in  cutting  deep  traverses  through  the  fort,  taking  down  the  tents  and 
preparing  for  a  siege.  The  work  accomplished  in  a  few  hours,  under  the  excitement  of  the 
occasion,  was  prodigious.  The  grand  traverse  being  completed,  each  mess  was  ordered  to 
excavate,  under  the  embankment,  suitable  lodgings,  as  substitutes  for  our  tents.     Those 


532  WOOD    COUNTY. 

rooms  were  shot  proof  and  bomb  proof,  except  in  the  event  of  a  shell  falling  in  the  traverse 
and  at  the  month  of  a  cave. 

The  above  works  were  scarcely  completed  before  it  was  discovered  that  the  enemy, 
under  cover  of  night,  had  constructed  batteries  on  a  commanding  hill  north  of  the  river. 
There  their  artillery  men  were  posted ;  but  the  principal  part  of  their  army  occupied  the 
old  English  fort  below.  Their  Indian  allies  appeared  to  have  a  roving  commission,  for 
they  beset  us  on  every  side.  The  cannonading  commenced  in  good  earnest  on  both  sides. 
It  was,  however,  more  constant  on  the  British  side,  because  they  had  a  more  extensive 
mark  to  batter.  We  had  nothing  to  fire  at  but  tbeir  batteries,  but  they  were  coolly  and 
deliberately  attended  to  ;  and  it  was  believed  that  more  than  one  of  their  guns  were  dis- 
mounted during  the  siege.  One  of  our  militia  men  took  his  station  on  the  embankment, 
and  gratuitously  forewarned  us  of  every  shot.  In  this  he  became  so  skillful,  that  he  could, 
in  almost  every  case,  predict  the  destination  of  the  ball.  As  soon  as  the  smoke  issued  from 
the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  he  would  cry  out  "  shot,"  or  "  bomb,"  as  the  case  might  be.  Some- 
times he  would  exclaim,  "  block-house  No.  1,"  or  "  look  out,  main  battery  ;"  "  now  for  the 
meat-house  ;"  "  good-by,  if  you  will  pass."  In  spite  of  all  the  expostulations  of  his  friends, 
he  maintained  his  post.  One  day  there  came  a  shot  that  seemed  to  defy  all  his  calcula- 
tions. He  stood  silent — motionless — perplexed.  In  the  same  instant  he  was  swept  into 
eternity.  Poor  man !  he  should  have  considered,  that  when  there  was  no  obliquity  in  the 
issue  of  the  smoke,  either  to  the  right  or  left,  above  or  below,  the  fatal  messenger  would 
travel  in  the  direct  line  of  his  vision  He  reminded  me  of  the  peasant,  in  the  siege  of  Jeru- 
salem, who  cried  out,  "  woe  to  the  city !  woe  to  the  temple  !  woe  to  myself!"  On  the  most 
active  day  of  the  investment,  there  were  as  many  as  five  hundred  cannon  balls  and  bombs* 
thrown  at  our  fort.  Meantime,  the  Indians,  climbing  up  into  the  trees,  fired  incessantly 
upon  us.  Such  was  their  distance,  that  many  of  their  balls  barely  reached  us,  and  fell  harm- 
less to  the  ground.  Occasionally  they  inflicted  dangerous  and  even  fatal  wounds.  The 
number  killed  in  the  fort  was  small,  considering  the  profusion  of  powder  and  ball  expended 
i  on  us.  About  eighty  were  slain,  many  wounded,  and  several  had  to  suffer  the  amputation 
of  limbs.  The  most  dangerous  duty  which  we  performed  within  the  precincts  of  the  fort, 
was  in  covering  the  magazine.  Previous  to  this,  the  powder  had  been  deposited  in  wagons, 
and  these  stationed  in  the  traverse.  Here  there  was  no  security  against  bombs;  it  was 
therefore  thought  to  be  prudent  to  remove  the  powder  into  a  small  block-house,  and  cover 
it  with  earth.  The  enemy,  judging  our  designs  from  our  movements,  now  directed  all  their 
shot  to  this  point.  Many  of  their  balls  were  red-hot.  Wherever  they  struck,  they  raised 
a  cloud  of  smoke,  and  made  a  frightful  hissing.  An  officer,  passing  our  quarters,  said, 
"  boys,  who  will  volunteer  to  cover  the  magazine  V  Fool-like,  away  several  of  us  went. 
As  soon  as  we  reached  the  spot,  there  came  a  ball  and  took  off"  one  man's  head.  The  spades 
and  dirt  flew  faster  than  any  of  us  had  before  witnessed.  In  the  midst  of  our  job,  a  bomb- 
shell fell  on  the  roof,  and  lodging  on  one  of  the  braces  it  spun  round  for  a  moment.  Every 
soldier  fell  prostrate  on  his  face,  and  with  breathless  horror  awaited  the  vast  explosion  which 

*  A  large  number  of  cannon  balls  were  thrown  into  the  fort,  from  the  batteries  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river.  Being  short  of  a  supply,  Harrison  offered  a  gill  of  whiskey  for 
every  cannon  ball  delivered  to  the  magazine  keeper,  Mr.  Thomas  L.  Hawkins,  now  re- 
siding at  Lower  Sandusky.  Over  1000  gills  of  whiskey  were  thus  earned  by  the  sol- 
diers. 

For  safety  against  bombs,  each  man  had  a  hole  dug  under  ground  in  rear  of  the  grand 
traverse,  which,  being  covered  over  with  plank,  and  earth  on  top,  fully  protected  them. 
When  the  cry  bomb  was  heard,  the  soldiers  either  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground,  or  ran 
to  the  holes  for  safety.  A  bomb  is  most  destructive  when  it  bursts  in  the  air,  but  it  rarely 
explodes  in  that  way :  it  usually  falls  with  so  much  force  as  to  penetrate  the  earth,  and  when 
it  explodes,  flies  upwards  and  in  an  angular  direction,  in  consequence  of  the  pressure  of  the 
earth  beneath  and  at  its  sides  ;  consequently,  a  person  lying  on  the  ground  is  comparatively 
safe. 

A  heavy  rain  at  last  filled  up  the  holes,  rendering  them  uninhabitable,  and  the  men  were 
obliged  to  temporarily  sleep  in  their  tents.  Then  every  once  in  a  while,  the  startling  cry, 
"  bomb!"  aroused  them  from  their  slumbers.  Rushing  from  their  tents,  they  watched  the 
course  of  the  fiery  messenger  of  death,  as  it  winged  its  way  through  the  midnight  sky,  and 
if  it  fell  near,  fall  flat  upon  the  ground  ;  otherwise,  return  to  their  tents,  only  to  be  aroused 
again  and  again  by  the  startling  cry.  So  harrassing  was  this,  so  accustomed  had  the  men 
become  to  the  danger,  and  so  overpowering  the  desire  for  sleep,  that  many  of  the  soldiers 
remained  in  their  tents  locked  in  the  embrace  of  sleep,  determined,  as  one  said,  not  to  be 
disturbed  in  their  slumbers  "  if  ten  thousand  bombs  burst  all  around  th^m." — H.  H. 


WOOD    COUNTY.  533 

we  expected  would  crown  all  our  earthly  sufferings.  Only  one  of  all  the  gang  presumed  to 
reason  on  the  case.  He  silently  argued  that,  as  the  shell  had  not  bursted  as  quick  as  usual, 
there  might  be  something  wrong  in  its  arrangement.  If  it  bursted  where  it  was,  and  the 
magazine  exploded,  there  could  be  no  escape :  it  was  death  any  how ;  so  he  sprung  to  his 
feet,  seized  a  boat-hook,  and  pulling  the  hissing  missile  to  the  ground,  and  jerking  the 
smoking  match  from  its  socket,  discovered  that  the  shell  was  filled  with  inflammable  mat- 
ter, which,  if  once  ignited,  would  have  wrapped  the  whole  building  in  a  sheet  of  flame. 
This  circumstance  added  wings  to  our  shovels ;  and  we  were  right  glad  when  the  officer 
said,  "  that  will  do  :  go  to  your  lines." 

The  following  particulars  of  the  defeat  of  Col.  Dudley  were  pub- 
lished in  a  public  print  many  years  since  by  Joseph  R.  Underwood, 
who  was  present  on  the  occasion,  in  the  capacity  of  lieutenant  in  a 
volunteer  company  of  Kentuckians,  commanded  by  Captain  John  C. 
Morrison. 

After  a  fatiguing  march  of  more  than  a  month,  Gen.  Clay's  brigade  found  itself,  on  the 
night  of  the  4th  of  May,  on  board  of  open  boats,  lashed  to  the  left  bank  of  Miami  of  the 
Lakes,  near  the  head  of  the  rapids,  and  within  hearing  of  the  cannon  at  Fort  Meigs,  which 
was  then  besieged  by  the  British  and  Indians.  Very  early  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  we 
set  off,  and  soon  began  to  pass  the  rapids.  We  were  hailed  by  a  man  from  the  right  bank, 
who  proved  to  be  Captain  Hamilton,  of  the  Ohio  troops,  with  orders  from  Gen.  Harrison, 
then  commanding  at  the  fort.  He  was  taken  to  the  boat  of  General  Clay's,  and  from  that 
to  Col.  Dudley's,  this  last  being  in  advance  of  the  whole  line.  Captain  Morrison's  com- 
pany occupied  the  boat  in  which  the  colonel  descended.  It  being  a  damp,  unpleasant 
morning,  I  was  lying  in  the  stern,  wrapped  in  my  blanket,  not  having  entirely  recovered 
from  a  severe  attack  of  the  measles.  I  learned  that  we  were  to  land  on  the  left  bank, 
storm  the  British  batteries  erected  for  the  purpose  of  annoying  the  fort ;  but  what  further 
orders  were  given,  I  did  not  ascertain.  Hearing  that  we  were  certainly  to  fight,  I  began 
to  look  upon  all  surrounding  objects  as  things  which  to  me  might  soon  disappear  forever, 
and  my  mind  reverted  to  my  friends  at  home,  to  bid  them  a  final  farewell.  These  reflec- 
tions produced  a  calm  melancholy,  but  nothing  like  trepidation  or  alarm.  My  reveries 
were  dissipated  by  the  landing  of  the  boat,  about  a  mile  or  two  above  the  point  of  attack. 
Shortly  before  we  landed,  we  were  fired  upon  by  some  Indians  from  the  right  bank  of  the 
river,  and  I  understood  that  Captain  Clarke  was  wounded  in  the  head.  The  fire  was  re- 
turned from  our  boats,  and  the  Indians  fled,  as  if  to  give  intelligence  of  our  approach. 
Captain  Price  and  Lieutenant  Sanders,  of  the  regular  army,  landed  with  us  and  partook  in 
the  engagement,  having  under  command  a  few  regular  soldiers,  but  I  think  not  a  full  com- 
pany. The  whole  number  of  troops  that  landed,  amounted  probably  to  700  men.  We 
were  formed  on  the  shore  in  three  parallel  lines,  and  ordered  to  march  for  the  battery  at 
right  angles  with  the  river ;  and  so  far  as  I  understood  the  plan  of  attack,  one  line  was  to 
form  the  line  of  battle  in  the  rear  of  the  battery,  parallel  with  the  river ;  the  other  two 
lines  to  form  one  above  and  one  below  the  battery,  at  right  angles  to  the  river.  The  lines 
thus  formed  were  ordered  to  advance,  and  did  so,  making  as  little  noise  as  possible — the 
object  being  to  surprise  the  enemy  at  their  battery.  Before  we  reached  the  battery,  how- 
ever, we  were  discovered  by  some  straggling  Indians,  who  fired  upon  us  and  then  retreated. 
Our  men  pleased  at  seeing  them  run,  and  perceiving  that  we  were  discovered,  no  longer 
deemed  silence  necessary,  and  raised  a  tremendous  shout.  This  was  the  first  intimation 
that  the  enemy  received  of  our  approach,  and  it  so  alarmed  them  that  they  abandoned  the 
battery  without  making  any  resistance.  In  effectuating  the  plan  of  attack,  Captain  J.  C. 
Morrison's  company  were  thrown  upon  the  river,  above  the  battery.  While  passing  through 
a  thicket  of  hazel,  toward  the  river,  in  forming  the  line  of  battle,  I  saw  Colonel  Dudley  for 
the  last  time.  He  was  greatly  excited;  he  railed  at  me* for  not  keeping  my  men  better 
dressed.  I  replied,  that  he  must  perceive  from  the  situation  of  the  ground,  and  the  ob- 
stacles that  we  had  to  encounter,  that  it  was  impossible.  When  we  came  within  a  small 
distance  from  the  river,  we  halted.  The  enemy  at  this  place  had  gotten  in  the  rear  of  our 
line,  formed  parallel  with  the  river,  and  were  firing  upon  our  troops.  Capt.  J.  C.  Morrison's 
company  did  not  long  remain  in  this  situation.  Having  nothing  to  do,  and  being  without 
orders,  we  determined  to  march  our  company  out  and  join  the  combatants.  We  did  so 
accordingly.  In  passing  out,  we  fell  on  the  left  of  the  whole  regiment,  and  were  soon 
engaged  in  a  severe  conflict.  The  Indians  endeavored  to  flank  and  surround  us.  We 
drove  them  between  one  and  two  miles,  directly  back  from  the  river.  They  hid  behind 
.rees  and  logs,  and  poured  upon  us,  as  we  advanced,  a  most  destructive  fire.     We  were 


534  WOOD    COUNTY. 

from  time  to  time  ordered  to  charge.     The  orders  were   passed   along  the   lines,  our  field 

officers  being  on  foot Shortly  after  this,  Capt.  J.  C.  Morrison  was  shot 

through  the  temples.    The  ball  passing  behind  the  eyes  and  cutting  the  optic  nerve,  deprived 

him  of  his  sight Having  made  the   best  arrangement  for  the  safety  of  my 

much  esteemed  captain  that  circumstances  allowed,  I  took  charge  of  the  company  and 
continued  the  battle.  We  made  several  charges  afterwards,  and  drove  the  enemy  a  con- 
siderable distance At  length  orders  were   passed  along  the  line  directing  us 

to  fall  back  and  keep  up  a  retreating  fire.  As  soon  as  this  movement  was  made,  the  In- 
dians were  greatly  encouraged,  and  advanced  upon  us  with  the  most  horrid  yells.  Once 
or  twice  the  officers  succeeded  in  producing  a  temporary  halt  and  a  fire  on  the  Indians ; 
but  the  soldiers  of  the  different  companies  soon  became  mixed — confusion  ensued — and  a 
general  rout  took  place.  The  retreating  army  made  its  way  towards  the  batteries,  where 
1  supposed  we  should  be  able  to  form  and  repel  the  pursuing  Indians.  They  were  now  so 
close  in  the  rear,  as  to  frequently  shoot  down  those  who  were  before  me.  About  this  time 
I  received  a  ball  in  my  back,  which  yet  remains  in  my  body.  It  struck  me  with  a  stunning, 
deadening  force,  and  I  fell  on  my  hands  and  knees.  I  rose  and  threw  my  waistcoat  open 
to  see  whether  it  had  passed  through  me  ;  finding  it  had  not,  I  ran  en,  and  had  not  pro- 
ceeded more  than  a  hundred  or  two  yards  before  I  was  made  a  prisoner.  In  emerging 
from  the  woods  into  an  open  piece  of  ground,  near  the  battery  we  had  taken,  and  before  I 
knew  what  had  happened,  a  soldier  seized  my  sword  and  said  to  me,  "  Sir !  you  are  my 
prisoner!"  I  looked  before  me  and  saw,  with  astonishment,  the  ground  covered  with 
muskets.  The  soldier,  observing  my  astonishment,  said  :  "  your  army  has  surrendered," 
and  received  my  sword.  He  ordered  me  to  go  forward  and  join  the  prisoners.  I  did  so. 
The  first  man  I  met  whom  I  recognized,  was  Daniel  Smith,  of  our  company.  With  eyes 
full  of  tears,  he  exclaimed  :  "  Good  Lord,  lieutenant,  what  does  all  this  mean."  I  told  him 
we  were  prisoners  of  war. 

On  our  march  to  the  garrison,  the  Indians  began  to  strip  us  of  our  valuable  clothing  and 
other  articles.  One  took  my  hat,  another  my  hunting  shirt,  and  a  third  my  waistcoat,  so 
that  I  was  soon  left  with  nothing  but  my  shirt  and  pantaloons.  I  saved  my  watch  by  con- 
cealing the  chain,  and  it  proved  of  great  service  to  me  afterwards.  Having  read,  when  a 
boy,  Smith's  narrative  of  his  residence  among  the  Indians,  my  idea  of  their  character  was 
that  they  treated  those  best  who  appeared  the  most  fearless.  Under  this  impression,  as  we 
inarched  down  to  the  old  garrison,  I  looked  at  those  whom  we  met  with  all  the  sternness 
of  countenance  I  could  command.  I  soon  caught  the  eye  of  a  stout  warrior  painted  red. 
He  gazed  at  me  with  as  much  sternness  as  I  did  at  him,  until  I  came  within  striking  dis- 
tance, when  he  gave  me  a  severe  blow  over  the  nose  and  cheek  bone  with  his  wiping  stick. 
I  abandoned  the  notion  acquired  from  Smith,  and  went  on  afterwards  with  as  little  display 
of  hauteur  and  defiance  as  possible. 

On  our  approach  to  the  old  garrison,  the  Indians  formed  a  line  to  the  left  of  the  road, 
there  being  a  perpendicular  bank  to  the  right,  on  the  margin  of  which  the  road  passed.  I 
perceived  that  the  prisoners  were  running  the  gauntlet,  and  that  the  Indians  were  whipping, 
shooting  and  tomahawking  the  men  as  they  ran  by  their  line.  When  I  reached  the  start- 
ing place,  I  dashed  off  as  fast  as  I  was  able,  and  ran  near  the  muzzles  of  their  guns,  know- 
ing that  they  would  have  to  shoot  me  while  I  was  immediately  in  front,  or  let  me  pass,  for 
to  have  turned  their  guns  up  or  down  the  lines  to  shoot  me,  would  have  endangered  them- 
selves, as  there  was  a  curve  in  their  line.  In  this  way  I  passed  without  injury,  except  some 
strokes  over  the  shoulders  with  their  gun-sticks.  As  I  entered  the  ditch  around  the  garri- 
son, the  man  before  me  was  shot  and  fell,  and  I  fell  over  him.  The  passage  for  a  while 
was  stopped  by  those  who  fell  over  the  dead  man  and  myself.  How  many  lives  were  lost 
at  this  place  I  cannot  tell — probably  between  20  and  40.  The  brave  Captain  Lewis  was 
among  the  number.  When  we  got  within  the  walls,  we  were  ordered  to  sit  down.  I  lay 
in  the  lap  of  Mr.  Gilpin,  a  soldier  of  Captain  Henry's  company,  from  Woodford.  A  new 
scene  commenced.  An  Indian,  painted  black,  mounted  the  dilapidated  wall,  and  shot  one 
of  the  prisoners  next  to  him.  He  re-loaded  and  shot  a  second,  the  ball  passing  through 
him  into  the  hip  of  another,  who  afterwards  died,  I  was  informed,  at  Cleveland,  of  the 
wound.  The  savage  then  laid  down  his  gun  and  drew  his  tomahawk,  with  which  he 
killed  two  others.  When  he  drew  his  tomahawk  and  jumped  down  among  the  men,  they 
endeavored  to  escape  from  him  by  leaping  over  the  heads  of  each  other,  and  thereby  to 
place  others  between  themselves  and  danger.  Thus  they  were  heaped  upon  one  another, 
and  as  I  did  not  rise,  they  trampled  upon  me  so  that  I  could  see  nothing  that  was  going 
on.  The  confusion  and  uproar  of  this  moment  cannot  be  adequately  described.  There 
was  an  excitement  among  the  Indians,  and  a  fierceness  in  their  conversation,  which  be- 
tokened on  the  part  of  some  a  strong  disposition  to  massacre  the  whole  of  us.     The  British 


WOOD   COUNTY.  535 

officers  and  soldiers  seemed  to  interpose  to  prevent  the  further  effusion  of  blood.  Their  ex- 
pression was — "  Oh,  nichee,  wah  !"  meaning,  "  oh !  brother,  quit !"  After  the  Indian  who 
had  occasioned  this  horrible  scene,  had  scalped  and  stripped  his  victims,  he  left  us,  and  a 
comparative  calm  ensued.  The  prisoners  resumed  their  seats  on  the  ground.  While  thus 
situated,  a  tall,  stout  Indian  walked  into  the  midst  of  us,  drew  a  long  butcher  knife  from 
his  belt  and  commenced  whetting  it.  As  he  did  so,  he  looked  around  among  the  prisoners, 
apparently  selecting  one  for  the  gratification  of  his  vengeance.  I  viewed  his  conduct,  and 
thought  it  probable  that  he  was  to  give  the  signal  for  a  general  massacre.  But  after  ex- 
citing our  fears  sufficiently  for  his  satisfaction,  he  gave  a  contemptuous  grunt  and  went  out 
from  among  us. 

About  this  time,  but  whether  before  or  after  I  do  not  distinctly  recollect,  Col.  Elliott  and 
Tecumseh,  the  celebrated  Indian  chief,  rode  into  the  garrison.  When  Elliott  came  to  where 
Thomas  Moore,  of  Clarke  county,  stood,  the  latter  addressed  him,  and  inquired  "  if  it  was 
compatible  with  the  honor  of  a  civilized  nation,  such  as  the  British  claimed  to  be,  to  suffer 
defenceless  prisoners  to  be  murdered  by  savages?"  Elliott  desired  to  know  who  he  was. 
Moore  replied  that  he  was  nothing  but  a  private  in  Captain  Morrison's  company — and  the 
conversation  ended.  .  .  .  Elliott  was  an  old  man — his  hair  might  have  been  termed, 
with  more  propriety,  white  than  gray,  and  to  my  view  he  had  more  of  the  savage  in  his 
countenance  than  Tecumseh.  This  celebrated  chief  was  a  noble,  dignified  personage.  He 
wore  an  elegant  broadsword,  and  was  dressed  in  the  Indian  costume.  His  face  was  finely 
proportioned,  his  nose  inclined  to  the  aquiline,  and  his  eye  displayed  none  of  that  savage 
and  ferocious  triumph  common  to  the  other  Indians  on  that  occasion.  He  seemed  to  re- 
gard us  with  unmoved  composure,  and  I  thought  a  beam  of  mercy  shone  in  his  counte- 
nance, tempering  the  spirit  of  vengeance  inherent  in  his  race  against  the  American  people. 
I  saw  him  only  on  horseback.     .     .     . 

Shortly  after  the  massacre  in  the  old  garrison,  I  was  the  subject  of  a  generous  act.  A 
soldier  with  whom  I  had  no  acquaintance,  feeling  compassion  for  my  situation,  stripped  off 
my  clothes,  muddy  and  bleeding,  offered  me  his  hunting  shirt,  which  the  Indians  had  not 
taken  from  him.  At  first  I  declined  receiving  it,  but  he  pressed  it  upon  me  with  an  earnest- 
ness that  indicated  great  magnanimity.  I  inquired  his  name  and  residence.  He  said  that 
his  name  was  James  Boston,  that  he  lived  in  Clarke  county,  and  belonged  to  Capt.  Clarke's 
company.  I  have  never  since  seen  him,  and  regret  that  I  should  never  be  able  to  recall  his 
features  if  I  were  to  see  him. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Elliott  and  Tecumseh,  we  were  directed  to  stand  up  and  form  in 
lines,  I  think  four  deep,  in  order  to  be  counted.  After  we  were  thus  arranged,  a  scene 
transpired  scarcely  less  affecting  than  thatwhicfrl  have  before  attempted  faintly  to  describe. 
The  Indians  began  to  select  the  young  men  whom  they  intended  to  take  with  them  to  their 
towns.  Numbers  were  carried  off.  I  saw  Corporal  Smith,  of  our  company,  bidding  fare- 
well to  his  friends,  and  pointing  to  the  Indian  with  whom  he  was  to  go.  I  never  heard  of 
his  return.  The  young  men,  learning  their  danger,  endeavored  to  avoid  it  by  crowding 
into  the  centre,  where  they  could  not  be  so  readily  reached.  I  was  told  that  a  quizzical 
youth,  of  diminutive  size,  near  the  outside,  seeing  what  was  going  on,  threw  himself  upon 
his  hands  and  knees,  and  rushed  through  the  legs  of  his  comrades,  exclaiming,  "  Root, 
little  hog,  or  die."  Such  is  the  impulse  of  self-preservation,  and  such  the  levity  with 
which  men  inured  to  danger  will  regard  it.  Owing  to  my  wound,  I  could  not  scuffle,  and 
was  thrust  to  the  outside.  An  Indian  came  up  to  me  and  gave  me  a  piece  of  meat.  I 
took  this  for  proof  that  he  intended  carrying  me  off  with  him.  Thinking  it  the  best  policy 
to  act  with  confidence,  I  made  a  sign  to  him  to  give  me  his  butcher  knife — which  he  did. 
I  divided  the  meat  with  those  who  stood  near  me,  reserving  a  small  piece  for  myself — more 
as  a  show  of  politeness  to  the  savage,  than  to  gratify  any  appetite  I  had  for  it.  After  I  had 
eaten  it  and  returned  the  knife,  he  turned  and  left  me.  When  it  was  near  night,  we  were 
taken  in  open  boats  about  nine  miles  down  the  river,  to  the  British  shipping.  On  the  day 
after,  we  were  visited  by  the  Indians  in  their  bark  canoes,  in  order  to  make  a  display  of 
their  scalps.  These  they  strung  on  a  pole,  perhaps  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  about 
eight  feet  high.  The  pole  was  set  up  perpendicularly  in  the  bow  of  their  canoes,  and  near 
the  top  the  scalps  were  fastened.  On  some  poles  I  saw  four  or  five.  Each  scalp  was 
drawn  closely  over  a  hoop  about  four  inches  in  diameter ;  and  the  flesh  sides,  I  thought, 
were  painted  red.  Thus  their  canoes  were  decorated  with  a  flag-staff  of  a  most  appro- 
priate character,  bearing  human  scalps,  the  horrid  ensigns  of  savage  warfare.  We  re- 
mained six  days  on  board  the  vessel — those  of  us,  I  mean,  who  were  sick  and  wounded. 
The  whole  of  us  were  discharged  on  parole.  The  officers  signed  an  instrument  in  writing, 
pledging  their  honors  not  to  serve  against  the  king  of  Great  Britain  and  his  allies  during 
the  war,  unless  regularly  exchanged.     It  was  inquired  whether  the  Indians  were  included 


536  WOOD    COUNTY. 

in  the  term  "  allies."  The  only  answer  was,  "  that  his  majesty's  allies  were  known."  The 
wounded  and  sick  were  taken  in  a  vessel  commanded  by  Captain  Stewart,  at  the  mouth, 
T  think,  of  Vermillion  river,  and  there  put  on  shore.  I  afterwards  saw  Captain  Stewart,  a 
prisoner  of  war  at  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  together  with  a  midshipman,  who  played  Yankee 
Doodle  on  a  flute,  by  way  of  derision,  when  tve  were  first  taken  on  board  his  vessel.  Such 
is  the  fortune  of  war.  They  were  captured  by  Commodore  Perry,  in  the  battle  of  Lake 
Erie.  I  visited  Captain  Stewart  to  requite  his  kindness  to  me  when,  like  him,  I  was  a 
prisoner. 

The  following  is  a  British  account  of  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs, 
from  the  London  New  Monthly  Magazine  for  December,  182G, 
written  by  an  officer  in  their  army. 

Far  from  being  discouraged  by  the  discomfiture  of  their  armies  under  Generals  Hull  and 
Winchester,  the  Americans  dispatched  a  third  and  more  formidable  one  under  one  of  their 
most  experienced  commanders,  General  Harrison,  who,  on  reaching  Fort  Meigs,  shortly 
subsequent  to  the  affair  at  Frenchtown,  directed  his  attention  to  the  erection  of  works, 
which  in  some  measure  rendered  his  position  impregnable.  Determined,  if  possible,  to 
thwart  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  give  the  finishing  stroke  to  his  movements  in  that 
quarter,  General  Proctor  (lately  promoted)  ordered  an  expedition  to  be  in  readiness  to 
move  for  the  Miami.  Accordingly,  towards  the  close  of  April,  a  detachment  of  the  41st, 
some  militia  and  1500  Indians,  accompanied  by  a  train  of  battering  artillery,  and  attended 
by  two  gun-boats,  proceeded  up  that  river  and  established  themselves  on  the  left  bank,  at 
the  distance  of  a  mile,  and  selected  the  site  for  our  batteries.  The  season  was  unusually  wet, 
yet  in  defiance  of  every  obstacle,  they  were  erected  in  the  same  night,  in  front  of  the  Amer- 
ican fortress,  and  the  guns  transported  along  the  road  in  which  the  axle-trees  of  the  car- 
riages were  frequently  buried  in  mud.  Among  other  battering  pieces  were  two  twenty- 
four  pounders,  in  the  transportation  of  which  200  men,  with  several  oxen,  were  employed 
from  9  o'clock  at  night,  until  daylight  in  the  morning.  At  length,  every  precaution  having 
been  made,  a  gun  fired  from  one  of  the  boats  was  the  signal  for  their  opening,  and  early 
on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  May,  a  heavy  fire  was  commenced,  and  continued  for  four 
days  without  intermission,  during  which  period  every  one  of  the  enemies'  batteries  were 
silenced  and  dismantled.  The  fire  of  the  twenty-four  pound  battery  was  principally  directed 
against  the  powder  magazine,  which  the  besieged  were  busily  occupied  in  covering  and  pro- 
tecting from  our  hot  shot.  It  was  impossible  to  have  artillery  better  served :  every  shot 
that  was  fired  sank  into  the  roof  of  the  magazine,  scattering  the  earth  to  a  considerable 
distance,  and  burying  many  of  the  workmen  in  its  bed,  from  which  we  could  distinctly  see 
their  survivors  dragging  forth  the  bodies  of  their  slaughtered  companions.  Meanwhile  the 
flank  companies  of  the  41st,  with  a  few  Indians,  had  been  dispatched  to  the  opposite  shore, 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's  works,  and  had  constructed  a  battery,  from 
which  a  galling  cross-fire  was  sustained.  Dismayed  at  the  success  of  our  exertions,  Gen. 
Harrison,  before  our  arrival,  already  apprised  of  the  approach  of  a  reinforcement  of  1500 
men,  then  descending  the  Miami,  under  General  Clay,  contrived  to  dispatch  a  courier  on 
the  evening  of  the  4th,  with  an  order  to  that  officer  to  land  immediately  and  possess  him- 
self of  our  batteries  on  the  left  bank,  while  he  (General  Harrison)  sallied  forth  to  carry 
those  on  the  right.  Accordingly,  at  3  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  General  Clay* 
pushed  forward  the  whole  of  his  force,  and  meeting  with  no  opposition  at  the  batteries, 
which  were  entirely  unsupported,  proceeded  to  spike  the  guns,  in  conformity  with  his  instruc- 
tions ;  but  elated  with  his  success,  and  disobeying  the  positive  orders  of  his  chief,  which 
was  to  retire  the  instant  the  object  was  effected,  continued  to  occupy  the  position.  In  the 
meantime,  the  flying  artillery-men  had  given  the  alarm,  and  three  companies  of  the  41st, 
several  of  militia,  and  a  body  of  Indians,  the  latter  under  the  command  of  their  celebrated 
chieftain,  Tecumseh,  were  ordered  to  immediately  move  and  re-possess  themselves  of  the 
works.  The  rain,  which  had  commenced  falling  in  the  morning,  continued  to  fall  with 
violence,  and  the  road,  as  has  already  been  described,  was  knee  deep  in  mud  ;  yet  the  men 
advanced  to  the  assault  with  the  utmost  alacrity  and  determination.  The  enemy,  on  our 
approach,  had  sheltered  themselves  behind  the  batteries,  affording  them  every  facility  of 
defence.  Yet  they  were  driven  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  from  each  in  succession,  until 
eventually  not  a  man  was  left  in  the  plain.  Flying  to  the  woods,  the  murderous  fire  of  the 
Indians  drove  them  back  upon  their  pursuers,  so  that  they  had  no  possibility  of  escape.  A 
vast  number  were  killed,  and  independently  of  the  prisoners  taken  by  the  Indians,  450,  with 
their  second  in  command,  fell  into  our  hands.     Every  man  of  the  detachment,  on  this  oc- 

*  This  is  an  error,  as  the  reader  will  perceive. 


WOOD    COUNTY.  537 

casion,  acquitted  himself  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  superiors.  Among  the  most  con- 
spicuous for  gallantry,  was  Major  Chambers,  of  the  41st,  acting  deputy  quarter-general  to 
the  division.  Supported  by  merely  four  or  five  followers,  this  meritorious  officer  advanced 
under  a  shower  of  bullets  from  the  enemy,  and  carried  one  of  the  batteries,  sword  in  hand. 
A  private  of  the  same  regiment  being  opposed,  in  an  isolated  condition,  to  three  Americans, 
contrived  to  disarm  them  and  render  them  his  prisoners.  On  joining  his  company  at  the 
close  of  the  affair,  he  excited  much  mirth  among  his  comrades,  in  consequence  of  the  sin- 
gular manner  in  which  he  appeared,  sweating  beneath  the  weight  of  arms  he  had  secured 
as  trophies  of  victory,  and  driving  his  captives  before  him  with  an  indifference  and  care- 
lessness which  contrasted  admirably  with  the  occasion.  Of  the  whole  of  the  division 
under  General  Clay,  scarce  200  men  effected  their  escape.  Among  the  fugitives  was  that 
officer  himself.  The  sortie  made  by  General  Harrison,  at  the  head  of  the  principal  part  of 
the  garrison,  had  a  different  result.  The  detachment  supporting  the  battery  already 
described,  were  driven  from  their  position,  and  two  officers,  Lieutenants  M'Intyre  and 
Hailes,  and  thirty  men  were  made  prisoners.  Meanwhile  it  had  been  discovered  that  the 
guns  on  the  left  bank,  owing  to  some  error  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  had  been  spiked  with 
the  ramrods  of  the  muskets,  instead  of  the  usual  instruments:  they  were  speedily  rendered 
serviceable,  and  the  fire  from  the  batteries  renewed.  At  this  moment  a  white  flag  was 
observed  waving  on  the  ramparts  of  the  fort,  and  the  courage  and  perseverance  of  the 
troops  appeared  about  to  be  crowned  wi'h  the  surrender  of  a  fortress,  the  siege  of  which 
had  cost  them  so  much  toil  and  privation.  Such,  however,  was  far  from  being  the  inten- 
tion of  General  Harrison.  Availing  himself  of  the  cessation  of  hostilities  which  neces- 
sarily ensued,  he  caused  the  officers  and  men  just  captured  to  be  sent  across  the  river  for 
the  purpose  of  being  exchanged ;  but  this  was  only  a  feint  for  the  accomplishment  of  a 
more  important  object. 

Drawing  up  his  whole  force,  cavalry  and  infantry,  on  the  plain  beneath  the  fortress,  he 
caused  such  of  the  boats  of  General  Clay's  division  as  were  laden  with  ammunition,  in 
which  the  garrison  stood  in  much  need,  to  be  dropped  under  the  works,  and  the  stores  im- 
mediately disembarked.  All  this  took  place  in  the  period  occupied  for  the  exchange  of 
prisoners.  The  remaining  boats,  containing  the  private  baggage  and  stores  of  the  divis- 
ion, fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians  still  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  the  fugitives,  and  the 
plunder  they  acquired  was  immense.  General  Harrison  having  secured  his  stores,  and 
received  the  officers  and  men  exchanged  for  his  captives,  withdrew  into  the  garrison,  and 
the  bombardment  was  recommenced. 

The  victory  obtained  at  the  Miami,  was  such  as  to  reflect  credit  on  every  branch  of  the 
service  ;  but  the  satisfaction  arising  from  the  conviction,  was  deeply  embittered  by  an  act 
of  cruelty,  which,  as  the  writer  of  an  impartial  memoir,  it  becomes  my  painful  duty  to  re- 
cord. In  the  heat  of  the  action,  a  strong  corps  of  the  enemy,  which  had  thrown  down 
their  arms  and  surrendered  prisoners  of  war,  were  immediately  dispatched  under  an  escort 
of  50  men,  for  the  purpose  of  being  embarked  in  the  gun-boats,  where  it  was  presumed 
they  would  be  safe  from  the  attacks  of  the  Indians.  This  measure,  although  dictated  by 
the  purest  humanity,  and  apparently  offering  the  most  probable  means  of  security,  proved 
of  fatal  import  to  several  of  the  prisoners.  On  reaching  our  encampment,  then  entirely 
deserted  by  the  troops,  they  were  met  by  a  band  of  cowardly  and  treacherous  Indians, 
who  had  borne  no  share  in  the  action,  yet  who  now,  guided  by  the  savage  instinct  of  their 
nature,  approached  the  column,  and  selecting  their  victims,  commenced  the  work  of  blood. 
In  vain  did  the  harrassed  and  indignant  escort  endeavor  to  save  them  from  the  fury  of  their 
destroyers.  The  phrenzy  of  these  wretches  knew  no  bounds,  and  an  old  and  excellent 
soldier  named  Russell,  of  the  41st,  was  shot  through  the  heart,  while  endeavoring  to  wrest 
a  victim  from  the  grasp  of  his  murderer.  Forty  of  these  unhappy  men  had  already  fallen 
beneath  the  steel  of  the  infuriated  party,  when  Tecumseh,  apprised  of  what  was  doing, 
rode  up  at  full  speed,  and  raising  his  tomahawk,  threatened  to  destroy  the  first  man  who 
refused  to  desist.  Even  on  those  lawless  people,  to  whom  the  language  of  coercion  had 
hitherto  been  unknown,  the  threats  and  tone  of  the  exasperated  chieftain,  produced  an  in- 
stantaneons  effect,  and  they  retired  at  once  humiliated  and  confounded.* 

*  Drake,  in  his  life  of  Tecumseh,  in  quoting  a  letter  from  Wm.  G.  Ewing  to  John  H. 
James,  Esq.,  of  Urbana,  gives  full  particulars  of  Tecumseh's  interference  on  this  occasion, 
which  we  here  copy. 

"  While  this  blood-thirsty  carnage  was  raging,  a  thundering  voice  was  heard  in  the  rear, 
in  the  Indian  tongue,  when,  turning  round,  he  saw  Tecumseh  coming  with  all  the  rapidity 
his  horse  could  carry  him,  until  he  drew  near  to  where  two  Indians  had  an  American,  and 
were  in  the  act  of  killing  him.     He  sprang  from  his  horse,  caught  one  by  the  throat  and 

68 


638  WOOD    COUNTY. 

The  survivors  of  this  melancholy  catastrophe  were  immediately  conveyed  on  board  the 
gun-boats,  moored  in  the  river,  and  every  precaution  having  been  taken  to  prevent  a  re- 
newal of  the  scene,  the  escorting  party  proceeded  to  the  interment  of  the  victims,  to  whom 
the  rites  of  sepulture  were  afforded,  even  before  those  of  our  own  men,  who  had  fallen  in 
the  action.  Col.  Dudley,  second  in  command  of  Gen.  Clay's  division,  was  among  the 
number  of  the  slain. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  after  this  event,  I  accompanied  Maj.  Muir,  of  the  41st. 
in  a  ramble  throughout  the  encampment  of  the  Indians,  distant  some  few  hundred  yards 
from  our  own.  The  spectacle  there  offered  to  our  view,  was  at  once  of  the  most  ludicrous 
and  revolting  nature.  In  various  directions  were  lying  the  trunks  and  boxes  taken  in  the 
boats  of  the  American  division,  and  the  plunderers  were  busily  occupied  in  displaying  their 
riches,  carefully  examining  each  article,  and  attempting  to  divine  its  use.  Several  were 
decked  out  in  the  uniforms  of  the  officers ;  and  although  embarrassed  in  the  last  degree  in 
their  movements,  and  dragging  with  difficulty  the  heavy  military  boots  with  which  their  legs 
were  for  the  first  time  covered,  strutted  forth  much  to  the  admiration  of  their  less  fortu- 
nate comrades.  Some  were  habited  in  plainclothes  ;  others  had  their  bodies  clad  with  clean 
white  shirts,  contrasting  in  no  ordinary  manner,  with  the  swarthiness  of  their  skins;  all 
wore  some  articles  of  decoration,  and  their  tents  were  ornamented  with  saddles,  bridles, 
rifles,  daggers,  swords  and  pistols,  many  of  which  were  handsomely  mounted  and  of  curious 
workmanship.  Such  was  the  ridiculous  part  of  the  picture  ;  but  mingled  with  these,  and 
in  various  directions,  were  to  be  seen  the  scalps  of  the  slain  drying  in  the  sun,  stained  on 
the  fleshy  side  with  Vermillion  dyes,  and  dangling  in  air,  as  they  hung  suspended  from  the 
poles  to  which  they  were  attached,  together  with  hoops  of  various  sizes,  on  which  were 
stretched  portions  of  human  skin,  taken  from  various  parts  of  the  human  body,  principally 
the  hand  and  foot,  and  yet  covered  with  the  nails  of  those  parts ;  while  scattered  along  the 
ground  were  visible  the  members  from  which  they  had  been  separated,  and  serving  as  nu- 
triment to  the  wolf-dogs  by  which  the  savages  were  accompanied. 

As  we  continued  to  advance  into  the  heart  of  the  encampment,  a  scene  of  a  more  dis- 
gusting nature  arrested  our  attention.  Stopping  at  the  entrance  of  a  tent  occupied  by  the 
Minoumini  tribe,  we  observed  them  seated  around  a  large  fire,  over  which  was  suspended 
a  kettle  containing  their  meal.  Each  warrior  had  a  piece  of  string  hanging  over  the  edge 
of  the  vessel,  and  to  this  was  suspended  a  food,  which,  it  will  be  presumed  we  heard  not 
without  loathing,  consisted  of  a  part  of  an  American  ;  any  expression  of  our  feelings,  as 
we  declined  the  invitation  they  gave  us  to  join  in  their  repast,  would  have  been  resented 
by  the  Indians  without  much  ceremony.  We  had,  therefore,  the  prudence  to  excuse  our- 
selves under  the  plea  that  we  had  already  taken  our  food,  and  we  hastened  to  remove  from 
a  sight  so  revolting  to  humanity. 

Since  the  affair  of  the  5th,  the  enemy  continued  to  keep  themselves  shut  up  within  their 
works,  and  the  bombardment,  although  carried  on  with  vigor,  had  effected  no  practicable 
breach.  From  the  account  given  by  the  officers  captured  during  the  sortie,  it  appears  that, 
with  a  perseverance  and  toil  peculiar  to  themselves,  the  Americans  had  constructed  sub- 
terranean passages  to  protect  them  from  the  annoyance  of  our  shells,  which  sinking  into 
the  clay,  softened  by  the  incessant  rains  that  had  fallen,  instead  of  exploding  were  speedily 
extinguished.  Impatient  of  longer  privations,  and  anxious  to  return  to  their  families  and 
occupations,  numbers  of  the  militia  withdrew  themselves  in  small  bodies,  and  under  cover 
of  the  night ;  while  the  majority  of  Indians,  enriched  by  plunder  and  languishing  under  the 
tediousness  of  a  mode  of  warfare  so  different  from  their  own,  with  less  ceremony  and  cau- 
tion, left  us  to  prosecute  the  siege  as  we  could. 

Tecumseh  at  the  head  of  his  own  tribe,  (the  Shawnees,)  and  a  few  others,  amounting  in 
all  to  about  400  warriors,  continued  to  remain.  The  troops  also  were  worn  down  with 
constant  fatigue  ;  for  here,  as  in  every  other  expedition  against  the  enemy,  few  even  of 
the  officers  had  tents  to  shield  them  from  the  weather.     A  few  pieces  of  bark  torn  from 

the  other  by  the  breast,  and  threw  them  to  the  ground ;  drawing  his  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing knife,  he  ran  in  between  the  Americans  and  Indians,  brandishing  them  with  the  fury 
of  a  mad  man,  and  daring  any  one  of  the  hundreds  that  surrounded  him,  to  attempt  U> 
murder  another  American.  They  all  appeared  confounded,  and  immediately  desisted.  His 
mind  appeared  rent  with  passion,  and  he  exclaimed  almost  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  "  Oh! 
what  will  become  of  my  Indians."  He  then  demanded  in  an  authoritative  tone,  where 
Proctor  was ;  but  casting  his  eye  upon  him  at  a  small  distance,  sternly  inquired  why  he  had 
not  put  a  stop  to  the  inhuman  massacre.  "  Sir,"  said  Proctor,  "  your  Indians  cannot  be 
commanded."  "  Begone  !"  retorted  Tecumseh,  with  the  greatest  disdain,  "  you  are  unfit 
to  command  ;  go  and  put  on  petticoats." 


WOOD    COUNTY.  539 

the  trees,  and  covering  the  skeleton  of  a  hut,  was  their  only  habitation,  and  they  were 
merely  separated  from  the  damp  earth  on  which  they  lay,  by  a  few  scattered  leaves,  on 
which  was  generally  spread  a  blanket  by  the  men,  and  a  cloak  by  the  officers.  Hence, 
frequently  arose  dysentery,  ague,  and  the  various  ills  to  which  an  army  encamped  on  a  wet 
and  unhealthy  ground,  is  inevitably  subject;  and  fortunate  was  he  who  possessed  the  skin 
of  a  bear  or  buffalo,  on  which  he  could  repose  his  wearied  limbs,  after  a  period  of  suffering 
and  privation,  which  those  who  have  never  served  in  the  wilds  of  America,  can  with  diffi- 
culty comprehend.  Such  was  the  position  of  the  contending  parties  towards  the  middle  of 
May,  when  Gen.  Proctor,  despairing  to  effect  the  reduction  of  the  fort,  caused  preparations 
to  be  made  for  the  raising  the  siege.  Accordingly  the  gun-boats  ascended  the  river,  and 
anchored  under  the  batteries,  the  guns  of  which  were  conveyed  on  board  under  a  heavy 
fire  from  the  enemy.  The  whole  being  secured,  the  expedition  returned  to  Amherstburg, 
the  Americans  remained  tranquil  within  their  works,  and  suffered  us  to  depart  unmolested. 

Gen.  Harrison  having  repaired  the  fort  from  the  damage  occa- 
sioned by  the  siege,  left  for  the  interior  of  the  state,  to  organize  new 
levies,  and  entrusted  the  command  to  Gen.  Green  Clay.  The  enemy 
returned  to  Maiden,  where  the  Canadian  militia  were  disbanded. 
Shortly  after  commenced  the  second  siege  of  Fort  Meigs. 

On  the  20th  of  July,  the  boats  of  the  enemy  were  discovered  ascending  the  Miami  to 
Fort  Meigs,  and  the  following  morning,  a  party  of  ten  men  were  surprised  by  the  Indians, 
and  only  three  escaped  death  or  capture.  The  force  which  the  enemy  had  now  before  the 
post,  was  5000  men  under  Proctor  and  Tecumseh,  and  the  number  of  Indians  was  greater 
than  any  ever  before  assembled  on  any  occasion  during  the  war,  while  the  defenders  of  the 
fort  amounted  to  but  a  few  hundred. 

The  night  of  their  arrival,  Gen.  Green  Clay  dispatched  Capt.  M'Cune,  of  the  Ohio  mili- 
tia, to  Gen.  Harrison,  at  Lower  Sandusky,  to  notify  him  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy. 
Capt.  M'Cune  was  ordered  to  return,  and  inform  Gen.  Clay  to  be  particularly  cautious 
against  surprise,  and  that  every  effort  would  be  made  to  relieve  the  fort. 

It  was  Gen.  Harrison's  intention,  should  the  enemy  lay  regular  siege  to  the  fort,  to  select 
400  men,  and  by  an  unfrequented  route  reach  there  in  the  night,  and  at  any  hazard  break 
through  the  lines  of  the  enemy. 

Capt.  M'Cune  was  sent  out  a  second  time  with  the  intelligence  to  Harrison,  that  about 
800  Indians  had  been  seen  from  the  fort,  passing  up  the  Miami,  designing,  it  was  supposed, 
to  attack  Fort  Winchester  at  Defiance.  The  general,  however,  believed  that  it  was  a 
ruse  of  the  enemy,  to  cover  their  design  upon  Upper  Sandusky,  Lower  Sandusky,  or 
Cleveland,  and  accordingly  kept  out  a  reconoitering  party  to  watch. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  25th,  Capt.  M'Cune  was  ordered  by  Harrison  to  return  to  the 
fort,  and  inform  Gen.  Clay  of  his  situation  and  intentions.  He  arrived  near  the  fort  about 
daybreak  on  the  following  morning,  having  lost  his  way  in  the  night,  accompanied  by 
James  Doolan,  a  French  Canadian.  They  were  just  upon  the  point  of  leaving  the  forest 
and  entering  upon  the  cleared  ground  around  the  fort,  when  they  were  intercepted  by  a 
party  of  Indians.  They  immediately  took  to  the  high  bank  with  their  horses,  and  re- 
treated at  full  gallop  up  the  river  for  several  miles,  pursued  by  the  Indians,  also  mounted, 
until  they  came  to  a  deep  ravine,  putting  up  from  the  river  in  a  southerly  direction,  when 
they  turned  upon  the  river  bottom  and  continued  a  short  distance,  until  they  found  their 
further  progress  in  that  direction  stopped  by  an  impassable  swamp.  The  Indians  foresee- 
ing their  dilemma,  from  their  knowledge  of  the  country,  and  expecting  they  would  natu- 
rally follow  up  the  ravine,  galloped  thither  to  head  them  off.  M'Cune  guessed  their  inten- 
tion, and  he  and  his  companion  turned  back  upon  their  own  track  for  the  fort,  gaining,  by 
this  manoeuvre,  several  hundred  yards  upon  their  pursuers.  The  Indians  gave  a  yell  of 
chagrin,  and  followed  at  their  utmost  speed.  Just  as  they  neared  the  fort,  M'Cune  dashed 
into  a  thicket  across  his  course,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  other  Indians  had  huddled, 
awaiting  their  prey.  When  this  body  of  Indians  had  thought  them  all  but  in  their  posses- 
sion, again  was  the  presence  of  mind  of  M'Cune  signally  displayed.  He  wheeled  his  horse, 
followed  by  Doolan,  made  his  way  out  of  the  thicket  by  the  passage  he  had  entered,  and 
galloped  around  into  the  open  space  between  them  and  the  river,  where  the  pursuers  were 
checked  by  the  fire  from  the  block-house  at  the  western  angle  of  the  fort.  In  a  few  minutes 
after  their  arrival,  their  horses  dropped  from  fatigue.  The  Indians  probably  had  orders  to 
take  them  alive  as  they  had  not  fired  until  just  as  they  entered  the  fort ;  but  in  the  chase, 
M'Cune  had  great  difficulty  in  persuading  Doolan  to  reserve  his  fire  until  the  last  extrem- 
ity, and  they  therefore  brought  in  their  pieces  loaded. 


540  WOOD    COUNTY. 

The  opportune  arrival  of  M'Cune  no  doubt  saved  the  fort,  as  the  intelligence  he  brought 
was  the  means  of  preserving  them  from  an  ingeniously  devised  stratagem  of  Tecumseh, 
which  was  put  into  execution  that  day,  and  which  we  here  relate. 

Towards  evening,  the  British  infantry  were  secreted  in  the  ravine  below  the  fort,  and 
the  cavalry  in  the  woods  above,  while  the  Indians  were  stationed  in  the  forest,  on  the  San- 
dusky road,  not  far  from  the  fort.  About  an  hour  before  dark,  they  commenced  a  sham 
battle  among  themselves,  to  deceive  the  Americans  into  the  belief  that  a  battle  was  going 
on  between  them  and  a  re-inforcement  for  the  fort,  in  the  hopes  of  enticing  the  garrison  to 
the  aid  of  their  comrades.  It  was  managed  with  so  much  skill,  that  the  garrison  instantly 
flew  to  arms,  impressed  by  the  Indian  yells,  intermingled  with  the  roar  of  musketry,  that 
a  severe  battle  was  being  fought.  The  officers  even  of  the  highest  grades  were  of  that 
opinion,  and  some  of  them  insisted  on  being  suffered  to  march  out  to  the  rescue.  Gen. 
Clay,  although  unable  to  account  for  the  firing,  could  not  believe  that  the  general  had  so 
soon  altered  his  intention,  as  expressed  to  Capt.  M'Cune,  not  to  send  or  come  with  any  troops 
to  Fort  Meigs,  until  there  should  appear  further  necessity  for  it.  This  intelligence  in  a  great 
measure  satisfied  the  officers,  but  not  the  men,  who  were  extremely  indignant  at  being  pre- 
vented from  going  to  share  the  dangers  of  their  commander-in-chief  and  brother  soldiers, 
and  perhaps  had  it  not  been  for  the  interposition  of  a  shower  of  rain,  which  soon  put  an  end 
to  the  battle,  the  general  might  have  been  persuaded  to  march  out,  when  a  terrible  massacre 
of  the  troops  would  have  ensued. 

The  enemy  remained  around  the  fort  but  one  day  after  this,  and  on  the  28th,  embarked 
with  their  stores  and  proceeded  down  the  lake,  and  a  few  days  after  met  with  a  severe  re- 
pulse, in  their  attempt  to  storm  Fort  Stephenson. 

We  are  informed  by  a  volunteer  aid  of  Gen.  Clay,  who  was  in  the  fort  at  the  second 
siege,  that  preparations  were  made  to  fire  the  magazine,  in  case  the  enemy  succeeded  in 
an  attempt  to  storm  the  fort,  and  thus  involve  all,  friend  and  foe,  in  one  common  fate. 
This  terrible  alternative  was  deemed  better,  than  to  perish  under  the  tomahawks  and  scalp- 
ing knives  of  the  savages. 

The  soldiers  of  the  northwestern  army,  while  at  Fort  Meigs,  and 
elsewhere  on  duty,  frequently  beguiled  their  time  by  singing  patri- 
otic songs.  A  verse  from  one  of  them,  sufficiently  indicates  their 
general  character. 

Freemen,  no  longer  bear  such  slaughter, 

Avenge  your  country's  cruel  woe, 
Arouse  and  save  your  wives  and  daughters, 
Arouse,  and  expel  the  faithless  foe. 

Chorus — Scalps  are  bought  at  stated  prices, 
Maiden  pays  the  price  in  gold. 

Perry sburg,  the  county  seat,  named  from  Com.  Perry,  is  123  miles 
nw.  of  Columbus,  on  the  Maumee  river,  just  below  Fort  Meigs.  It 
was  laid  out  in  1816,  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  river.  It 
contains  1  Presbyterian,  1  Methodist  and  1  Universalist  church,  2 
newspaper  printing  offices,  8  mercantile  stores,  and  had  by  the  cen- 
sus of  1840,  1041  inhabitants.  The  building  of  steamers  and  sail 
vessels  has  been  carried  on  here  to  a  considerable  extent.  A  canal 
for  hydraulic  purposes  has  been  constructed  here.  It  commences 
in  the  rapids  of  the  Maumee,  5  miles  above,  and  has  18  feet  fall, 
affording  power  sufficient  to  carry  40  runs  of  stone. 

A  correspondent,  residing  in  Perrysburg,  has  communicated  to  us 
a  sketch  of  the  speculations  which  attracted  so  much  attention  to 
the  Maumee  valley,  some  years  since. 

The  notable  era  of  speculation,  embracing  the  years  1834,  5,  6,  and  part  of '37,  first  at- 
tracted public  attention  to  the  Maumee  valley,  as  a  commercial  mart.  From  the  mouth  of 
the  river  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  the  country  swarmed  with  adventurers.  Those  that  did 
not  regard  any  of  the  settlements  (for  neither  of  the  beautiful  villages  of  Toledo,  Maumee 
or  Perrysburg,  were  more  than  settlements  at  that  time)  as  the  points  designated  by  nature 
and  legislation  for  the  great  emporium,  purchased  tracts  of  land  lying  between  and  below 


WYANDOT    COUNTY. 


541 


these  towns,  and  laid  out  cities.  It  would  amuse  one  to  take  the  recorded  maps  of  some 
of  these  embryo  cities,  with  the  designated  squares,  parks  and  public  buildings,  and  walk 
over  the  desolate  sites  of  the  cities  themselves.  Manhattan,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  ; 
Oregon,  5  miles  above  ;  Austerlitz,  6  miles,  and  Marengo,  9  miles,  were  joint  contenders 
with  the  villages  that  have  grown  up,  for  the  great  prize.  They  all  had  their  particular  ad- 
vantages. Manhattan  based  her  claim  upon  the  location  at  the  exact  debouchure  of  the 
river.  Oregon,  in  addition  to  all  the  advantages  claimed  by  the  other  towns,  added  the  fa- 
cilities of  the  location  for  engaging  in  the  pork  business,  and  her  leading  proprietor,  in  a 
placard  posted  up  publicly  in  1836,  professed  his  belief,  that  these  particular  advantages 
were  greater  even,  than  those  enjoyed  by  the  city  of  Cincinnati.  Marengo  based  her 
claims  upon  the  fact,  that  her  location  was  at  the  foot  of  the  rock  bar,  and  therefore  at  the 
virtual  head  of  navigation.  The  result  of  all  this  was,  that  hundreds  of  young  men,  from 
the  east  and  south,  flocked  to  this  valley  during  the  years  above  named,  with  the  hope  of 
speedily  amassing  a  fortune  ;  and  of  this  number  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  full  three- 
quarters,  having  no  means  at  the  commencement  and  depending  upon  some  bold  stroke  ior 
success,  left  the  valley  before  the  close  of  the  year  1837,  hopelessly  involved.  All  these 
towns,  some  eleven,  if  I  recollect  rightly,  in  number,  still  form  a  part  of  the  primeval  for- 
ests of  the  Maumee,  most  of  them,  after  ruining  their  proprietors,  have  been  vacated,  and 
the  sounding  names  by  which  they  were  known,  are  a  by-word,  a  reproach,  or  the  butt-end 
of  the  coarse  jokes  of  the  more  recent  and  fortunate  adventurers  in  the  valley. 


liillfelKMdfe 


4'-    -     ^   .    -  ■ 

--—A        -"-.si.;' 


Perry sburg,  from  Maumee  City, 

Gilead,  at  the  head  of  the  Maumee  rapids,  18  miles  above  Perrys- 
burg,  has  about  150  inhabitants.  There  is  much  water  power  at 
that  point.  Otsego,  Bowling  Green  and  Portageville,  are  also  small 
places  in  the  county.  The  last,  18  miles  south  of  the  county  seat, 
marks  the  site  of  one  of  Hull's  encampments,  when  on  his  march  to 
Detroit. 


WYANDOT. 

Wyandot  was  formed  from  Crawford,  Marion,  Hardin  and  Han- 
cock, February  3d,  1845.  The  surface  is  level  and  the  soil  fertile. 
About  one-third  of  it  is  prairie  land,  being  covered  by  the  Sandusky 
plains.     These  plains  are  chiefly  bounded  by  the  Sandusky,  the  Lit- 


542 


WYANDOT    COUNTY. 


tie  Scioto  and  the  Tyemochte,  which  last  signifies  in  the  Wyandot 
language,  "  around  the  plains."  This  tract  in  its  natural  state  is  cov- 
ered with  a  rank  wild  grass  several  feet  in  height,  and  in  some  parts 
are  interspersed  beautiful  groves  of  timber.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  townships  in  Wyandot : 

Antrim,  Marseilles,  Ridge, 

Crane,  Mifflin,  Salem, 

Crawford,  Pitt,  Sycamore, 

Eden,  Richland,  Tyemochte, 

Jackson, 
Wyandot  having  been  so  recently  formed,  its  population  is  un- 
known ;  it  is,  however,  thinly  settled,  but  is  rapidly  populating. 

This  county  was,  from  an  early  day,  a  favorite  residence  of  the 
Wyandot  Indians  ;  it  is  noted  for  being  the  scene  of  Crawford's  de- 
feat in  June  1782,  and  his  subsequent  death  by  the  most  cruel  tortures. 


Cravford's  Battle  Ground. 

The  view  representing  Crawford's  Battle  Ground  was  taken  on 
the  road  to  Tiffin  3  miles  north  of  Upper  Sandusky,  and  1  west  of 
the  Sandusky  river.  The  action,  it  is  said,  began  some  distance 
north  of  the  cabin  shown,  in  the  high  grass  of  the  prairie  in 
which  the  Indians  were  concealed.  The  parties  afterwards  were 
engaged  in  the  grove  or  island  of  timber  represented  in  the  view, 
called  at  this  day  "Battle  Island,"  in  which  the  principal  action  was 
fought.  Many  of  the  trees  now  bear  the  marks  of  the  bullets,  or 
rather  the  scars  on  their  trunks  made  by  the  hatchets  of  the  Indians 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  543 

in  getting  them  out  after  the  action.  The  large  oak  on  the  right  of 
the  view  has  these  relics  of  that  unfortunate  engagement.  A  part 
of  the  whites  slain  were  buried  in  a  small  swamp  about  30 
rods  south  of  the  spot  from  whence  the  drawing  was  taken.  It  is 
not  shown  in  the  view  as  the  scene  is  represented  to  the  eye  as 
if  looking  in  a  northern  direction. 

The  annexed  history  of  Crawford's  campaign  we  take  from  Dod- 
dridge's Notes  : 

Crawford's  campaign,  in  one  point  of  view  at  least,  is  to  be  considered  as  a  second  Mo- 
ravian campaign,  as  one  of  its  objects  was  that  of  finishing  the  work  of  murder  and  plun- 
der with  the  christian  Indians  at  their  new  establishment  on  the  Sandusky.  The  next 
object  was  that  of  destroying  the  Wyandot  towns  on  the  same  river.  It  was  the  resolu- 
tion of  all  those  concerned  in  this  expedition  not  to  spare  the  life  of  any  Indians  that 
might  fall  into  their  hands,  whether  friends  or  foes.  It  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel  that  the 
result  of  this  campaign  was  widely  different  from  that  of  the  Moravian  campaign  the  pre- 
ceding March. 

It  should  seem  that  the  long  continuance  of  the  Indian  war  had  debased  a  considerable 
portion  of  our  population  to  the  savage  state  of  our  nature,  Having  lost  so  many  relatives 
by  the  Indians  and  witnessed  their  horrid  murders  and  other  depredations  on  so  extensive 
a  scale,  they  became  subjects  of  that  indiscriminating  thirst  for  revenge  which  is  such  a 
prominent  feature  in  the  savage  character,  and  having  had  a  taste  of  blood  and  plunder 
without  risk  or  loss  on  their  part,  they  resolved  to  go  on  and  kill  every  Indian  they  could 
find,  whether  friend  or  foe. 

Preparations  for  this  campaign  commenced  soon  after  the  return  of  the  Moravian  cam- 
paign in  the  month  of  March,  and  as  it  was  intended  to  make  what  was  called  at  that 
time  "  a  dash,"  that  is  an  enterprize  conducted  with  secresy  and  dispatch,  the  men  were  all 
mounted  on  the  best  horses  they  could  procure.  They  furnished  themselves  with  all  their 
outfits  except  some  ammunition,  which  was  furnished  by  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  Wash- 
ington county,  [Pennsylvania.] 

On  the  25th  of  May,  1782,  480  men  mustered  at  the  old  Mingo  towns,  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Ohio  river.  They  were  all  volunteers  from  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the 
Ohio,  with  the  exception  of  one  company  from  Ten  Mile  in  Washington  county.  Here  an 
election  was  held  for  the  office  of  commander-in-chief  for  the  expedition.  The  candidates 
were  Col.  Williamson  and  Col.  Crawford  ;  the  latter  was  the  successful  candidate.  When 
notified  of  his  appointment  it  is  said  that  he  accepted  it  with  apparent  reluctance. 

The  army  marched  along  "  Williamson's  trail"  as  it  was  then  called,  until  they  arrived 
at  the  upper  Moravian  town,  in  the  fields  belonging  to  which  there  was  still  plenty  of  com 
on  the  stalks,  with  which  their  horses  were  plentifully  fed  during  the  night  of  their  encamp- 
ment there. 

Shortly  after  the  army  halted  at  this  place,  two  Indians  were  discovered  by  three  men, 
who  had  walked  some  distance  out  of  the  camp.  Three  shots  were  fired  at  one  of  them, 
but  without  hurting  him.  As  soon  as  the  news  of  the  discovery  of  Indians  had  reached 
the  camp,  more  than  one  half  of  the  men  rushed  out,  without  command,  and  in  the  most 
tumultuous  manner,  to  see  what  happened.  From  that  time,  Col.  Crawford  felt  a  presen- 
timent of  the  defeat  which  followed. 

The  truth  is,  that  notwithstanding  the  secrecy  and  dispatch  of  the  enterprize,  the  Indians 
were  beforehand  with  our  people.  They  saw  the  rendezvous  on  the  Mingo  bottom,  knew 
their  number  and  destination.  They  visited  every  encampment  immediately  on  their  leav- 
ing it,  and  saw  from  the  writing  on  the  trees  and  scraps  of  paper  that  "  no  quarter  was  to 
be  given  to  any  Indian,  whether  man,  woman  or  child." 

Nothing  material  happened  during  their  march  until  the  sixth  of  June,  when  their  guides 
conducted  them  to  the  site  of  the  Moravian  villages,  on  one  of  the  upper  branches  of  the 
Sandusky  river ;  but  here,  instead  of  meeting  with  Indians  and  plunder,  they  met  with  noth- 
ing but  vestiges  of  desolation.  The  place  was  covered  with  high  grass,  and  the  remains 
of  a  few  huts  alone,  announced  that  the  place  had  been  the  residence  of  the  people  whom 
they  intended  to  destroy,  but  who  had  moved  off  to  Scioto  some  time  before. 

In  this  dilemma  what  was  to  be  done  ]  The  officers  held  a  council,  in  which  it  was  de- 
termined to  march  one  day  longer  in  the  direction  of  Upper  Sandusky,  and  if  they  should 
not  reach  the  town  in  the  course  of  the  day,  to  make  a  retreat  with  all  speed. 

The  mirch  was  commenced  the  next  morning  through  the  plains  of  Sandusky,  and  con- 
tinued until  about  two  o'clock,  when  the  advance  guard  was  attacked  and  driven  in  by  the 


544  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

Indians,  who  were  discovered  in  large  numbers,  in  the  high  grass,  with  which  th*.  place 
was  covered.  The  Indian  army  was  at  that  moment  about  entering  a  piece  of  woods, 
almost  entirely  surrounded  by  plains  ;  but  in  this  they  were  disappointed  by  a  rapid  move- 
ment of  our  men.  The  battle  then  commenced  by  a  heavy  fire  from  both  sides.  From  a 
partial  possession  of  the  woods  which  they  had  gained  at  the  onset  of  the  battle,  the  In- 
dians were  soon  dislodged.  They  then  attempted  to  gain  a  small  skirt  of  wood  on  our 
right  flank,  but  were  prevented  from  doing  so  by  the  vigilance  and  bravery  of  Maj.  Leet, 
who  commanded  the  right  wing  of  the  army  at  that  time.  The  firing  was  incessant  and 
heavy  until  dark,  when  it  ceased.  Both  armies  lay  on  their  arms  during  the  night.  Both 
adopted  the  policy  of  kindling  large  fires  along  the  line  of  battle,  and  then  retiring  some 
distance  in  the  rear  of  them,  to  prevent  being  surprised  by  a  night  attack.  During  the 
conflict  of  the  afternoon,  three  of  our  men  were  killed  and  several  wounded. 

In  the  morning  our  army  occupied  the  battle  ground  of  the  preceding  day.  The  In- 
dians made  no  attack  during  the  day,  until  late  in  the  evening,  but  were  seen  in  large  bo- 
dies traversing  the  plains  in  various  directions.  Some  of  them  appeared  to  be  employed 
in  carrying  off  their  dead  and  wounded. 

In  the  morning  of  this  day  a  council  of  the  officers  was  held,  in  which  a  retreat  was 
resolved  on,  as  the  only  means  of  saving  their  army.  The  Indians  appeared  to  increase 
in  number  every  hour.  During  the  sitting  of  this  council,  Col.  Williamson  proposed  taking 
one  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers,  and  marching  directly  to  Upper  Sandusky.  This  propo- 
sition the  commander-in-chief  prudently  rejected,  saying,  "  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  you 
would  reach  the  town,  but  you  would  find  nothing  there  but  empty  wigwams,  and  having 
taken  off  so  many  of  our  best  men,  you  would  leave  the  rest  to  be  destroyed  by  the  host 
of  Indians  with  which  we  are  now  surrounded,  and  on  your  return  they  would  attack  and 
destroy  you.  They  care  nothing  about  defending  their  towns  ;  they  are  worth  nothing. 
Their  squaws,  children  and  property,  have  been  removed  from  them  long  since.  Our  lives 
and  baggage  are  what  they  want,  and  if  they  can  get  us  divided  they  will  soon  have  them. 
We  must  stay  together  and  do  the  best  we  can." 

During  this  day  preparations  were  made  for  a  retreat  by  burying  the  dead,  burning  fires 
over  their  graves  to  prevent  discovery,  and  preparing  means  for  carrying  off  the  wounded. 
The  retreat  was  to  commence  in  the  course  of  the  night.  The  Indians,  however,  became 
apprized  of  the  intended  retreat,  and  about  sundown  attacked  the  army  with  great  force 
and  fury,  in  every  direction,  excepting  that  of  Sandusky. 

When  the  line  of  march  was  formed  by  the  commander-in-chief,  and  the  retreat  com- 
menced, our  guides  prudently  took  the  direction  of  Sandusky,  which  afforded  the  only 
opening  in  the  Indian  lines  and  the  only  chance  of  concealment.  After  marching  about  a 
mile  in  this  direction,  the  army  wheeled  about  to  the  left,  and  by  a  circuitous  route  gained 
the  trail  by  which  they  came,  before  day.  They  continued  their  march  the  whole  of  the 
next  day,  with  a  trifling  annoyance  from  the  Indians,  who  fired  a  few  distant  shots  at  the 
rear  guard,  which  slightly  wounded  two  or  three  men.  At  night  they  built  fires,  took 
their  suppers,  secured  the  horses  and  resigned  themselves  to  repose,  without  placing  a  sin- 
gle sentinel  or  vidette  for  safety.  In  this  careless  situation,  they  might  have  been  surprised 
and  cut  off  by  the  Indians,  who,  however,  gave  them  no  disturbance  during  the  night,  nor 
afterwards  during  the  whole  of  their  retreat.  The  number  of  those  composing  the  main 
body  in  the  retreat  was  supposed  to  be  about  three  hundred. 

Most  unfortunately,  when  a  retreat  was  resolved  on,  a  difference  of  opinion  prevailed 
concerning  the  best  mode  of  effecting  it.  The  greater  number  thought  best  to  keep  in  a 
body  and  retreat  as  fast  as  possible,  while  a  considerable  number  thought  it  safest  to  break 
off  in  small  parties  and  make  their  way  home  in  different  directions,  avoiding  the  route  by 
which  they  came.  Accordingly  many  attempted  to  do  so,  calculating  that  the  whole  body 
of  the  Indians  would  follow  the  main  army  ;  in  this  they  were  entirely  mistaken.  The 
Indians  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  main  body  of  the  army,  but  pursued  the  small  par- 
ties with  such  activity  that  but  very  few  of  those  who  composed  them  made  their  escape. 

The  only  successful  party  who  were  detached  from  the  main  army  was  that  of  about 
forty  men  under  the  command  of  a  Captain  Williamson,  who,  pretty  late  in  the  night  of 
the  retreat,  broke  through  the  Indian  lines  under  a  severe  fire,  and  with  some  loss,  and  over- 
took the  main  army  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day  of  the  retreat. 

For  several  days  after  the  retreat  of  our  army,  the  Indians  were  spread  over  the  whole 
country,  from  Sandusky  to  the  Muskingum,  in  pursuit  of  the  straggling  parties,  most  of 
whom  were  killed  on  the  spot.  They  even  pursued  them  almost  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio. 
A  man  of  the  name  of  Mills  was  killed,  two  miles  to  the  eastward  of  the  site  of  St. 
Clairsville,  in  the  direction  of  Wheeling  from  that  place.  The  number  killed  in  this  way 
must  have  been  very  great,  the  precise  amount,  however,  was  never  fairly  ascertained. 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  545 

At  the  commencement  of  the  retreat  Col.  Crawford  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
army  and  continued  there  until  they  had  gone  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  missing  bis 
son,  John  Crawford,  his  son-in-law,  Major  Harrison,  and  his  nephews,  Major  Rose  and 
William  Crawford,  he  halted  and  called  for  them  as  the  line  passed,  but  without  finding 
them.  After  the  army  had  passed  him,  he  was  unable  to  overtake  it,  owing  to  the  weari- 
ness of  his  horse.  Falling  in  company  with  Doctor  Knight  and  two  others,  they  travelled 
all  the  night,  first  north,  and  then  to  the  east,  to  avoid  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians.  They 
directed  their  courses  during  the  night  by  the  north  star. 

On  the  next  day,  they  fell  in  with  Captain  John  Biggs  and  Lieutenant  Ashley,  the  latter 
of  whom  was  severely  wounded.  There  were  two  others  in  company  with  Biggs  and 
Ashley.  They  encamped  together  the  succeeding  night.  On  the  next  day,  while  on  their 
march,  they  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who  made  Col.  Crawford  and  Doctor 
Knight  prisoners.  The  other  four  made  their  escape,  but  Captain  Biggs  and  Lieutenant 
Ashley  were  killed  the  next  day. 

Colonel  Crawford  and  Doctor  Knight  were  immediately  taken  to  an  Indian  encampment 
at  a  short  distance  from  the  place  where  they  were  captured.  Here  they  found  nine  fellow 
prisoners  and  seventeen  Indians.  On  the  next  day  they  were  marched  to  the  old  Wyan- 
dot town,  and  on  the  next  morning  were  paraded,  to  set  off,  as  they  were  told,  to  go  to  the 
new  town.  But  alas  !  a  very  different  destination  awaited  these  captives !  Nine  of  the 
prisoners  were  marched  off"  some  distance  before  the  colonel  and  the  doctor,  who  were 
conducted  by  Pipe  and  Wingenund,  two  Delaware  chiefs.  Four  of  the  prisoners  were 
tomahawked  and  scalped  on  the  way,  at  different  places. 

Preparations  had  been  made  for  the  execution  of  Colonel  Crawford,  by  setting  a  post 
about  fifteen  feet  high  in  the  ground,  and  making  a  large  fire  of  hickory  poles  about  six 
yards  from  it.  About  half  a  mile  from  the  place  of  execution  the  remaining  five  of  the 
nine  prisoners  were  tomahawked  and  scalped  by  a  number  of  squaws  and  boys.  Colonel 
Crawford's  son  and  son-in-law  were  executed  at  the  Shawnese  town.         *         *         * 

Dr.  Knight  was  doomed  to  be  burned  at  a  town  about  forty  miles  distant  from  Sandusky, 
and  committed  to  the  care  of  a  young  Indian  to  be  taken  there.  The  first  day  they  trav- 
elled about  twenty-five  miles,  and  encamped  for  the  night.  In  the  morning  the  gnats  be- 
ing very  troublesome,  the  doctor  requested  the  Indian  to  untie  him  that  he  might  help  him 
to  make  a  fire  to  keep  them  off.  With  this  request  the  Indian  complied.  While  the  In- 
dian was  on  his  knees  and  elbows,  blowing  the  fire,  the  doctor  caught  up  a  piece  of  a  tent 
pole  which  had  been  burned  in  two,  about  eighteen  inches  long,  with  which  he  struck  the 
Indian  on  his  head  with  all  his  might,  so  as  to  knock  him  forward  into  the  fire.  The 
stick,  however,  broke,  so  that  the  Indian,  although  severely  hurt,  was  not  killed,  but  imme- 
diately sprang  up  ;  on  this  the  doctor  caught  up  the  Indian's  gun  to  shoot  him,  but  drew 
back  the  cock  with  so  much  violence  that  he  broke  the  main  spring.  The  Indian  ran  off 
with  an  hideous  yelling.  Doctor  Knight  then  made  the  best  of  his  way  home,  which  he 
reached  in  twenty-one  days,  almost  famished  to  death.  The  gun  being  of  no  use,  after 
carrying  it  a  day  or  two,  he  left  it  behind.  On  his  journey  he  subsisted  on  roots,  a  few 
young  birds  and  berries.  ******* 

Thus  ended  this  disastrous  campaign.  It  was  the  last  one  which  took  place  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country  during  the  revolutionary  contest  of  the  Americans  with  the  mother 
country.  It  was  undertaken  with  the  very  worst  of  views,  those  of  plunder  and  murder  ; 
it  was  conducted  without  sufficient  means  to  encounter,  with  any  prospect  of  success,  the 
large  force  of  Indians  opposed  to  ours  in  the  plains  of  Sandusky.  It  was  conducted  with- 
out that  subordination  and  discipline  so  requisite  to  insure  success  in  any  hazardous  enter- 
prize,  and  it  ended  in  a  total  discomfiture.  Never  did  an  enterprize  more  completely  fail 
of  attaining  its  object.  Never,  on  any  occasion,  had  the  ferocious  savages  more  ample  re- 
venge for  the  murder  of  their  pacific  friends,  than  that  which  they  obtained  on  this  occasion. 

Should  it  be  asked  what  considerations  led  so  great  a  number  of  people  into  this  despe- 
rate enterprize  1  Why  with  so  small  a  force  and  such  slender  means  they  pushed  on  so  far 
as  the  plains  of  Sandusky  ? 

The  answer  is,  that  many  believed  that  the  Moravian  Indians,  taking  no  part  in  the  war, 
and  having  given  offence  to  the  warriors  on  several  occasions,  their  belligerent  friends  would 
not  take  up  arms  in  their  behalf.  In  this  conjecture  they  were  sadly  mistaken.  They  did 
defend  them  with  all  the  force  at  their  command,  and  no  wonder,  for  notwithstanding  their 
christian  and  pacific  principles,  the  warriors  still  regarded  the  Moravians  as  their  relations, 
whom  it  was  their  duty  to  defend. 

We  have  omitted  to  copy  from  the  preceding  the  account  of  the 
burning  of  Col.  Crawford,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  details  more 

69 


546  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

fully.  "  The  spot  where  Crawford  suffered,"  says  Col.  John  Johns- 
ton, "  was  a  few  miles  west  of  Upper  Sandusky,  on  the  old  trace 
leading  to  the  Big  Spring,  Wyandot  town.  It  was  on  the  right  hand 
of  the  trace  going  west,  on  a  low  bottom  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Tyemochte  creek.  The  Delawares  burnt  Crawford  in  satisfaction 
for  the  massacre  of  their  people  at  the  Moravian  towns  on  the 
Muskingum."  It  was  at  a  Delaware  town  which  extended  along 
the  Tyemochte.  The  precise  spot  is  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
Daniel  Hodge,  and  is  a  beautiful  green  with  some  fine  oak  trees  in 
its  vicinity. 

The  following  is  from  Heckewelder,  and  describes  an  interview 
which  Crawford  had  with  the  Indian  chief,  Wingenund,  just  previous 
to  his  death.  Some  doubts  have  been  expressed  of  its  truth  as  the 
historian  Heckewelder  has  often  been  accused  of  being  fond  of  ro- 
mancing, but  Col.  Johnston,  (good  authority  here,)  expresses  the 
opinion  that  "  it  is  doubtless  in  the  main  correct." 

Wingenund,  an  Indian  chief,  had  an  interview  with  Col.  Crawford  just  before  his  execu- 
tion. He  had  been  known  to  Crawford  some  time  before,  and  had  been  on  terms  of  friend- 
ship with  him,  and  kindly  entertained  by  him  at  his  own  house,  and  therefore  felt  much  at- 
tached to  the  colonel.  Wingenund  had  retired  to  his  cabin,  that  he  might  not  see  the  sen- 
tence executed  ;  but  Crawford  sent  for  him,  with  the  faint  hope  that  he  would  intercede  for 
and  save  him.  Wingenund  accordingly  soon  appeared  in  presence  of  Crawford,  who  was 
naked  and  bound  to  a  stake.  Wingenund  commenced  the  conversation  with  much  em- 
barrassment and  agitation,  as  follows  : 

Wingenund — "  Are  you  not  Col.  Crawford  1" 

Crawford — "  I  am." 

Wingenund,  somewhat  agitated,  ejaculates,  "  So ! — yes ! — indeed !" 

Crawford — "  Do  you  not  recollect  the  friendship  that  always  existed  between  us,  and  that 
we  were  always  glad  to  see  each  other  1" 

Wingenund — "  Yes !  I  remember  all  this,  and  that  we  have  often  drank  together,  and 
that  you  have  been  kind  to  me." 

Crawford — "  Then  I  hope  the  same  friendship  still  continues." 

Wingenund — "  It  would,  of  course,  were  you  where  you  ought  to  be,  and  not  here." 

Crawford — "  And  why  not  here  1  I  hope  you  would  not  desert  a  friend  in  tune  of  need. 
Now  is  the  time  for  you  to  exert  yourself  in  my  behalf,  as  I  should  do  for  you  were  you  in 
my  place." 

Wingenund — "  Colonel  Crawford  !  you  have  placed  yourself  in  a  situation  which  puts 
it  out  of  my  power,  and  that  of  others  of  your  friends,  to  do  any  thing  for  you." 

Crawford — "  How  so,  Captain  Wingenund?" 

Wingenund — "  By  joining  yourself  to  that  execrable  man,  Williamson,  and  his  party — 
the  man,  who,  but  the  other  day,  murdered  such  a  number  of  Moravian  Indians,  knowing 
them  to  be  friends ;  knowing  that  he  ran  no  risk  in  murdering  a  people  who  would  not 
fight,  and  whose  only  business  was  praying." 

Crawford — "  But  I  assure  you,  Wingenund,  that  had  I  been  with  him  at  the  time,  this 
would  not  have  happened.  Not  I  alone,  but  all  your  friends,  and  all  good  men,  whoever 
they  are,  reprobate  acts  of  this  kind." 

Wingenund — "  That  may  be  ;  yet  these  friends,  these  good  men,  did  not  prevent  him 
from  going  out  again  to  kill  the  remainder  of  these  inoffensive,  yet  foolish  Moravian  In- 
dians. I  say  foolish,  because  they  believed  the  whites  in  preference  to  us.  We  had  often 
told  them  they  would  be  one  day  so  treated  by  those  people,  who  called  themselves  their 
friends !  We  told  them  there  was  no  faith  to  be  placed  in  what  the  white  man  said  ;  that 
their  fair  promises  were  only  intended  to  allure  us,  that  they  might  the  more  easily  kill  us, 
as  they  had  done  many  Indians  before  these  Moravians." 

Crawford — "  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  speak  thus  ;  as  to  Williamson's  going  out  again, 
when  it  was  known  he  was  determined  on  it,  I  went  out  with  him  to  prevent  his  committing 
fresh  murders." 

Wingenund — "  This  the  Indians  would  not  believe,  were  even  I  to  tell  them  so." 

Crawford — "  Why  would  they  not  believe  1" 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  547 

Wingenund — "  Because  it  would  have  been  out  of  your  power  to  have  prevented  his 
doing  what  he  pleased." 

Crawford — "  Out  of  my  power  !  Have  any  Moravian  Indians  been  killed  or  hurt  since 
we  came  out  1" 

Wingenund — "None;  but  you  first  went  to  their  town,  and  finding  it  deserted,  yon 
turned  on  the  path  towards  us.  If  you  had  been  in  search  of  warriors  only,  you  would  not 
have  gone  thither.  Our  spies  watched  you  closely.  They  saw  you  while  you  were  em- 
bodying yourselves  on  the  other  side  of  the  Ohio.  They  saw  you  cross  the  river — they  saw 
where  you  encamped  for  the  night — they  saw  you  turn  off  from  the  path  to  the  deserted 
Moravian  town — they  knew  you  were  going  out  of  your  way — your  steps  were  constantly 
watched,  and  you  were  suffered  quietly  to  proceed  until  you  reached  the  spot  where  you 
were  attacked." 

Crawford  felt  that,  with  this  sentence,  ended  his  last  ray  of  hope,  and  now  asked,  with 
emotion,  "  what  do  they  intend  to  do  with  me?" 

Wingenund — "  I  tell  you  with  grief.  As  Williamson,  with  his  whole  cowardly  host, 
ran  off  in  the  night  at  the  whistling  of  our  warriors'  balls,  being  satisfied  that  now  he  had 
no  Moravians  to  deal  with,  but  men  who  could  fight,  and  with  such  he  did  not  wish  to  have 
anything  to  do — I  say,  as  they  have  escaped  and  taken  you,  they  will  take  revenge  on  you 
in  his  stead." 

Crawford — And  is  there  no  possibility  of  preventing  this  ?  Can  you  devise  no  way  of 
getting  me  off?  You  shall,  my  friend,  be  well  rewarded  if  you  are  instrumental  in  saving 
my  life." 

Wingenund-—"  Had  Williamson  heen  taken  with  you,  I  and  some  friends,  by  making 
use  of  what  you  have  told  me,  might  perhaps  have  succeeded  in  saving  you  ;  but  as  the 
matter  now  stands,  no  man  would  dare  to  interfere  in  your  behalf.  The  king  of  England 
himself,  were  he  to  come  on  to  this  spot,  with  all  his  wealth  and  treasure,  could  not  effect 
this  purpose.  The  blood  of  the  innocent  Moravians,  more  than  half  of  them  women  and 
children,  cruelly  and  wantonly  murdered,  calls  loudly  for  revenge.  The  relatives  of  the 
slain,  who  are  among  us,  cry  out  and  stand  ready  for  revenge.  The  nation  to  which  they 
belonged  will  have  revenge.  The  Shawanese,  our  grandchildren,  have  asked  for  your 
fellow-prisoner  ;  on  him  they  will  take  revenge.  All  the  nations  connected  with  us  cry  out, 
revenge  !  revenge !  The  Moravians  whom  you  went  to  destroy,  having  fled,  instead  of 
avenging  their  brethren,  the  offence  is  become  national,  and  the  nation  itself  is  bound  to 
take  revenge !" 

Crawford — "  My  fate  is  then  fixed,  and  I  must  prepare  to  meet  death  in  its  worst  form." 

Wingenund — "  I  am  sorry  for  it,  but  cannot  do  anything  for  you.  Had  you  attended  to 
the  Indian  principle,  that  as  good  and  evil  cannot  dwell  together  in  the  same  heart,  so  a 
good  man  ought  not  to  go  into  evil  company,  you  would  not  be  in  this  lamentable  situation. 
You  see  now,  when  it  is  too  late,  after  Williamson  has  deserted  you,  what  a  bad  man  he 
must  be.  Nothing  now  remains  for  you  but  to  meet  your  fate  like  a  brave  man.  Farewell, 
Col.  Crawford  l^they  are  coming.     I  will  retire  to  a  solitary  spot." 

The  savages  then  fell  upon  Crawford.  Wingenund,  it  is  said,  retired,  shedding  tears,  and 
ever  after,  when  the  circumstance  was  alluded  to,  was  sensibly  affected. 

The  account  of  the  burning  of  Colonel  Crawford  is  related  in  the 
words  of  Dr.  Knight,  his  companion,  and  an  eye-witness  of  this 
tragic  scene. 

When  we  went  to  the  fire,  the  colonel  was  stripped  naked,  ordered  to  sit  down  by  the 
fire,  and  then  they  beat  him  with  sticks  and  their  fists.  Presently  after  I  was  treated  in 
the  same  manner.  They  then  tied  a  rope  to  the  foot  of  a  post  about  fifteen  feet  high,  bound 
the  colonel's  hands  behind  his  back  and  fastened  the  rope  to  ihe  ligature  between  his  wrists. 
The  rope  was  long  enough  for  him  to  sit  down  or  walk  round  the  post  once  or  twice,  and 
return  the  same  way.  The  colonel  then  called  to  Girty,  and  asked  if  they  intended  to  burn 
him  1  Girty  answered,  yes.  The  Colonel  said  he  would  take  it  all  patiently.  Upon  this, 
Captain  Pipe,  a  Delaware  chief,  made  a  speech  to  the  Indians,  viz.,  about  thirty  or  forty 
men,  sixty  or  seventy  squaws  and  boys. 

When  the  speech  was  finished,  they  all  yelled  a  hideous  and  hearty  assent  to  what  had 
been  said.  The  Indian  men  then  took  up  their  guns  and  shot  powder  into  the  colonel's 
body,  from  his  feet  as  far  up  as  his  neck.  I  think  that  not  less  than  seventy  loads  were 
discharged  upon  his  naked  body.  They  then  crowded  about  him,  and  to  the  best-  of  my 
observation,  cut  off  his  ears  ;  when  the  throng  had  dispersed  a  little,  I  saw  the  blood  run- 
ning from  both  sides  of  his  head  in  consequence  thereof. 

The  fire  was  about  six  or  seven  yards  from  the  post  to  which  the  colonel  was  tied  ;  it 


548  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

was  made  of  small  hickory  poles,  burnt  quite  through  in  the  middle,  each  end  of  the  poles 
remaining  about  six  feet  in  length.  Three  or  four  Indians  by  turns  would  take  up,  indi- 
vidually, one  of  these  burning  pieces  of  wood,  and  apply  it  to  his  naked  body,  already  burnt 
black  with  the  powder.  These  tormentors  presented  themselves  on  every  side  of  him  with 
the  burning  faggots  and  poles.  Some  of  the  squaws  took  broad  boards,  upon  which  they 
would  carry  a  quantity  of  burning  coals  and  hot  embers,  and  throw  on  him,  so  that  in  a 
short  time  he  had  nothing  but  coals  of  fire  and  hot  ashes  to  walk  upon. 

In  the  midst  of  these  extreme  tortures  he  called  to  Simon  Girty,  and  begged  of  him  to 
shoot  him  ;  but  Girty  making  no  answer,  he  called  to  him  again.  Girty  then,  by  way  of 
derision,  told  the  colonel  he  had  no  gun,  at  the  same  time  turning  about  to  an  Iudian  who 
was  behind  him,  laughed  heartily,  and  by  all  his  gestures  seemed  delighted  at  the  horrid 
scene. 

Girty  then  came  up  to  me  and  bade  me  prepare  for  death.  He  said,  however,  I  was  not 
to  die  at  that  place,  but  to  be  burnt  at  the  Shawanese  towns.  He  swore  by  G — d  I  need 
not  expect  to  escape  death,  but  should  suffer  it  in  all  its  extremities 

Colonel  Crawford,  at  this  period  of  his  sufferings,  besought  the  Almighty  to  have  mercy 
on  his  soul,  spoke  very  low,  and  bore  his  torments  with  the  most  manly  fortitude.  He  con- 
tinued in  all  the  extremities  of  pain  for  an  hour  and  three  quarters  or  two  hours  longer,  as 
near  as  I  can  judge,  when  at  last,  being  almost  exhausted,  he  lay  down  on  his  belly  ;  they 
then  scalped  him,  and  repeatedly  threw  the  scalp  in  my  face,  telling  me,  "  that  was  my  great 
captain."  An  old  squaw  (whose  appearance  every  way  answered  the  ideas  people  entertain 
of  the  devil)  got  a  board,  took  a  parcel  of  coals  and  ashes  and  laid  them  on  his  back  and 
head,  after  he  had  been  scalped  ;  he  then  raised  himself  upon  his  feet  and  began  to  walk 
round  the  post ;  they  next  put  a  burning  stick  to  him,  as  usual,  but  he  seemed  more  insen- 
sible of  pain  than  before. 

The  Indian  fellow  who  had  me  in  charge,  now  took  me  away  to  Captain  Pipe's  house, 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  place  of  the  colonel's  execution.  I  was  bound  all 
night,  and  thus  prevented  from  seeing  the  last  of  the  horrid  spectacle.  Next  morning, 
being  June  12th,  the  Indian  untied  me,  painted  me  black,  and  we  set  off  for  the  Shawanese 
town,  which  he  told  me  was  somewhat  less  than  forty  miles  distant  from  that  place.  We 
soon  came  to  the  spot  where  the  colonel  had  been  burnt,  as  it  was  partly  in  our  way  ;  I  saw 
his  bones  lying  among  the  remains  of  the  fire,  almost  burnt  to  ashes  ;  I  suppose,  after  he 
was  dead,  they  laid  his  body  on  the  fire.  The  Indian  told  me  that  was  my  big  captain, 
and  gave  the  scalp  halloo. 

The  following  extract  from  an  article  in  the  American  Pioneer, 
by  Joseph  M'Cutchen,  Esq.,  contains  some  items  respecting  the  death 
of  Crawford,  and  Girty's  interference  in  his  behalf,  never  before 
published.  He  derived  them  from  the  Wyandot  Indians,  who  re- 
sided, a  few  years  since,  in  this  county,  some  of  whom  were  quite 
intelligent. 

As  I  have  it,  the  story  respecting  the  battle  is,  that  if  Crawford  had  rushed  on  when  he 
first  came  among  the  Indians,  they  would  have  given  way  and  made  but  little  or  no  fight ; 
but  they  had  a  talk  with  him  three  days  previous  to  the  fight,  and  asked  him  to  give  them 
three  days  to  collect  in  their  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  different  tribes,  and  they  would  then 
make  a  treaty  of  peace  with  him.  The  three  days  were  therefore  given  ;  and  during  that 
time  all  their  forces  gathered  together  that  could  be  raised  as  fighting  men,  and  the  next 
morning  Crawford  was  attacked,  some  two  or  three  miles  north  of  the  island  where  the 
main  battle  was  fought.  The  Indians  then  gave  back  in  a  south  direction,  until  they  got 
into  an  island  of  timber  which  suited  their  purpose,  which  was  in  a  large  plain,  now  well 
known  as  Sandusky  plains.  There  the  battle  continued  until  night.  The  Indians  then 
ceased  firing  ;  and,  it  is  said,  immediately  afterwards  a  man  came  near  to  the  army  with  a 
white  flag.  Colonel  Crawford  sent  an  officer  to  him.  The  man  said  he  wanted  to  talk 
with  Colonel  Crawford,  and  that  he  did  not  want  Crawford  to  come  nearer  to  him  than 
twenty  steps,  as  he  (Girty)  wanted  to  converse  with  Crawford,  and  might  be  of  vast  benefit 
to  him.  Crawford  accordingly  went  out  as  requested.  Girty  then  said,  "Col.  Crawford, 
do  you  know  me  1"  The  answer  was,  "  I  seem  to  have  some  recollection  of  your  voice, 
but  your  Indian  dress  deprives  me  of  knowing  you  as  an  acquaintance."  The  answer  was 
then,  "  My  name  is  Simon  Girty  ;"  and  after  some  more  conversation  between  them,  they 
knew  each  other  well.  Girty  said,  "Crawford,  my  object  in  calling  you  here  is  to  say  to 
you,  that  the  Indians  have  ceased  firing  until  to-morrow  morning,  when  they  intend  t(> 
commence  the  fight ;  and  as  they  are  three  times  as  strong  as  you  are,  they  will  be  able  to 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  549 

cut  you  all  off.  To-night  the  Indians  will  surround  your  army,  and  when  that  arrangement 
is  fully  made,  you  will  hear  some  guns  fire  all  around  the  ring.  But  there  is  a  large  swamp 
or  very  wet  piece  of  ground  on  the  east  side  of  you,  where  there  will  be  a  vacancy  ;  that 
gap  you  can  learn  by  the  firing,  and  in  the  night  you  had  better  march  your  men  through 
and  make  your  escape  in  an  east  direction." 

Crawford  accordingly  in  the  night  drew  up  his  men  and  told  them  his  intention.  The 
men  generally  assenting,  he  then  commenced  his  march  east  ;  but  the  men  soon  got  into 
confusion  and  lost  their  course.  Consequently,  the  next  day  they  were  almost  to  a  man 
cut  off,  and,  as  history  tells  us,  Crawford  taken  prisoner.  He  was  taken  by  a  Delaware ; 
consequently  the  Delawares  claimed  the  right,  agreeably  to  their  rules,  of  disposing  of  the 
prisoner.  There  was  a  council  held,  and  the  decision  was  to  burn  him.  He  was  taken  to 
the  main  Delaware  town,  on  a  considerable  creek,  called  Tymochtee,  about  eight  miles 
from  the  mouth.  Girty  then  supposed  he  could  make  a  speculation  by  saving  Crawford's 
life.  He  made  a  proposition  to  Capt.  Pipe,  the  head  chief  of  the  Delawares,  offering  three 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  Crawford.  The  chief  received  it  as  a  great  insult,  and  promptly 
said  to  Girty,  "  Sir,  do  think  I  am  a  squaw  ?"  If  you  say  one  word  more  on  the  subject,  I 
will  make  a  stake,  for  you,  and  burn  you  along  with  the  white  chief."  Girty,  knowing  the 
Indian  ehuracter,  retired  and  said  no  more  on  the  subject.  But,  in  themeantime,  Girty  had 
sent  runners  to  the  Mohican  creek  and  to  Lower  Sandusky,  where  there  were  some  white 
traders,  to  come  immediately  and  purchase  Crawford — knowing  that  he  could  make  a  great 
speculation  in  case  he  could  save  Crawford's  life.  The  traders  came  on,  but  too  late. 
When  they  arrived,  Crawford  was  tied  to  a  stake,  blacked,  his  ears  cut  off  and  part  burnt — 
too  much  so  to  live  had  he  been  let  loose.  He  asked  Girty  to  get  a  gun  and  shoot  him ; 
but  Girty,  knowing  the  rebuke  he  got  the  day  before,  dared  not  say  one  word. 

Notwithstanding  the  above,  the  cruelty  of  Girty  to  Crawford  at 
the  stake,  is  established  by  other  sources  than  that  of  Dr.  Knight. 
Col.  Johnston  informs  us,  that  he  has  been  told  by  Indians  present 
on  the  occasion,  that  Girty  was  among  the  foremost  in  inflicting  tor- 
tures upon  their  victim.  This,  however,  does  not  materially  conflict 
with  the  above,  when  we  regard  the  motives  of  Girty  in  his  be- 
half as  having  been  mercenary. 

By  the  treaty  concluded  at  the  foot  of  the  Maumee  rapids,  Sept. 
29th,  1817,  Hon.  Lewis  Cass  and  Hon.  Duncan  M' Arthur,  commis- 
sioners on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  there  was  granted  to  the 
Wyandot  tribe  a  reservation  of  twelve  miles  square  in  this  county, 
the  centre  of  which  was  Fort  Ferree,  at  Upper  Sandusky,  and  also  a 
tract  of  one  mile  square  on  the  Cranberry  Swamp,  on  Broken  Sword 
creek.  At  the  same  time  was  granted  to  the  Delawares  a  tract  of 
three  miles  square,  adjoining  the  other,  on  the  south.  Their  princi- 
pal chief  was  Capt.  Pipe,  son  of  the  chief  so  officious  in  the  burning 
of  Crawford. 

The  Delawares  ceded  their  reservation  to  the  United  States  in 
1829.  The  Wyandots  ceded  theirs  by  a  treaty  made  at  Upper 
Sandusky,  March,  17th,  1842,  they  being  the  only  Indians  remaining 
in  the  state.  The  commissioner  on  the  part  of  the  United  States 
was  Col.  John  Johnston,  who  had  then  the  honor  of  making  the  last 
Indian  treaty  in  Ohio — a  state,  every  foot  of  whose  soil  has  been  fairly 
purchased  by  treaties  from  its  original  possessors.  The  Wyandots 
left  for  the  far  west  in  July,  1843,  and  numbered  at  that  time  about 
700  souls. 

The  Wyandots  were  the  bravest  of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  had 
among  their  chiefs  some  men  of  high  moral  character. 

With  all  other  tribes  but  the  Wyandots,  flight  in  battle,  when  meeting  with  unexpected 
resistance  or  obstacle,  brought  with  it  no  disgrace With  them,  it  was  otherwise.     Their 


550  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

youth  were  taught  to  consider  anything  that  had  the  appearance  of  an  acknowledgment 
of  the  superiority  of  the  enemy  as  disgraceful.  In  the  battle  of  the  Miami  rapids,  of  thirteen 
chiefs  of  that  tribe  who  were  present,  one  only  survived,  and  he  badly  wounded.  Some 
time  before  this  action,  Gen.  Wayne  sent  for  Capt.  Wells,  (see  p.  323,)  and  requested  him 
to  go  to  Sandusky  and  take  a  prisoner,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  information.  Wells — 
who  had  been  bred  with  the  Indians,  and  was  perfectly  acquainted  with  their  character — 
answered  that  he  could  take  a  prisoner,  but  not  from  Sandusky,  because  Wyandots  would 
not  be  taken  alive.* 

We  annex  a  brief  sketch  of  the  Wyandot,  or  Huron  tribe,  as  they 
were  anciently  called,  in  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  Joseph  Badger  (see 
page  482)  to  John  Frazier,  Esq.,  of  Cincinnati,  dated  Plain,  Wood 
county,  Aug.  25th,  1845. 

Having  been  a  resident  missionary  with  the  Wyandot  Indians  before  the  late  war,  and 
obtained  the  confidence  of  their  chiefs  in  a  familiar  conversation  with  them  ;  and  having  a 
good  interpreter,  I  requested  them  to  give  me  a  history  of  their  ancestors  as  far  back  as  they 
could.  They  began  by  giving  a  particular  account  of  the  country  formerly  owned  by  their 
ancestors.  It  was  the  north  side  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  down  to  Coon  lake,  and  from 
thence  up  the  Utiwas.  Their  name  for  it  was  Cu,none,tot,tia.  This  name  I  heard  applied 
to  them,  but  knew  not  what  it  meant.  The  Senecas  owned  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
and  the  island  on  which  Montreal  now  stands.  They  were  both  large  tribes,  consisting  of 
many  thousands.  They  were  blood  relations,  and  I  found  at  this  time  they  claimed  each 
other  as  cousins. 

A  war  originated  between  the  two  tribes  in  this  way.  A  man  of  the  Wyandots  wanted 
a  certain  woman  for  his  wife  ;  but  she  objected,  and  said  he  was  no  warrior:  he  had  never 
taken  any  scalps.  To  accomplish  his  object,  he  raised  a  small  war  party,  and  in  their  scout, 
fell  upon  a  party  of  Seneca  hunters,  killed  and  scalped  a  number  of  them.  This  procedure 
began  a  war  between  the  nations,  that  lasted  more  than  a  century,  which  they  supposed 
was  fully  a  hundred  winters  before  the  French  came  to  Quebec.  They  owned  they  were 
the  first  instigators  in  the  war,  and  were  generally  beaten  in  the  contest.  Both  tribes  were 
greatly  wasted  in  the  war.  They  often  made  peace  ;  but  the  first  opportunity  the  Senecas 
could  get  an  advantage  against  them,  they  would  destroy  all  they  could,  men,  women  and 
children.  The  Wyandot?,  finding  they  were  in  danger  of  being  exterminated,  concluded  to 
leave  their  country,  and  go  far  to  the  west.  With  their  canoes,  the  whole  nation  made 
their  escape  to  the  upper  lakes,  and  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  in  several  villages , 
but,  after  a  few  years,  the  Senecas  made  up  a  war-party  and  followed  them  to  their  new 
settlements,  fell  on  one  of  their  villages,  killed  a  number  and  returned.  Through  this  long 
period,  they  had  no  instruments  of  war  but  bows,  arrows,  and  the  war  club. 

Soon  after  this,  the  French  came  to  Quebec,  and  began  trading  with  Indians,  and  sup- 
plied them  with  fire-arms  and  utensils  of  various  kinds.  The  Senecas  having  got  supplied 
with  guns,  and  learned  the  use  of  them,  made  out  a  second  war-party  against  the  Wyan- 
dots— came  upon  them  in  the  night,  fired  into  their  huts  and  scared  them  exceedingly : 
they  thought  at  first  it  was  thunder  and  lightning.  They  did  not  succeed  so  well  as  they 
intended.  After  a  few  years,  they  made  out  a  third  party,  and  fell  upon  one  of  the  Wyan- 
dot villages  and  took  them  nearly  all  ;  but  it  so  happened  at  this  time,  that  nearly  all  the 
young  men  had  gone  to  war  with  the  Fox  tribe,  living  on  the  Mississippi. 

Those  few  that  escaped  the  massacre  by  the  Senecas,  agreed  to  give  up  and  go  back  with 
them  and  become  one  people,  but  requested  of  the  Senecas  to  have  two  days  to  collect 
what  they  had  and  make  ready  their  canoes,  and  join  them  on  the  morning  of  the  third 
d-iy  at  a  certain  point,  where  they  had  gone  to  wait  for  them  and  hold  a  great  dance 
through  the  night.  The  Wyandots  sent  directly  to  the  other  two  villages  which  the  Sen- 
ecas had  not  disturbed,  and  got  all  their  old  men  and  women,  and  such  as  could  fight,  to 
consult  on  what  measures  to  take.  They  came  to  the  resolution  to  equip  themselves  in  the 
best  manner  they  could,  and  go  down  in  perfect  stillness  so  near  the  enemy  as  to  hear 
them.  They  found  them  engaged  in  a  dance,  and  feasting  on  two  Wyandot  men  they  had 
killed  and  roasted,  as  they  said,  for  their  beef;  and  as  they  danced,  they  shouted  their  vic- 
tory and  told  how  good  their  Wyandot  beef  was.  They  continued  their  dance  until  the 
latter  part  of  the  night,  and  being  pretty  tired,  they  all  laid  down  and  soon  fell  into  a  sound 
sleep.     A  little  before  day,  the  Wyandot  party  fell  on  them  and  cut  them  all  off;  not  one 

*  Discourse  of  General  Wm.  H.  Harrison,  in  the  Collections  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Ohio. 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  551 

was  left  to  carry  back  the  tidings.  This  ended  the  war  for  a  great  number  of  years.  Soon 
after  this,  the  Wyandots  got  guns  from  the  French  traders  and  began  to  grow  formidable. 
The  Indians,  who  owned  the  country  where  they  had  resided  for  a  long  time,  proposed  to 
them  to  go  back  to  their  own  country.  They  agreed  to  return,  and  having  proposed  them- 
selves as  a  war-party,  they  returned — came  down  to  where  Detroit  now  stands,  and  agreed 
to  settle  in  two  villages,  one  at  the  place  above  mentioned,  and  the  other  where  the  British 
fort,  Maiden,  now  stands. 

But  previously  to  making  any  settlement,  they  sent  out  in  canoes  the  best  war-party  they 
could  make,  to  go  down  the  lake  some  distance  to  see  if  there  was  an  enemy  on  that  side 
of  the  water.  They  went  down  to  Long  Point,  landed,  and  sent  three  men  across  to  see  if 
they  could  make  any  discovery.  They  found  a  party  of  Senecas  bending  their  course  around 
the  Point,  and  returned  with  the  intelligence  to  their  party.  The  head  chief  ordered  his 
men  in  each  canoe  to  strike  fire,  and  offer  some  of  their  tobacco  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and 
prepare  for  action.  The  chief  had  his  son,  a  small  boy,  with  him :  he  covered  the  boy  in 
the  bottom  of  his  canoe.  He  determined  to  fight  his  enemy  on  the  water.  They  put  out 
into  the  open  lake  :  the  Senecas  came  on.  Both  parties  took  the  best  advantage  they  could, 
and  fought  with  a  determination  to  conquer  or  sink  in  the  lake.  At  length  the  Wyandots 
saw  the  last  man  fall  in  the  Seneca  party ;  but  they  had  lost  a  great  proportion  of  their 
own  men,  and  were  so  wounded  and  cut  to  pieces  that  they  could  take  no  advantage  of  the 
victory  but  only  to  gain  the  shore  as  soon  as  possible,  and  leave  the  enemy's  canoes  to  float 
or  sink  among  the  waves.  Thus  ended  the  long  war  between  the  two  tribes  from  that  day 
to  this. 

Col.  John  Johnston  relates,  in  his  "  Recollections,"  an  interesting 
account  of  an  Indian  council,  held  at  Upper  Sandusky  in  1818,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  death  of  Tarhe,  or  "  the  Crane,"  a  celebrated 
chief  of  the  Wyandots. 

Twenty-eight  years  ago,  on  the  death  of  the  great  chief  of  the  Wyandots,  I  was  invited 
to  attend  a  general  council  of  all  the  tribes  of  Ohio,  the  Delawares  of  Indiana,  and  the 
Senecas  of  New  York,  at  Upper  Sandusky.  I  found,  on  arriving  at  the  place,  a  very  large 
attendance.  Among  the  chiefs  was  the  noted  leader  and  orator,  Red  Jacket,  from  Buffalo. 
The  first  business  done  was  the  speaker  of  the  nation  delivering  an  oration  on  the  character 
of  the  deceased  chief.  Then  followed  what,  might  be  called  a  monody,  or  ceremony,  of 
mourning  and  lamentation.  Thus  seats  were  arranged  from  end  to  end  of  a  large  council- 
house,  about  six  feet  apart.  The  head  men  and  the  aged  took  their  seats  facing  each  other, 
stooping  down  their  heads  almost  touching.  In  that  position  they  remained  for  several 
hours.  Deep,  heavy  and  long  continued  groans  would  commence  at  one  end  of  the  row  of 
mourners,  and  so  pass  round  until  all  had  responded,  and  these  repeated  at  intervals  of  a 
few  minutes.  The  Indians  were  all  washed,  and  had  no  paint  or  decorations  of  any  kind 
upon  their  persons,  their  countenances  and  general  deportment  denoting  the  deepest  mourn- 
ing. I  had  never  witnessed  any  thing  of  the  kind  before,  and  was  told  this  ceromony  was 
not  performed  but  on  the  decease  of  some  great  man.  After  the  period  of  mourning  and 
lamentation  was  over,  the  Indians  proceeded  to  business.  There  were  present  the  Wyan- 
dots, Shawanese,  Delawares,  Senecas,  Ottawas  and  Mohawks.  The  business  was  entirely 
confined  to  their  own  affairs,  and  the  main  topic  related  to  their  lands  and  the  claims  of 
the  respective  tribes.  It  was  evident,  in  the  course  of  the  discussion,  that  the  presence  of 
myself  and  people  (there  were  some  white  men  with  me)  was  not  acceptable  to  some  of  the 
parties,  and  allusions  were  made  so  direct  to  myself  that  I  was  constrained  to  notice  them, 
by  saying  that  I  came  there  as  the  guest  of  the  Wyandots  by  their  special  invitation  ;  that 
as  the  agent  of  the  United  States,  I  had  a  right  to  be  there  or  any  where  else  in  the  Indian 
country  ;  and  that  if  any  insult  was  offered  to  myself  or  my  people,  it  would  be  resented  and 
punished.  Red  Jacket  was  the  principal  speaker,  and  was  intemperate  and  personal  in 
his  remarks.  Accusations,  pro  and  con,  were  made  by  the  different  parties,  accusing  each 
other  of  being  foremost  in  selling  lands  to  the  United  States.  The  Shawanese  were  par- 
ticularly marked  out  as  more  guilty  than  any  other  ;  that  they  were  the  last  coming  into  the 
Ohio  country,  and  although  they  had  no  right  but  by  permission  of  the  other  tribes,  they 
were  always  the  foremost  in  selling  lands.  This  brought  the  Shawanese  out,  who  retorted 
through  their  head  chief,  the  Black  Hoof,  on  the  Senecas  and  Wyandots  with  pointed 
severity.  The  discussion  was  long  continued,  calling  out  some  of  the  ablest  speakers,  and 
was  distinguished  for  ability,  cutting  sarcasm  and  research — going  far  back  into  the  history 
of  the  natives,  their  wars,  alliances,  negotiations,  migrations,  &c.  I  had  attended  many 
councils,  treaties  and  gatherings  of  the  Indians,  but  never  in  my  life  did  I  witness  such  an 


552  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

outpouring  of  native  oratory  and  eloquence,  of  severe  rebuke,  taunting  national  and  personal 
reproaches.  The  council  broke  up  late,  in  great  confusion,  and  in  the  worst  possible  feel- 
ing. A  circumstance  occurred  towards  the  close,  which  more  than  anything  else  exhibited 
the  bad  feeling  prevailing.  In  handing  round  the  wampum  belt,  the  emblem  of  amity, 
peace  and  good  will,  when  presented  to  one  of  the  chiefs,  he  would  not  touch  it  with  his 
fingers,  but  passed  it  on  a  stick  to  the  person  next  him.  A  greater  indignity,  agreeable  to 
Indian  etiquette,  could  not  be  offered.  The  next  day  appeared  to  be  one  of  unusual  anxiety 
and  despondency  among  the  Indians.  They  could  be  seen  in  groups  everywhere  near  the 
council-house  in  deep  consultation.  They  had  acted  foolishly — were  sorry  ;  but  the  diffi- 
culty was,  who  would  first  present  the  olive  branch.  The  council  convened  late  and  was 
very  full ;  silence  prevailed  for  a  long  time  ;  at  last  the  aged  chief  of  the  Shawanese,  the 
Black  Hoof,  rose — a  man  of  great  influence,  and  a  celebrated  orator.  He  told  the  assem- 
bly they  had  acted  like  children,  and  not  men,  on  yesterday  ;  that  him  and  his  people  were 
sorry  for  the  words  that  had  been  spoken,  and  which  had  done  so  much  harm  ;  that  he  came 
into  the  council  by  the  unanimous  desire  of  his  people  present,  to  recall  those  foolish  words, 
and  did  there  take  them  back — handing  strings  of  wampum,  which  passed  round  and  was 
received  by  all  with  the  greatest  satisfaction.  Several  of  the  principal  chiefs  delivered 
speeches  to  the  same  effect,  handing  round  wampum  in  turn,  and  in  this  manner  the  whole 
difficulty  of  the  preceding  day  was  settled,  and  to  all  appearance  forgotten.  The  Indians 
are  very  courteous  and  civil  to  each  other,  and  it  is  a  rare  thing  to  see  their  assemblies  dis- 
turbed by  unwise  or  ill-timed  remarks.  I  never  witnessed  it  except  on  the  occasion  here 
alluded  to  ;  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  presence  of  myself  and  other  white  men 
contributed  towards  the  unpleasant  occurrence.  I  could  not  help  but  admire  the  genuine 
philosophy  and  good  sense  displayed  by  men  whom  we  call  savages  in  the  transaction  of 
their  public  business  ;  and  how  much  we  might  profit  in  the  halls  of  our  legislatures 
by  occasionally  taking  for  our  example  the  proceedings  of  the  great  Indian  council  at 
Sandusky. 

.  Upper  Sandusky,  the  county  seat,  is  on  the  west  bank  of  the  San- 
dusky, 63  miles  north  of  Columbus.  It  was  laid  out  in  1843,  and  now 
contains  1  Methodist  church,  6  mercantile  stores,  1  newspaper  print- 
ing office  and  about  500  inhabitants.  In  the  war  of  1812,  Gen.  Har- 
rison built  here  Fort  Feree,  which  stood  about  50  rods  ne.  of  the 
court  house,  on  a  bluff.  It  was  a  square  stockade  of  about  2  acres 
in  area,  with  block-houses  at  the  corners,  one  of  which  is  now  stand- 
ing. One  mile  north  of  this,  near  the  river,  Gov.  Meigs  encamped, 
in  August,  1813,  with  several  thousand  of  the  Ohio  militia,  then  on 
their  way  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Meigs.  The  place  was  called  "  the 
Grand  Encampment."  Receiving  here  the  news  of  the  raising  of 
the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs,  and  the  repulse  of  the  British  at  Fort 
Stephenson,  they  prosecuted  their  march  no  farther,  and  were  soon 
after  dismissed. 

Crane  Town,  4  miles  ne.  of  the  court  house,  was  the  Indian  town 
of  Upper  Sandusky.  After  the  death  of  Tarhe,  the  Crane,  in  1818, 
the  Indians  transferred  their  council-house  to  the  present  Upper  San- 
dusky, gave  it  this  name,  and  called  the  other  Crane  Town.  Their 
old  council-house  stood  about  1^  miles  n.  of  Crane  Town.  It  was 
built  principally  of  bark,  and  was  about  100  feet  long  and  15  wide. 
Their  last  council-house,  at  the  present  Upper  Sandusky,  is  yet 
standing  near  the  river  bank.  It  is  a  small  frame  structure,  resem- 
bling an  ordinary  dwelling. 

The  Methodists  sustained  a  mission  among  the  Wyandots  for 
many  years.  Previous  to  the  establishment  of  the  Methodists,  a 
portion  of  the  tribe  had  been  for  a  long  while  under  the  religious 
instruction  of  the  Catholics.     The  first  Protestant  who  preached 


WYANDOT    COUNTY. 


553 


among  them  at  Upper  Sandusky  was  John  Stewart,  a  mulatto,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  who  came  here  of  his  own 
accord  in  1816,  and  gained  much  influence  over  them.  His  efforts 
in  their  behalf  paved  the  way  for  a  regularly  established  mission  a 
few  years  after,  when  the  Rev.  James  B.  Finley — at  present  chap- 
lain of  the  Ohio  penitentiary — formed  a  church  and  established  a 
school  here.  This  was  the  first  Indian  mission  formed  by  the 
Methodists  in  the  Mississippi  valley. 


Wyandot  Mission  Church,  at  Upper  Sandusky. 

The  mission  church  building  was  erected  of  blue  limestone  about 
the  year  1824,  from  government  funds,  Rev.  Mr.  Finley  having  per- 
mission from  Hon.  John  C.  Calhoun,  then  secretary  of  war,  to  apply 
SI 333  to  this  object.  The  church  stands  upon  the  outskirts  of  the 
town,  in  a  small  enclosure,  surrounded  by  woods.  Connected  with 
the  mission  was  a  school-house,  and  a  farm  of  one  mile  square. 

The  following  inscriptions  are  copied  from  monuments  in  the 
grave-yard,  attached  to  the  mission  church. 

Between-the-logs,*  died  December,  1826,  aged  50  years. 

Rev.  John  Stewart,  first  missionary  to  the  Wyandots ;  died  December  17th,  1833,  aged 
37  years. 


Sum-mdn-de-wat,  murdered  December  4th,  1845,  aged  46  years.  Buried  in  Wood 
county,  Ohio. 

The  remains  of  Sum-mun-de-wat  were  subsequently  re-interred 
here.  He  was,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  on  a  hunting  excursion  with 
his  family  in  Hancock  county.  In  the  evening,  three  white  men 
with  axes  entered  their  camp,  and  were  hospitably  entertained  by 
their  host.  After  having  finished  their  suppers,  the  Indian,  agreeable 
to  his  custom,  kneeled  and  prayed  in  his  own  language,  and  then  laid 

*  He  was  among  the  first  converts  under  the  labors  of  John  Stewart,  and  afterward  be- 
came the  most  celebrated  preacher  among  the  Wyandots. 

70 


554  WYANDOT    COUNTY. 

down  with  his  wife  to  sleep.  In  the  night,  these  miscreants  wh 
had  heen  so  kindly  treated,  rose  on  them  in  their  sleep,  and  mur- 
dered Sum-mun-de-wat  and  his  wife  with  their  axes,  in  the  most 
brutal  manner.  They  then  robbed  the  camp  and  made  off,  but  were 
apprehended  and  allowed  to  break  jail.  In  speaking  of  this  case, 
Col.  Johnston  says,  that  in  a  period  of  53  years,  since  he  first  came 
to  the  west,  he  never  knew  of  but  one  instance  in  which  a  white  man 
was  tried,  convicted  and  executed  for  the  murder  of  an  Indian. 
This  exception  was  brought  about  by  his  own  agency  in  the  prose- 
cution, sustained  by  the  promptness  of  John  C.  Calhoun,  then  sec- 
retary of  war,  who  manifested  an  interest  in  this  affair,  not  often 
shown  on  similar  occasions  in  the  officers  of  our  government. 

Sum-mun-de-wat  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Rev.  Mr.  Finley's 
interesting  history  of  the  Wyandot  mission,  published  by  the  Metho- 
dist book  concern  at  Cincinnati.  The  following  anecdote  which  he 
relates  of  this  excellent  chief,  shows  the  simple  and  expressive  lan- 
guage in  which  the  christian  Wyandots  related  their  religious  feel- 
ings. 

"  Sum-mun-de-wat  amused  me  after  he  came  home,  by  relating  a  circumstance  that 
transpired  one  cold  evening,  just  before  sun-down.  '  I  met,'  said  he, '  on  a  small  path, 
not  far  from  my  camp,  a  man  who  ask  me  if  I  could  talk  English.'  I  said, '  Little.'  He 
ask  me, '  How  far  is  it  to  a  house  V  I  answer, '  I  dont  know — may  be  10  miles — may  be 
8  miles.'  '  Is  there  a  path  leading  to  it  V  '  No — by  and  by  dis  go  out,  (pointing  to  the 
path  they  were  on,)  den  all  woods.  You  go  home  me — sleep — me  go  show  you  to-mor- 
row.' Then  he  come  my  camp — so  take  horse — tie — give  him  some  corn  and  brush — then 
my  wife  give  him  supper.  He  ask  where  I  come.  I  say, '  Sandusky.'  He  say,  '  You 
know  Finley  V  '  Yes,'  I  say, '  he  is  my  brother — my  father.'  Then  he  say, '  He  is  my 
brother.'  Then  I  feel  something  in  my  heart  burn.  I  say, '  You  preacher  V  He  say, 
'  Yes  ;'  and  I  shook  hands  and  say, '  My  brother  !'  Then  we  try  talk.  Then  I  say, '  You 
sing  and  pray.'  So  he  did.  Then  he  say  to  me, '  Sing  and  pray.'  So  I  did  ;  and  I  so 
much  cry  I  cant  pray.  No  go  sleep — I  cant — I  wake — my  heart  full.  All  night  I  pray 
and  praise  God,  for  his  send  me  preacher  to  sleep  my  camp.  Next  morning  soon  come, 
and  he  want  to  go.  Then  I  go  show  him  through  the  woods,  until  come  to  big  road. 
Then  he  took  me  by  hand  and  say, '  Farewell,  brother ;  by  and  by  we  meet  up  in  heaven.' 
Then  me  cry,  and  my  brother  cry.  We  part — I  go  hunt.  All  day  I  cry,  and  no  see  deer 
jump  up  and  run  away.  Then  I  go  and  pray  by  some  log.  My  heart  so  full  of  joy,  that 
I  cannot  walk  much.  I  say, '  I  cannot  hunt.'  Sometimes  I  sing — then  I  stop  and  clap  my 
hands,  and  look  up  to  God,  my  heavenly  Father.  Then  the  love  come  so  fast  in  my  heart, 
I  can  hardly  stand.     So  I  went  home,  and  said, '  This  is  my  happiest  day.'  " 

The  history  of  the  mission  relates  an  anecdote  of  Rohn-yen-ness 
another  of  the  christian  Indians.  It  seems  that  after  the  conflict 
of  Poe  (see  page  106)  with  the  Indians,  the  Wyandots  determined 
on  revenge. 

Poe  then  lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  Ohio  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Little  Yellow  creek 
They  chose  Rohn-yen-ness  as  a  proper  person  to  murder  him,  and  then  make  his  escape. 
He  went  to  Poe's  house,  and  was  met  with  great  friendship.  Poe  not  having  any  suspicion 
of  his  design,  the  best  in  his  house  was  furnished  him.  When  the  time  to  retire  to  sleep 
came,  he  made  a  pallet  on  the  floor  for  his  Indian  guest  to  sleep.  He  and  his  wife  went 
to  bed  in  the  same  room.  Rohn-yen-ness  said  they  both  soon  fell  asleep.  There  being 
no  person  about  the  house  but  some  children,  this  afforded  him  a  fair  opportunity  to  have 
executed  his  purpose  ;  but  the  kindness  they  had  both  shown  him  worked  in  his  mind.  He 
asked  himself  how  he  could  get  up  and  kill  even  an  enemy,  that  had  taken  him  in,  and 
treated  him  so  well — so  much  like  a  brother?  The  more  he  thought  about  it,  the  worse  he 
felt;  but  still,  on  the  other  hand,  he  was  sent  by  his  nation  to  avenge  the  death  of  two  of 
its  most  valiant  warriors ;  and  their  ghosts  would  not  be  appeased  until  the  blood  of  Poe 


WYANDOT    COUNTY.  555 

was  shed.  There,  he  said,  he  lay  in  this  conflict  of  mind  until  about  midnight.  The 
duty  he  owed  to  his  nation,  and  the  spirits  of  his  departed  friends,  aroused  him.  He  seized 
his  knife  and  tomahawk,  and  crept  to  the  bedside  of  his  sleeping  host.  Again  the  kind- 
ness he  had  received  from  Poe  stared  him  in  the  face  ;  and  he  said,  it  is  mean,  it  is  un- 
worthy the  character  of  an  Indian  warrior  to  kill  even  an  enemy,  who  has  so  kindly  treated 
him.     He  went  back  to  his  pallet,  and  slept  until  morning. 

His  kind  host  loaded  him  with  blessings,  and  told  him  that  they  were  once  enemies,  but 
now  they  had  buried  the  hatchet  and  were  brothers,  and  hoped  they  would  always  be  so. 
Rohn-yen-ness,  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  the  generous  treatment  he  had  received 
from  his  once  powerful  enemy,  but  now  his  kind  friend,  left  him  to  join  his  party. 

He  said  the  more  he  reflected  on  what  he  had  done,  and  the  course  he  had  pursued,  the 
more  he  was  convinced  that  he  had  done  right.  This  once  revengeful  savage  warrior,  was 
overcome  by  the  kindness  of  an  evening,  and  all  his  plans  frustrated. 

This  man  became  one  of  the  most  pious  and  devoted  of  the  Indian  converts.  Although 
a  chief,  he  was  as  humble  as  a  child.  He  used  his  steady  influence  against  the  traders  and 
their  fire-water. 

On  the  bank  of  the  river,  half  a  mile  above  Upper  Sandusky,  is  a 
huge  sycamore,  which  measures  around,  a  yard  from  its  base,  37  feet, 
and  at  its  base  over  40  feet.  On  the  Tyemochte,  about  6  miles 
west,  formerly  and  perhaps  now  stands,  another  sycamore,  hollow 
writhin,  and  of  such  generous  proportions,  that  Mr.  Wm.  Brown,  a 
surveyor,  now  residing  in  Marion,  with  4  others,  several  years 
since,  slept  comfortably  in  it  one  cool  autumnal  night,  and  had  plenty 
of  room. 

It  was  to  this  county  that  the  celebrated  Simon  Kenton  was 
brought  captive,  when  taken  by  the  Indians.  We  have  two  anec- 
dotes to  introduce  respecting  him,  communicated  orally  by  Major 
James  Galloway  of  Xenia,  who  was  with  him  on  the  occasion.  The 
first  illustrates  the  strength  of  affection  which  existed  among  the 
early  frontiersmen,  and  the  last  their  vivid  recollection  of  localities. 

In  January,  1827,  I  was  passing  from  Lower  Sandusky,  through  the  Wyandot  reser- 
vation, in  company  with  Simon  Kenton.  We  stopped  at  Chaffee's  store,  on  the  Tye- 
mochte, and  were  sitting  at  the  fire,  when  in  stepped  an  old  man  dressed  in  a  hunting  shirt, 
who,  after  laying  his  rifle  in  a  corner,  commenced  trading.  Hearing  my  companion's  voice, 
he  stepped  up  to  him  and  inquired,  "  are  you  Simon  Kenton  1"  he  replied  in  the  affirma- 
tive. "  I  am  Joseph  Lake,"  rejoined  he.  Upon  this,  Kenton  sprang  up  as  if  by  electricity, 
and  they  both,  by  a  simultaneous  impulse,  clasped  each  other  around  the  neck,  and  shed 
tears  of  joy.  They  had  been  old  companions  in  fighting  the  Indians,  and  had  not  met  for 
30  years.  The  scene  was  deeply  affecting  to  the  bystanders.  After  being  an  hour  or  two 
together,  recalling  old  times,  they  embraced  and  parted  in  tears,  never  again  expecting  to 
meet. 

While  travelling  through  the  Sandusky  plains,  Kenton  recognized  at  the  distance  of  half 
a  mile,  the  identical  grove  in  which  he  had  run  the  gauntlet,  in  the  war  of  the  revolution, 
forty-nine  years  before.  A  further  examination  tested  the  truth  of  his  recollection,  for 
there  was  the  very  race-path  still  existing,  in  which  he  had  ran.  It  was  near  a  road  lead- 
ing from  Upper  Sandusky  to  Bellefontaine,  8  or  10  miles  from  the  former.  I  expressed  my 
surprise  at  his  remembering  it.  "  Ah  !"  replied  he,  "  I  had  a  good  many  reasons  laid  on 
my  back  to  recollect  it." 

Little  Sandusky,  on  the  Sandusky  river,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
county ;  Cary,  on  the  line  of  the  Mad  river  railroad,  in  the  western 
part ;  M'Cutchensville,  on  or  near  its  north  line,  and  Marseilles,  in 
the  southwest  part,  on  the  Bellefontaine  road,  are  small  but  thriving 
villages,  containing  each  about  200  inhabitants.  Oregon,  Mexico, 
Tyemochte,  Crawfordsville,  Bowshersville  and  Wyandot  are  smaller 
places. 


ADDENDA, 

HISTORICAL,  DESCRIPTIVE  AND  STATISTICAL. 

This  addenda  consists  in  part  of  articles  received  too  late  for  in- 
sertion in  the  body  of  the  work,  as  well  as  of  those  that  could  not 
well  be  introduced  there. 

OHIO. 

Ohio,*  the  northeastern  of  the  western  states,  is  bounded  north  by  Michigan  and  Lake 
Erie  ;  east  by  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  ;  south  by  the  Ohio  river,  which  separates  it  from 
Virginia  and  Kentucky ;  and  west  by  Indiana.  It  is  between  38°  30'  and  42°  n.  lat.,  and 
between  80°  35'  and  84°  47'  w.  Ion.,  and  between  3°  31'  and  7°  41'  w.  Ion.  from  W.  It 
is  210  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  200  miles  broad  from  east  to  west ;  containing 
40,000  square  miles,  or  25,600,000  acres.  The  population  in  1790,  was  3,000  ;  in  1800, 
45,365 ;  in  1810,  230,760  :  in  1820,  581,434  ;  in  1830,  937,637  ;  in  1840,  1,519,467 ; 
being  the  third  in  population  in  the  United  States.  Of  these,  775,360  were  white  males  ; 
726,762  do.  females ;  8,740  were  free  colored  males ;  8,603  do.  females.  Employed  in 
agriculture,  272,579  :  in  commerce,  9,201 ;  in  manufactures  and  trades,  66,265  ;  in  mining, 
704;  navigating  the  ocean,  212  ;  do.  rivers,  canals  and  lakes,  3,323,  learned  professions, 
5,663. 

The  number  of  counties  in  which  it  is  divided,  was,  in  1830,  73 ;  in  1840,  79,  and  in 
1847,  83.  Columbus,  on  the  Scioto,  just  below  the  confluence  of  the  Whetstone,  is  the 
seat  of  government ;  but  Cincinnati  is  the  largest  and  most  commercial  city. 

The  interior  of  the  state,  and  the  country  bordering  on  Lake  Erie,  are  generally  level, 
and  in  some  places  marshy.  From  one-quarter  to  one-third  of  the  state,  comprehending 
the  eastern  and  southeastern  part,  bordering  on  the  Ohio  river,  is  generally  hilly  and 
broken.  The  interval  lands  on  the  Ohio,  and  several  of  its  tributaries,  have  great  fertility. 
On  both  sides  of  the  Scioto,  and  of  the  Great  and  Little  Miami,  are  the  most  extensive 
bodies  of  rich  and  level  land  in  the  state.  On  the  head  waters  of  the  Muskingum  and  Scioto, 
and  between  the  Scioto  and  the  two  Miami  rivers,  are  extensive  prairies,  some  of  them  low 
and  marshy,  producing  a  great  quantity  of  coarse  grass,  from  2  to  5  feet  high ;  other  parts 
of  the  prairies  are  elevated  and  dry,  with  a  very  fertile  soil,  though  they  are  sometimes 
called  barrens.  The  height  of  land  which  divides  the  waters  which  fall  into  the  Ohio  from 
those  which  fall  into  Lake  Erie,  is  the  most  marshy  of  any  in  the  state  ;  while  the  land  on 
the  margins  of  the  rivers  is  generally  dry.  Among  the  forest  trees  are  black  walnut,  oak 
of  various  species,  hickory,  maple  of  several  kinds,  beech,  birch,  poplar,  sycamore,  ash  of 
several  kinds,  pawpaw,  buckeye,  cherry  and  white-wood,  which  is  extensively  used  as  a 
substitute  for  pine.  Wheat  may  be  regarded  as  the  staple  production  of  the  state,  but  In- 
dian corn  and  other  grains  are  produced  in  great  abundance.  Although  Ohio  has  already 
become  so  populous,  it  is  surprising  to  the  traveller  to  observe  what  an  amount  of  forest  is 
yet  unsubdued. 

The  summers  are  warm  and  pretty  regular,  but  subject,  at  times,  to  severe  drought. 
The  winters  are  generally  mild,  but  much  less  so  in  the  northern  than  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  state.  Near  Lake  Erie,  the  winters  are  probably  as  severe  as  in  the  same  latitude 
on  the  Atlantic.  In  the  country  for  50  miles  south  of  Lake  Erie,  there  are  generally  a 
number  of  weeks  of  good  sleiging  in  the  winter  ;  but  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  the 
snow  is  too  small  in  quantity,  or  of  too  short  continuance,  to  produce  good  sleighing  for 
any  considerable  time.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Cincinnati,  green  peas  are  produced  in 
plenty  by  the  20th  of  May.     In  parts  of  the  state,  near  marshes  and  stagnant  waters,  fevera 

*  The  above  concise  geographical  and  statistical  description  of  Ohio,  is  principally 
abridged  from  Sherman  &  Smith's  Gazetteer  of  the  United  States. 


ADDENDA.  557 

and  agues  and  billious  and  other  fevers  are  prevalent.     With  this  exception,  the  climate 
is  healthy. 

Salt  springs  have  been  found  on  Yellow  creek,  in  Jefferson  county  ;  on  the  waters  of 
Killbuck,  in  Wayne  county ;  on  Muskingum  river,  near  Zanesville  ;  and  at  various  other 
places.  Bituminous  coal  is  found  in  great  quantities  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  and 
iron  ore  in  various  places. 

The  Ohio  river,  which  gives  name  to  the  state,  washes  its  entire  southern  border.  This 
river  is  908  miles  long,  from  Pittsburgh  to  its  mouth,  by  its  various  windings,  though  it  is 
only  614  in  a  straight  line.  Its  current  is  gentle,  with  no  falls  excepting  at  Louisville, 
Ky.,  where  there  is  a  descent  of  22£  feet  in  two  miles,  but  this  has  been  obviated  by  a 
canal.  For  about  half  the  year  it  is  navigable  for  steamboats  of  a  large  class,  through  its 
whole  course.  The  Muskingum,  the  largest  river  which  flows  entirely  in  the  state,  is 
formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Tuscarawas  and  Walholding  rivers,  and  enters  the  Ohio  at 
Marietta.  It  is  navigable  for  boats  100  miles.  The  Scioto,  the  second  river  in  magnitude 
flowing  entirely  within  the  state,  is  about  200  miles  long,  and  enters  the  Ohio  at  Ports- 
mouth. Its  largest  branch  is  the  Whetstone  or  Olentangy,  which  joins  it  immediately  above 
Columbus.  It  is  navigable  for  boats  130  miles.  The  Great  Miami  is  a  rapid  river  in  the 
western  part  of  the  state,  100  miles  long,  and  enters  the  Ohio  in  the  southwest  corner  of 
the  state.  The  Little  Miami  has  a  course  of  70  miles,  and  enters  the  Ohio  7  miles  above 
Cincinnati.  The  Maumee  is  100  miles  long,  rises  in  Indiana,  runs  through  the  northwest 
part  of  this  state,  and  enters  Lake  Erie  at  Maumee  bay.  It  is  navigable  for  steamboats  to 
Perrysburg,  18  miles  from  the  lake,  and  above  the  rapids  is  boatable  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance. The  Sandusky  rises  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  and,  after  a  course  of  about 
80  miles,  it  enters  Sandusky  bay,  and  thence  into  Lake  Erie.  The  Cuyahoga  rises  in  the 
north  part  of  the  state,  and,  after  a  curved  course  of  60  miles,  enters  Lake  Erie  at  Cleve- 
land. It  has  a  number  of  falls,  which  furnish  valuable  mill  seats.  Besides  these,  Huron 
Vermilion,  Black,  Grand  and  Ashtabula  rivers  fall  into  Lake  Erie. 

Lake  Erie  borders  this  6tate  for  about  150  miles,  and  has  several  harbors,  among  which 
the  largest  are  made  by  Maumee  and  Sandusky  bays.  Besides  these  are  the  harbors  of 
Huron,  Cleveland,  Fairport  and  Ashtabula. 

Among  the  principal  literary  institutions,  is  the  University  of  Ohio,  at  Athens  ;  the 
Miami  University, at  Oxford;  the  Franklin  College, at  New  Athens;  the  Western  Reserve 
College,  at  Hudson  ;  Kenyon  College,  at  Gambier,  (Episcopal ;)  Granville  College,  at  Gran- 
ville, (Baptist ;)  Marietta  College,  at  Marietta  ;  the  Oberlin  Collegiate  Institute,  at  Oberlin  ; 
Cincinnati  and  Woodward  Colleges,  at  Cincinnati.  Willoughby  University,  at  Wil- 
loughby,  is  a  medical  institution,  with  a  college  charter.  Lane  Theological  Seminary. 
at  Cincinnati,  was  founded  in  1829.  There  are  also  theological  departments  in  Kenyon, 
Western  Reserve  and  Granville  Colleges,  and  in  the  Oberlin  Institute  ;  a  Lutheran  theo- 
logical school  at  Columbus  ;  two  medical  and  one  law  school  at  Cincinnati.  At  all  these 
institutions  there  were,  in  1840,  1,717  students.  Since  1840,  other  literary  and  scientific 
institutions  have  been  established  ;  among  which  is  the  Medical  College,  at  Cleveland ; 
Wittemberg  College,  at  Springfield,  and  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University,  at  Delaware. 
There  were  in  the  state  73  academies,  with  4,310  students;  5,186  common  and  primary 
schools,  with  218,609  scholars.  There  were  35,394  white  persons,  over  20  years  of  age. 
who  could  neither  read  nor  write. 

This  state  has  a  number  of  important  works  of  internal  improvement.  The  Ohio  canal 
extends  from  Cleveland,  on  Lake  Erie,  307  miles,  to  Portsmouth,  on  the  Ohio.  It  has  a 
navigable  feeder  of  14  miles  to  Zanesville  ;  one  of  10  miles  to  Columbus ;  and  one  of  9 
miles  to  Lancaster  ;  one  to  Athens  of  fifty  miles ;  the  Walholding  branch  of  23  miles ; 
the  Eastport  branch  of  4  miles,  and  the  Dresden  of  2  miles.  This  great  work  was  begun 
in  1825,  and  was  finished  in  1832,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000,000.  The  Miami  canal  extends 
from  Cincinnati,  178  miles,  to  Defiance,  where  it  meets  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal.  The 
cost  was  $3,750,000.  The  whole  distance  to  Lake  Erie  is  265  miles.  The  Warren 
canal,  a  branch  of  the  above,  extends  from  Middletown,  20  miles,  to  Lebanon.  The 
Sandy  and  Beaver  canal  is  to  extend  from  the  Ohio  canal,  at  Bolivar,  76  miles,  to  Ohio 
river,  at  the  mouth  of  Little  Beaver  creek.  Cost  estimated  at  $1,500,000.  The  Ma- 
honing canal  extends  from  the  Ohio  canal,  at  Akron,  88  miles,  8  of  which  are  in  Penn- 
sylvania, to  Beaver  river,  at  a  cost  of  $764,372.  Milan  canal  extends  3  miles,  to  Milan, 
to  which  steamboats  now  ascend.  The  Mad  River  and  Little  Miami  railroads  form  a 
continuous  line  from  Cincinnati  to  Sandusky  City.  A  railroad  is  partly  constructed  from 
the  latter  place,  through  Mansfield,  Mount  Vernon,  to  Columbus,  and  various  routes  are 
projected  for  railroads  in  different  parts  of  the  state. 

The  governor  is  elected  by  the  people  for  two  years.  The  senators  are  chosen  bien- 
nially, and  are  apportioned  according  to  the  number  of  white  male  inhabitants  over  21  years 


558 


ADDENDA. 


of  age.  The  number  can  never  be  less  than  one-third,  nor  more  than  half  of  the  number 
of  the  representatives.  The  representatives  are  apportioned  among  the  counties  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  inhabitants  over  21 ;  and  there  can  never  be  more  than  72,  nor  less 
than  36. 

The  judges  of  the  supreme  and  other  courts  are  elected  by  the  joint  ballot  of  the  legis- 
lature, for  the  term  of  seven  years. 

The  right  of  suffrage  is  enjoyed  by  all  white  male  inhabitants,  over  21  years  of  age,  who 
have  resided  in  the  state  one  year  next  preceding  the  election,  and  who  have  paid  or  been 
assessed  with  a  state  or  county  tax. 

The  first  permanent  English  settlement  in  Ohio,  was  made  April  7th,  1788,  at  Marietta  ; 
and  the  first  judicial  court  was  held  there  in  September  of  the  same  year,  under  an  act  of 
congress  passed  in  1786.  The  next  settlement  was  that  of  Symmes'  purchase,  6  miles 
below  Cincinnati,  in  1789.  The  next  was  made  by  French  emigrants,  at  Gallipolis,  in 
1791.  The  next  was  made  on  Lake  Erie,  at  Cleveland  and  Conneaut,  in  1796,  by  emi- 
grants from  New  England.  In  1799  the  first  territorial  legislature  met  at  Cincinnati,  and 
organized  the  government.  Early  in  1800,  Connecticut  relinquished  her  jurisdiction  over 
the  Western  Reserve,  and  received  a  title  to  the  land,  which  she  sold  to  constitute  her  great 
school  fund.     In  1802,  Ohio  formed  her  state  constitution,  and  was  admitted  to  the  union. 


PUBLIC  LANDS.* 

In  most  of  the  states  and  territories  lying  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  the  United 
States,  collectively,  as  a  nation,  owned,  or  did  own,  the  soil  of  the  country,  after  the  ex- 
tinguishment of  the  aboriginal  Indian  title.  This  vast  national  domain  comprises  several 
hundreds  of  millions  of  acres;  which  is  a  beautiful  fund,  upon  which  the  general  govern- 
ment can  draw  for  centuries,  to  supply,  at  a  low  price,  all  its  citizens  with  a  freehold  estate. 

When  Ohio  was  admitted  into  the  federal  union  as  an  independent  state,  one  of  the 
terms  of  admission  was,  that  the  fee-simple  to  all  the  lands  within  its  limits,  excepting 
those  previously  granted  or  sold,  should  vest  in  the  United  States.  Different  portions  of 
them  have,  at  diverse  periods,  been  granted  or  sold  to  various  individuals,  companies,  and 
bodies  politic. 

The  following  are  the  names  by  which  the  principal  bodies  of  the  lands  are  designated, 
on  account  of  these  different  forms  of  transfer ;  viz : 


8.  Symmes'  Purchase  15.  Maumee  Road  Lands. 

9.  Refugee  Tract. 

10.  French  Grant. 

11.  Dohrman's         do. 

12.  Zane's  do. 

13.  Canal  Lands. 

14.  Turnpike  do. 

Congress  Lands  are  so  called,  because  they  are  sold  to  purchasers  by  the  immediate  offi- 
cers of  the  general  government,  conformably  to  such  laws  as  are,  or  may  be,  from  time  to 
time,  enacted  by  congress.  They  are  all  regularly  surveyed  into  townships  of  six  miles 
square  each,  under  authority,  and  at  the  expense  of  the  national  government. 


1.  Congress  Lands. 

2.  U.  S.  Military. 

3.  Virginia  Military. 

4.  Western  Reserve. 

5.  Fire  Lands. 

6.  Ohio  Co's.  Purchase. 

7.  Donation  Tract. 


it;. 

School 

do. 

17. 

College 

do. 

18. 

Ministerial 

do. 

19. 

Moravian 

do. 

20. 

Salt  Sections. 

All  Congress  lands,  excepting 
Marietta  and  a  part  of  Steuben- 
ville  district,  are  numbered  as 
follows : 


VII  ranges,  Ohio  company's 
purchase,  and  Symmes'  pur- 
chase, are  numbered  as  here  ex- 
hibited : 


6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

36 

30 

24 

18 

12 

6 

7 
18 
19 
30 
31 

8 
17 
20 
29 
32 

9 

16 
21 
28 
33 

10 
15 
22 
27 
34 

11 
14 
23 
26 
35 

12 
13 
24 
25 
36 

35 
34 
33 
32 
31 

29 
28 
27 
26 
25 

23 
22 
21 
20 
19 

17 
16 
15 
14 
13 

11 

10 

9 

8 

7 

5 
4 
3 
2 
1 

*  This  article  is  abridged  from  the  Ohio  Gazetteer. 


R  21 
T  4 
S  30t 

R20 

T  4 

tS  31 

R21t 
T  3 

S  1 

tR20 
T  3 
S  6 

ADDENDA.  559 

The  townships  are  again  subdivided  into  sections  of  one  mile  square,  each  containing 
640  acres,  by  lines  running  parallel  with  the  township. and  range  lines.  The  sections  are 
numbered  in  two  different  modes,  as  exhibited  in  the  preceding  figures  or  diagrams. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  division,  the  sections  are  again  subdivided  into  four  equal 
parts,  called  the  Northeast  quarter  section,  Southeast  quarter  section,  &c.  And  again,  by 
a  law  of  congress,  which  went  into  effect  in  July,  1820,  these  quarter  sections  are  also 
divided  by  a  north  and  south  line,  into  two  equal  parts,  called  the  east  half  quarter  section, 
No.  and  west  half  quarter  section,  No.  which  contain  eighty  acres  each.     The 

minimum  price  has  been  reduced  by  the  same  law,  from  $2.00  to  $1.25  per  acre,  cash 
down. 

In  establishing  the  township  and  sectional  corners,  a  post  is  first  planted  at  the  point  of 
intersection  ;  then  on  the  tree  nearest  the  post,  and  standing  within  the  section  intended  to 
be  designated,  is  numbered  with  the  marking  iron,  the  range,  township  and  number  of  the 
section,  thus: 


The  quarter  corners  are  marked  1-4  south,  merely. 


Section  No.  16,  of  every  township,  is  perpetually  reserved  for  the  use  of  schools,  and 
leased  or  sold  out,  for  the  benefit  of  schools,  under  the  state  government.  All  the  others 
may  be  taken  up  either  in  sections,  fractions,  halves,  quarters,  or  half  quarters. 

For  the  purpose  of  selling  out  these  lands,  they  are  divided  into  eight  several  land  dis- 
tricts, called  after  the  names  of  the  towns  in  which  the  land  offices  are  kept,  viz:  Wooster, 
Steubenville,  Zanesville,  Marietta,  Chillicothe,  etc.,  etc. 

The  seven  ranges  of  townships  are  a  portion  of  the  Congress  lands,  so  called,  being  the 
first  ranges  of  public  lands  ever  surveyed  by  the  general  government,  west  of  the  Ohio  river. 
They  are  bounded  on  the  north  by  a  line  drawn  due  west  from  the  Pennsylvania  state  line, 
where  it  crosses  the  Ohio  river,  to  the  United  States  Military  lands,  42  miles  ;  thence  south 
to  the  Ohio  river,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Marietta  township,  thence  up  the  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Connecticut  Western  Eeserve,  often  times  called  New  Connecticut,  is  situated  in  the 
northeast  quarter  of  the  state,  between  Lake  Erie  on  the  north,  Pennsylvania  east,  the 
parallel  of  the  41st  degree  of  north  latitude  south,  and  Sandusky  and  Seneca  counties  on 
the  west.  It  extends  120  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  upon  an  average  50  from  north  to 
south:  although,  upon  the  Pennsylvania  line,  it  is  68  miles  broad,  from  north  to  south.  The 
area  is  about  3,800,000  acres.  It  is  surveyed  into  townships  of  five  miles  square  each.  A 
body  of  half  a  million  acres  is,  however,  stricken  off  from  the  west  end  of  the  tract,  as  a 
donation,  by  the  state  of  Connecticut,  to  certain  sufferers  by  fire,  in  the  revolutionary  war. 

The  manner  by  which  Connecticut  became  possessed  of  the  land  in  question,  was  the 
following:  King  Charles  II,  of  England,  pursuing  the  example  of  his  brother  kings,  of 
granting  distant  and  foreign  regions  to  his  subjects,  granted  to  the  then  colony  of  Connecti- 
cut, in  1662,  a  charter  right  to  all  lands  included  within  certain  specific  bounds.  But  as 
the  geographical  knowledge  of  Europeans  concerning  America,  was  then  very  limited  and 
confused,  patents  for  lands  often  interfered  with  each  other,  and  many  of  them,  even  by 
their  express  terms,  extended  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  or  South  sea,  as  it  was  then  called. 
Among  the  rest,  that  for  Connecticut  embraced  all  lands  contained  between  the  41st  and 
42d  parallels  of  north  latitude,  and  from  Providence  plantations  on  the  east,  to  the  Pacific 
ocean  west,  with  the  exception  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  colonies  ;  and,  indeed, 
pretensions  to  these  were  not  finally  relinquished  without  considerable  altercation.  And 
after  the  United  States  became  an  independent  nation,  these  interfering  claims  occasioned 
much  collision  of  sentiment  between  them  and  the  state  of  Connecticut,  which  was  finally 
compromised,  by  the  United  States  relinquishing  all  their  claims  upon,  and  guaranteeing  to 
Connecticut  the  exclusive  right  of  soil  to  the  3,800,000  acres  now  described.  The  United 
States,  however,  by  the  terms  of  compromise,  reserved  to  themselves  the  right  of  jurisdic- 
tion.    They  then  united  this  tract  to  the  territory,  now  state  of  Ohio. 

Fire  Lands,  a  tract  of  country  so  called,  of  about  781  square  miles,  or  500,000  acres,  in 
the  western  part  of  New  Connecticut.  The  name  originated  from  the  circumstance  of  the 
state  of  Connecticut  having  granted  these  lands  in  1792,  as  a  donation  to  certain  sufferers 
by  fire,  occasioned  by  the  English  during  our  revolutionary  war,  particularly  at  New  Lon- 


560  ADDENDA. 

don,  Fairfield  and  Norwalk.  These  lands  include  die  five  westernmost  ranges  of  the 
Western  Reserve  townships.  Lake  Erie  and  Sandusky  bay  project  so  far  southerly,  as  to 
leave  but  the  space  of  six  tiers  and  some  fractions  of  townships  between  them  and  the  41st 
parallel  of  latitude,  or  a  tract  of  about  30  by  27  miles  in  extent. 

This  tract  is  surveyed  into  townships  of  about  five  miles  equare  each  ;  and 
these  townships  are  then  subdivided  into  four  quarters ;  and  these  quarter 
townships  are  numbered  as  in  the  accompanying  figure,  the  top  being  con- 
sidered north.  And  for  individual  convenience,  these  are  again  subdivided,  by 
private  surveys,  into  lots  of  from  fifty  to  five  hundred  acres  each,  to  suit  indi- 


2 
3 

1 
4 

vidual  purchasers. 

United  States  Military  Lands  are  so  called  from  the  circumstance  of  their  having  been 
appropriated,  by  an  act  of  congress  of  the  1st  of  June,  1796,  to  satisfy  certain  claims  oi 
the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  revolutionary  war.  The  tract  of  country  embracing  these 
lands  is  bounded  as  follows :  beginning  at  the  northwest  coiner  of  the  original  VII  ranges 
of  townships,  thence  south  50  miles,  thence  west  to  the  Scioto  river,  thence  up  said  river 
to  the  Greenville  treaty  line,  thence  northeasterly  with  said  line  to  old  Fort  Laurens,  on  the 
Tuscarawas  river,  thence  due  east  to  the  place  of  beginning ;  including  a  tract  of  about 
4000  square  miles,  or  2,560,000  acres  of  land.  It  is,  of  course,  bounded  north  by  the 
Greenville  treaty  line,  east  by  the  "  VII  ranges  of  townships,"  south  by  the  Congress  and 
Refugee  lands,  and  west  by  the  Scioto  river. 

These  lands  are  surveyed  into  townships  of  five  miles  square.  These  townships  were 
then  again,  originally,  surveyed  into  quarter  townships  of  two  and  a  half  miles  square, 
containing  4000  acres  each : — and  subsequently,  some  of  these  quarter  townships  were 
subdivided  into  forty  lots  of  100  acres  each,  for  the  accommodation  of  those  soldiers  hold- 
ing warrants  for  only  100  acres  each.  And  again,  after  the  time  originally  assigned  for  the 
location  of  these  warrants  had  expired,  certain  quarter  townships  which  had  not  then  been 
located,  were  divided  into  sections  of  one  mile  square  each,  and  sold  by  the  general  govern- 
ment, like  the  main  body  of  Congress  lands. 

The  quarter  townships  are  numbered  as  exhibited  in  the  accompanying  fig- 
ure, the  top  being  considered  north.  The  place  of  each  township  is  ascer- 
tained by  numbers  and  ranges,  the  same  as  Congress  lands  ;  the  ranges  being 
numbered  from  east  to  west,  and  the  numbers  from  south  to  north. 
Virginia  Military  Lands  are  a  body  of  land  lying  between  the  Scioto  and  Little  Miami 
rivers,  and  bounded  upon  the  Ohio  river  on  the  south.  The  state  of  Virginia,  from  the 
indefinite  and  vague  terms  of  expression  in  its  original  colonial  charter  of  territory  from 
James  I.,  king  of  England,  in  the  year  1609,  claimed  all  the  continent  west  of  the  Ohio 
river,  and  of  the  north  and  south  breadth  of  Virginia.  But  finally,  among  several  other 
compromises  of  conflicting  claims  which  were  made,  subsequently  to  the  attainment  of  our 
national  independence,  Virginia  agreed  to  relinquish  all  her  claims  to  lands  northwest  of 
the  Ohio  river,  in  favor  of  the  general  government,  upon  condition  of  the  lands,  now 
described,  being  guaranteed  to  her.  The  state  of  Virginia  then  appropriated  this  body  of 
land  to  satisfy  the  claims  of  her  state  troops  employed  in  the  continental  line,  during  the 
revolutionary  war. 

This  district  is  not  surveyed  into  townships  or  any  regular  form :  but  any  individual 
holding  a  Virginia  military  land  warrant  may  locate  it,  wherever  he  chooses,  within  the 
district,  and  in  such  shape  as  he  pleases,  wherever  the  land  shall  not  previously  have  been 
located.  In  consequence  of  this  deficiency  of  regular  original  surveys,  and  the  irregularities 
with  which  the  several  locations  have  been  made  ;  and  the  consequent  interference  and 
encroachment  of  some  locations  upon  others,  more  than  double  the  litigation  has  probably 
arisen  between  the  holders  of  adverse  titles,  in  this  district,  than  there  has  in  any  other 
part  of  the  state,  of  equal  extent. 

Ohio  Company's  purchase  is  a  body  of  land  containing  about  1,500,000  acres;  including, 
however,  the  donation  tract,  school  lands,  &c,  lying  along  the  Ohio  river ;  and  including 
Meigs,  nearly  all  of  Athens,  and  a  considerable  part  of  Washington  and  Gallia  counties. 
This  tract  was  purchased  of  the  general  government  in  the  year  1787,  by  Manasseh  Cut- 
ler and  Winthrop  Sargeant,  from  the  neighborhood  of  Salem,  in  Massachusetts,  agents  for 
the  "  Ohio  company,"  so  called,  which  had  then  been  formed  in  Massachusetts,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  settlement  in  the  Ohio  country.  Only  964,285  acres  were  ultimately  paid  for, 
and  of  course  patented.  This  body  of  land  was  then  apportioned  out  into  817  snares,  of 
1173  acres  each,  and  a  town  lot  of  one-third  of  an  acre  to  each  share.  These  shares  were 
made  up  to  each  proprietor  in  tracts,  one  of  640  acres,  one  of  262,  one  of  160,  one  of  100, 
one  of  8,  and  another  of  3  acres,  besides  the  before  mentioned  town  lot. 

Besides  every  section  16,  set  apart,  as  elsewhere,  for  the  support  of  schools,  every  section 


ADDENDA.  561 

29  is  appropriated  for  the  support  of  religious  institutions.     In  addition  to  which  were  also 
granted  two  six  miles  square  townships,  for  the  use  of  a  college. 

But  unfortunately  for  the  Ohio  company,  owing  to  their  want  of  topographical  knowledge 
of  the  country,  the  body  of  land  selected  by  them,  with  some  partial  exceptions,  is  the 
most  hilly  and  sterile  of  any  tract  of  similar  extent  in  the  state. 

Donation  tract  is  a  body  of  100,000  acres,  set  off  in  the  northern  limits  of  the  Ohio  com- 
pany's tract,  and  granted  to  them  by  congress,  provided  they  should  obtain  one  actual 
settler  upon  each  hundred  acres  thereof,  within  five  years  from  the  date  of  the  grant;  and 
that  so  much  of  the  100,000  acres  aforesaid,  as  should  not  thus  be  taken  up,  shall  revert  to 
the  general  government. 

This  tract  may,  in  some  respects,  be  considered  a  part  of  the  Ohio  company's  purchase. 
It  is  situated  in  the  northern  limits  of  Washington  county.  It  lies  in  an  oblong  shape,  ex- 
tending nearly  17  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  about  7£  from  north  to  south. 

Symmes'  purchase,  a  tract  of  311,682  acres  of  land,  in  the  southwestern  quarter  of  the 
state,  between  the  Great  and  Little  Miami  rivers.  It  borders  on  the  Ohio  river  a  distance 
of  27  miles,  and  extends  so  far  back  from  the  latter  between  the  two  Miamis,  as  to  include 
the  quantity  of  land  just  mentioned.  It  was  patented  to  John  Cleves  Symmes,  in  1794,  for 
67  cents  per  acre.  Every  16th  section,  or  square  mile,  in  each  township,  was  reserved  by 
congress  for  the  use  of  schools,  and  sections  29  for  the  support  of  religious  institutions, 
beside  15  acres  around  Fort  Washington,  in  Cincinnati.  This  tract  of  country  is  now  one 
of  the  most  valuable  in  the  state. 

Refugee  tract,  a  body  of  100,000  acres  of  land  granted  by  congress  to  certain  indi- 
viduals who  left  the  British  provinces  during  the  revolutionary  war,  and  espoused  the  cause 
of  freedom.  It  is  a  narrow  strip  of  country,  4J  miles  broad  from  north  to  south,  and  ex- 
tending eastwardly  from  the  Scioto  river  48  miles.  It  has  the  United  States'  XX  ranges 
of  military  or  army  lands  north,  and  XXII  ranges  of  congress  lands  south.  In  the  western 
borders  of  this  tract  is  situated  the  town  of  Columbus. 

French  grant,  a  tract  of  24,000  acres  of  land,  bordering  upon  the  Ohio  river,  in  the  south- 
eastern quarter  of  Scioto  county.  It  was  granted  by  congress,  in  March,  1795,  to  a  number 
of  French  families,  who  lost  their  lands  at  Gallipolis,  by  invalid  titles.  Twelve  hundred 
acres,  additional,  were  afterwards  granted,  adjoining  the  above  mentioned  tract  at  its 
lower  end,  toward  the  mouth  of  Little  Scioto  river. 

Dohrman's  grant  is  one  six  mile  square  township,  of  23,040  acres,  granted  to  Arnold 
Henry  Dohrman,  formerly  a  wealthy  Portuguese  merchant  in  Lisbon,  for  and  in  considera- 
tion of  his  having,  during  the  revolutionary  war,  given  shelter  and  aid  to  the  American 
cruisers  and  vessels  of  war.     It  is  located  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Tuscarawas  county. 

Moravian  lands  are  three  several  tracts  of  4000  acres  each,  originally  granted  by  the 
old  continental  congress,  July,  1787,  and  confirmed,  by  the  act  of  congress  of  1st  June, 
1796,  to  the  Moravian  brethren  at  Bethlehem,  in  Pennsylvania,  in  trust  and  for  the  use  of 
the  christianized  Indians  living  thereon.  They  are  laid  out  in  nearly  square  forms,  on  the 
Muskingum  river,  in  what  is  now  Tuscarawas  county.  They  are  called  by  the  names  of 
the  Shoenbrun,  Gnadenhutten  and  Salem  tracts. 

Zane's  tracts  are  three  several  tracts  of  one  mile  square  each — one  on  the  Muskingum, 
which  includes  the  town  of  Zanesville — one  at  the  cross  of  the  Hocking  river,  on  which  the 
town  of  Lancaster  is  laid  out — and  the  third,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Scioto  river,  opposite 
Chillicothe.  They  were  granted  by  congress  to  one  Ebenezer  Zane,  in  May,  1796,  on 
condition  that  he  should  open  a  road  through  them,  from  Wheeling,  in  Virginia,  to  Mays- 
ville,  in  Kentucky. 

There  are  also  three  other  tracts,  of  one  mile  square  each,  granted  to  Isaac  Zane,  in  the 
year  1802,  in  consideration  of  his  having  been  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  when  a  boy, 
during  the  revolutionary  war,  and  living  with  them  most  of  his  life ;  and  having,  during 
that  time,  performed  many  acts  of  kindness  and  beneficence  toward  the  American  people. 
These  tracts  are  situated  in  Champain  county,  on  King's  creek,  from  three  to  five  miles 
northwest  from  Urbana. 

The  Maumee  land  roads,  are  a  body  of  lands,  averaging  2  miles  wide,  lying  along  1 
mile  on  each  side  of  the  road  from  the  Maumee  river  at  Perrysburg,  to  the  western  limits 
of  the  Western  Reserve  ;  a  distance  of  about  46  miles ;  and  comprising  nearly  60,000 
acres.  They  were  originally  granted  by  the  Indian  owners,  at  the  treaty  of  Brownstown 
in  1808,  to  enable  the  United  States  to  make  a  road  on  the  fine  just  mentioned.  The 
general  government  never  moved  in  the  business,  until  February,  1823,  when  congress 
passed  an  act,  making  over  the  aforesaid  lands  to  the  state  of  Ohio  ;  provided  she  would, 
within  4  years  thereafter,  make  and  keep  in  repair,  a  good  road  throughout  the  aforesaid 
route  of  46  miles.  This  road  the  state  government  has  already  made ;  and  obtained 
possession,  and  sold  most  of  the  land. 

71 


569  ADDENDA. 

Turnpike  lands,  are  forty-nine  sections,  amounting  to  31,360  acres,  situated  along  the 
western  side  of  the  Columbus  and  Sandusky  turnpike,  in  the  eastern  parts  of  Seneca, 
Crawford  and  Marion  counties.  They  were  originally  granted  by  an  act  of  congress,  on 
the  3d  of  March,  1827,  and  more  specifically  by  a  supplementary  act,  the  year  following. 
The  considerations  for  which  these  lands  were  granted,  were  that  the  mail  stages  and  all 
troops  and  property  of  the  United  States,  which  should  ever  be  moved  and  transported  along 
this  road,  shall  pass  free  from  toll. 

The  Ohio  canal  lands,  are  lands  granted  by  congress  to  the  state  of  Ohio  to  aid  in  con- 
structing her  extensive  canals.  These  lands  comprise  over  1  million  of  acres,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  which  is  now  (1847)  in  market. 

School  Lands.  By  compact  between  the  United  States  and  the  state  of  Ohio,  when  the 
latter  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  it  was  stipulated,  for  and  in  consideration  that  the 
state  of  Ohio  should  never  tax  the  congress  lands  ;  until  after  they  should  have  been  sold 
5  years;  and  in  consideration  that  the  public  lands  would  thereby  more  readily  sell,  that 
the  one  thirty-sixth  part  of  all  the  territory  included  within  the  limits  of  the  state,  should 
be  set  apart,  for  the  support  of  common  schools  therein.  And,  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
at  lands,  which  should,  in  point  of  quality  of  soil  be  on  an  average  with  the  whole  land  in 
the  country  ;  they  decreed  that  it  should  be  selected,  by  lot,  in  small  tracts  each,  to  wit: 
that  it  should  consist  of  section  number  16,  let  that  section  be  good  or  bad,  in  every  town- 
ship of  congress  lands ;  also  in  the  Ohio  company,  and  in  Symmes'  purchases ;  all  of 
which  townships  are  composed  of  36  sections  each ;  and  for  the  United  States'  military 
lands,  and  Connecticut  Reserve ;  a  number  of  quarter  townships,  2£  miles  square  each, 
(being  the  smallest  public  surveys  therein,  then  made,)  should  be  selected  by  the  secretary 
of  the  treasury,  in  different  places  throughout  the  United  States'  military  tract ;  equivalent 
in  quantity,  to  the  one  thirty-sixth  part  of  those  two  tracts  respectively.  And  for  the 
Virginia  military  tract,  congress  enacted  that  a  quantity  of  land  equal  to  the  one  thirty- 
sixth  part  of  the  estimated  quantity  of  land  contained  therein,  should  be  selected  by  lot,  in 
what  was  then  called  the  "New  Purchase,"  in  quarter  township  tracts  of  3  miles  square 
each.  Most  of  these  selections  were  accordingly  made  :  but,  in  some  instances  by  the 
carelessness  of  the  officers  conducting  the  sales,  or  from  some  other  cause,  a  few  sections 
16  have  been  sold ;  in  which  case,  congress,  when  applied  to,  have  generally  granted 
other  lands  in  lieu  thereof;  as  for  instance,  no  section  16  was  reserved  in  Montgomery 
township,  in  which  Columbus  is  situated  ;  and  congress,  afterwards  granted  therefor,  sec- 
tion 21,  ill  the  township  cornering  thereon  to  the  southeast. 

College  townships,  are  three  6  miles  square  townships,  granted  by  congress;  two  of 
them  to  the  Ohio  company,  for  the  use  of  a  college  to  be  established  within  their  purchase, 
and  one  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  Symmes'  purchase. 

Ministerial  Lands.  In  both  the  Ohio  company  and  in  Symmes'  purchase,  every  section 
29,  (equal  to  one  thirty-sixth  part  of  every  township,)  is  reserved,  as  a  permanent  fund  for 
the  support  of  a  settled  minister.  As  the  purchasers  of  these  two  tracts  came  from  parts 
of  the  union  where  it  was  customary  and  deemed  necessary  to  have  a  regular  settled  cler- 
gyman in  every  town,  they  therefore  stipulated  in  their  original  purchase,  that  a  permanent 
fund,  in  land,  should  thus  be  set  apart  for  this  purchase.  In  no  other  part  of  the  state,  other 
than  in  these  two  purchases,  are  any  lands  set  apart  for  this  object. 

Salt  Sections.  Near  the  centre  of  what  is  now  Jackson  county,  congress  originally  re- 
served from  sale,  thirty-six  sections,  or  one  six  mile  square  township,  around  and  inclu- 
ding what  was  called  the  Scioto  salt  licks ;  also  one  quarter  of  a  5  mile  square  township  in 
what  is  now  Delaware  county ;  in  all,  forty-two  and  a  quarter  sections,  or  27,040  acres. 
By  an  act  of  congress  of  the  28th  of  December,  1824,  the  legislature  of  Ohio  was  authori- 
zed to  sell  these  lands,  and  to  apply  the  proceeds  thereof  to  such  literary  purposes,  as  said 
legislature  may  think  proper ;  but  to  no  other  purpose  whatever. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  TERRITORIAL  GOVERNMENT, 

APPOINTED    IN    1788,   UNDER   THE   ORDINANCE    OF    CONGRESS 

Arthur  St.  Clair,  Governor. 

Samuel  H.  Parsons,  James  M.  Varnum,  John  Cleves  Symmes,  Judges. 
Winthrcp  Sargeant,  Secretary.     William  H.  Harrison  was  subsequently  appointed  see* 
retary  of  the  territory  ;  he  was  afterwards  elected  delegate  to  congress. 


ADDENDA. 


563 


GOVERNORS  OF  THE  STATE, 

AFTER   THE   ADOPTION    OF   THE    CONSTITUTION ■ 

Edward  Tiffin,  elected  and  sworn,  3d  March, 
Thomas  Kirker,*  (acting  governor  part  of  the  year,) 
Samuel  Huntington,  elected  and  sworn  in,    . 
Return  J.  Meigs,         do.  do.     . 

Othniel  Looker  *  (acting  governor  part  of  the  year,) 
Thomas  Worthington,  elected,         .... 

Ethan  Allen  Brown,         do.  .... 

Allen  Trimble,*  (acting governor  part  of  the  year,)  . 
Jeremiah  Morrow,  elected,  .... 

Allen  Trimble,  do.  ..... 

Duncan  McArthur,      do 


Robert  Lucas, 

Joseph  Vance, 

Wilson  Shannon, 

Thomas  Corwin, 

Wilson  Shannon, 

Thos.  W.  Bartley,*  (acting  governor,) 

Mordecai  Bartley,  elected, 

William  Bebb,  do.      . 


do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 


1803 
1808 
1808 
1810 
1814 
1814 
1818 
1822 
1822 
1826 
1830 
1832 
1836 
1838 
1840 
1842 
1843 
1844 
1846 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION, 

WHO    FORMED    THE   STATE   CONSTITUTION,   ADOPTED    IN   CONVENTION   AT   CHILLICOTHE, 
NOVEMBER   29TH, 1803. 

Edward  Tiffin,  President  and  representative  from  the  county  of  Ross. 

Adams  County. — Joseph  Darlinton,  Israel  Donalson  and  Thomas  Kirker. 

Belmont  County. — James  Caldwell  and  Elijah  Woods. 

Clermont  County. — Philip  Gatch  and  James  Sargent. 

Fairfield  County. — Henry  Abrams  and  Emanuel  Carpenter. 

Hamilton  County. — John  W.  Browne,  Charles  Willing  Byrd,  Francis  Dunlavy,  William 
Goforth,  John  Kitchel,  Jeremiah  Morrow,  John  Paul,  John  Riley,  John  Smith  and  John 
Wilson. 

Jefferson  County. — Rudolph  Bair,  George  Humphrey,  John  Milligan,  Nathan  Updegraff 
and  Bezaleel  Wells. 

Boss  County. — Michael  Baldwin,  James  Grubb,  Nathaniel  Massie  and  T.  Worthington. 

Trumbull  County. — David  Abbott  and  Samuel  Huntington. 

Washington  County. — Ephraim  Cutler,  Benjamin  Ives  Gillman,  John  M'Intire  and  Ru- 
ms Putnam. 

Thomas  Scott,  secretary  of  the  convention. 

The  following  embraces  the  names  of  all  the  members  of  the  U.  S.  Senate  and  House 
of  Representatives,  who  have  from  time  to  time  been  elected,  and  have  represented  Ohic 
in  the  National  Congress. 

SENATORS  OF  CONGRESS. 


In.    Out. 

In.    Out. 

William  Allen, 

1837-49 

Thomas  Morris, 

1833-39 

Ethan  A.  Brown, 

1822-25 

Jeremiah  Morrow, 

1813-19 

Jacob  Burnet, 

1828-31 

Benjamin  Ruggles, 

1815-33 

Alexander  Campbell, 

1809-13 

John  Smith, 

1803-08 

Thomas  Corwin, 

1845-51 

Benjamin  Tappan, 

1839-45 

Thomas  Ewing, 

1831-37 

Edward  Tiffin, 

1807-09 

S.  Griswold, 

1809-09 

William  A.  Trimble, 

1819-22 

William  H.  Harrison, 
Joseph  Kerr, 

1825-28 
1814-15 

Thomas  Worthington, 

(  1803-07 
I  1810-14 

Return  J.  Meigs, 

1808-10 

*  Those  marked  with  a  star,  were  presidents  of  the  senate,  who  were,  by  the  constitution, 
governors  for  short  periods  only. 


564 


ADDENDA. 
REPRESENTATIVES  IN  CONGRESS. 


John  Alexander, 

1813-17 

A.  Loomis, 

1837-38 

J.  Alexander,  jr., 

1837-39 

Robert  T.  Lytle, 

1833-35 

William  Allen, 

1833-35 

Samson  Mason, 

1835-43 

John  W.  Allen, 

1837-41 

Joshua  Mathiot, 

1841-43 

S.  J.  Andrews, 

1841-43 

James  Matthews, 

1841-45 

Levi  Barber, 

<  1817-19 
I  1821-23 

Duncan  M' Arthur, 

1823-25 

W.  C.  M'Causlen, 

-45 

Mordecai  Bartley, 

1823-31 

J.  J.  M'Dowell, 

1843-47 

Reasin  Beall, 

1813-15 

John  M'Lean, 

1813-16 

Philemon  Beecher, 

)  1817-21 
4  1823-29 

William  M'Lene, 
Jeremiah  M'Lene, 

1823-29 
1833-37 

James  M.  Bell, 

'  1833-35 

William  M'Millan, 

1800-01 

William  K.  Bond, 

1835-41 

William  Medill, 

1839-43 

J.  Brinckerhoff, 

1843-47 

Robert  Mitchell, 

1833-35 

Henry  Brush, 

1819-21 

Calvary  Morris, 

1837-43 

James  Caldwell, 

1813-17 

Joseph  Morris, 

1843-47 

John  W.  Campbell, 
David  Chambers, 

1817-27 
1821-23 

Jeremiah  Morrow, 

$  1803-13 
I  1841-43 

John  Chaney, 

1833-39 

Francis  Muhlenberg, 

1828- 

David  Clendenin, 

1815-17 

Isaac  Parish, 

{  1839-41 
I          -47 

Charles  G.  Coffin, 

1838-39 

Eleutheros  Cooke, 

1831-33 

John  Patterson, 

1823-25 

Thomas  Corwin, 

1831-40 

William  Patterson, 

1833-38- 

Benjamin  S.  Cowen, 

1841-43 

E.  D.  Potter, 

-45 

Joseph  H.  Crane, 

1829-37 

Augustus  L.  Perril, 

-47 

William  Creighton, 

3  1813-17 
}  1827-33 

N.  G.  Pendleton, 
Joseph  Ridgeway, 

1841-43 
1837-43 

John  D.  Cummings, 

-47 

Thomas  R.  Ross, 

1819-25 

Frais  A.  Cunningham, 

-47 

Joseph  M.  Root, 

-47 

John  Davenport, 
Ezra  Dean, 

1827-29 
1841-45 

William  Russell, 

$  1827-33 
\  1841-43 

Columbus  Delano, 

-47 

William  Sawyer, 

1843-47 

William  Doane, 

1839-43 

R.  C.  Schenck, 

1843-47 

Alexander  Duncan, 

<  1837-41 
\         -45 

Thomas  Shannon, 
Matthias  Shepler, 

1826-27 
1837-39 

James  J.  Faran, 

-47 

James  Shields, 

1829-31 

Paul  Fearing, 

1801-03 

John  Sloane, 

1819-29 

James  Findlay, 

1825-33 

Jonathan  Sloane, 

1833-37 

Elias  Florence, 

-45 

David  Spangler, 

1833-37 

George  Fries, 

-47 

William  Stanberry, 

1827-33 

.James  W.  Gazley, 
Joshua  R.  Giddings, 

1823-25 
1839-47 

D.  A.  Starkweather, 

J  1839-41 
I  1845-47 

Patrick  G.  Goode, 

1837-43 

Samuel  Stokeley, 

1841-43 

John  M.  Goodenow, 

1829-31 

Bellamy  Storer, 

1835-37 

Thomas  L.  Hamer, 

1833-39 

Henry  Swearingen, 

1839-41 

Alexander  Harper, 

1837-47 

George  Sweeney, 

1839-43 

William  H.  Harrison, 

5  1799-1800 
I  1816-1819 

Henry  St.  John, 
Jonathan  Taylor, 

1843-47 
1839-41 

John  Hastings, 

1839-43 

$  1825-27 
I  1829-37 

Samuel  Herrick, 

1817-21 

John  Thompson, 

-Peter  Hitchcock, 

1817-19 

Joseph  Vance, 

I  1821-35 
(1843-47 

Elias  Howell, 

1835-37 

'William  H.  Hunter, 

1837-39 

J.  J.  Vanmeter, 

-45 

William  W.  Irvin, 

1829-33 

Samuel  F.  Vinton, 

$  1823-37 
I  1843-47 

David  Jennings, 

1825-26 

>P.  B.  Johnson, 

-45 

Taylor  Webster, 

1833-39 

Benjamin  Jones, 

1833-37 

D.  R.  Tilden, 

1843-47 

William  Kennon, 

(  1829-33 
\  1835-37 

Allen  G.  Sherman 
John  B.  Weller, 

-47 
1839-45 

James  Kilbourne, 

1813-17 

Elisha  Whittlesey, 

1823-39 

Daniel  Kilgore, 

1835-39 

William  Wilson, 

1823-27 

Humphrey  H.  Leavitt, 

1831-34 

John  Woods, 

1825-29 

D.  P.  Leadbetter, 

1837-41 

John  C.  Wright, 

1823-29 

ADDENDA.  565 


CLARK  COUNTY.* 

There  are  three  old  men  now  living  in  this  county,  viz.,  John 
Humphries,  David  Lowry  and  Griffith  Foos,  from  whom  we  have 
gathered  the  following  particulars  respecting  the  early  history  of 
Springfield,  and  also  some  incidents  connected  with  the  first  settle- 
ments made  in  the  vicinity.  Messrs.  Humphries,  Lowry  and  Foos, 
are  all  men  of  great  respectability,  and  are  well  known  to  all  the 
early  settlers  of  this  region  of  Ohio. 

John  Humphries  is  now  83  years  of  age,  David  Lowry  about  77, 
and  Griffith  Foos  about  75. 

John  Humphries  came  to  what  is  now  Clark  county  with  General 
Simon  Kenton,  in  1799 ;  with  them  emigrated  six  families  from  Ken- 
tucky, and  made  the  first  settlement  in  the  neighborhood  of  what  is 
now  Springfield,  north  of  the  ground  on  which  was  afterwards  located 
the  town.  At  this  time,  he  is  the  only  survivor  of  those  of  his 
companions  and  associates  who  were  at  the  time  heads  of  families. 
Mr.  Humphries  speaks  of  a  fort  which  was  erected  on  Mad  river, 
two  miles  from  the  site  of  Springfield  ;  this  fort  contained  within  its 
pickets  14  cabins,  and  was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  common  secu- 
rity against  the  Indians. 

David  Lowry  came  into  Ohio  in  the  spring  of  1795.  He  built  the 
first  flat  boat,  to  use  his  own  language,  "  that  ever  navigated  the 
Great  Miami  river  from  Dayton  down,  which  was  in  the  year  1800." 
He  took  the  same  boat  to  New  Orleans,  laden  with  pickled  pork, 
500  venison  hams,  and  bacon.  Lowry,  with  one  Jonathan  Donnell, 
made  the  second  settlement  within  what  is  now  the  limits  of  Clark 
county  ;  Demint's  was  the  third  settlement.  The  first  corn  crop 
raised  in  the  neighborhood  of  Springfield  was  in  1796.  Two  men, 
whose  names  were  Krebs  and  Brown,  cultivated  the  crop.  Lowry 
hunted  for  the  party  while  they  were  engaged  in  tending  the  crop  ; 
the  ground  occupied  was  about  3  miles  west  of  the  site  of  Spring- 
field. He  raised  a  crop  of  corn  the  ensuing  year,  and  also  accom- 
panied the  party  that  surveyed  and  laid  out  the  first  road  from 
Dayton  to  Springfield.  He  and  Jonathan  Donnell  killed,  in  one 
season,  in  their  settlement,  17  bears,  and  in  the  course  of  his  life, 
he  states  he  has  killed  1000  deer ;  and  that  he  once  shot  a  she  bear 
and  2  cubs  in  less  than  three  minutes. 

Griffith  Foos,  with  several  other  persons,  came  into  what  is  now 
Springfield,  in  the  month  of  March,  1801.  They  were  in  search  of 
a  healthy  region,  having  become  wearied  with  the  sickly  condition 
of  the  Scioto  valley.  The  laying  off  what  is  now  called  the  old 
town  of  Springfield,  was  commenced  March  17th,  1801.  Mr.  Foos 
commenced  the  first  public  house  ever  kept  in  the  place  :  it  was  a 
log  house,  situated  on  the  lot  directly  opposite  to  the  National  hotel, 
now  kept  by  William  Werden.     He  opened  his  house  in  June,  1801, 

*  Communicated  by  a  resident  of  Springfield. 


566  ADDENDA. 

and  continued  it  without  intermission  until  the  10th  of  May,  1814. 
He  states  that  he  and  his  party  were  4^  days  getting  from  Franklin- 
ton,  on  the  Scioto,  to  Springfield,  a  distance  of  forty-two  miles.  In 
crossing  Big  Darby,  they  were  obliged  to  carry  all  their  goods  on 
horseback,  and  then  to  drag  their  wagon  across  with  ropes,  while 
some  of  the  party  swam  by  the  side  of  the  wagon  to  prevent  it  from 
upsetting.  In  1807,  in  consequence  of  the  alarm  which  the  neigh- 
borhood felt  on  account  of  the  Indians,  Mr.  Foos'  house  was  turned 
into  a  fort.  This  was  the  first  building  erected  in  the  place.  Saml. 
Simonton  erected  the  first  frame  house  in  the  county  in  1807.  Wm. 
Ross  built  the  first  brick  house,  which  is  still  standing  on  the  se. 
corner  of  South  and  Market  streets. 

These  early  settlers  represent  the  county  at  that  day  as  being  very 
beautiful.  North  of  the  site  of  Springfield,  for  14  miles,  upon  the 
land  which  is  now  thick  with  woods,  there  could  not,  from  1801  to 
1809,  have  been  found  a  sufficiency  of  poles  to  have  made  hoops  for 
a  meat  cart.  The  forest  consisted  of  large  trees,  with  no  under- 
growth, and  the  ground  was  finely  sodded. 

Mr.  Griffith  Foos  speaks  of  an  old  hunter  by  the  name  of  James 
Smith,  from  Kentucky,  who  was  at  his  house  in  1810,  who  stated 
that  he  was  in  this  neighborhood  fifty  years  previously  with  the 
Indians,  and  that  up  the  prairie,  ne.  of  the  town  of  Springfield,  they 
started  some  buffalo  and  elk. 

The  first  house  of  worship  built  in  Springfield  was  in  1811 :  one 
man  gave  the  ground — Foos  gave  a  handsome  young  horse  ($10)  to- 
wards hewing  the  logs  and  preparing  the  shingles.  It  was  a  place 
of  worship  free  to  all  denominations,  and  was  built  right  south  of  a 
public  house  which  stands  directly  west  of  Mill  run,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  national  road. 

The  early  settlers  were  unequalled  for  their  kindness,  honesty  and 
hospitality.  Mr.  Foos  says,  that,  at  his  raising,  there  were  present 
40  men  before  breakfast,  and  from  a  distance  of  from  7 to  10  miles; 
and  Lowry  says,  that  at  Isaac  Zane's  raising,  there  were  persons 
from  40  miles  distance. 


DEFIANCE  COUNTY. 

The  annexed  description  of  the  settlement  at  the  junction  of  the 
Auglaize  with  the  Maumee  about  the  year  1792,  is  from  the  narra- 
tive of  O.  M.  Spencer  : 

On  this  high  ground,  (since  the  site  of  Fort  Defiance,  erected  by  General  Wayne,  in 
1794,)  extending  from  the  Maumee  a  quarter  of  a  mile  up  the  Auglaize,  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  in  width,  was  an  open  space,  on  the  west  and  south  of  which  were  oak  woods, 
with  hazel  undergrowth.  Within  this  opening,  a  few  hundred  yards  above  the  point,  on  the 
Fteep  high  bank  of  the  Auglaize,  were  five  or  six  cabins  and  log  houses,  inhabited  princi- 
pally by  Indian  traders.  The  most  northerly,  a  large  hewed  log  house,  divided  below  into 
three  apartments,  was  occupied  as  a  warehouse,  store,  and  dwelling,  by  George  Ironside, 
the  most  wealthy  and  influential  of  the  traders  on  the  point.     Next  to  his  were  the  houses 


ADDENDA.  567 

of  Pirault,  (Pero,)  a  French  baker,  and  M'Kenzie,  a  Scot,  who,  in  addition  to  merchandiz- 
ing, followed  the  occupation  of  a  silversmith,  exchanging  with  the  Indians  his  brooches, 
ear-drops,  and  other  silver  ornaments,  at  an  enormous  profit,  for  skins  and  furs.  Still  far- 
ther up  were  several  other  families  of  French  and  English  ;  and  two  American  prisoners, 
Henry  Ball,  a  soldier  taken  at  St.  Clair's  defeat,  and  his  wife,  Polly  Meadows,  captured  at 
the  same  time,  were  allowed  to  live  here,  and  by  labor  to  pay  their  masters  the  price  of 
their  ransom  ;  he  by  boating  to  the  rapids  of  the  Maumee,  and  she  by  washing  and  sew- 
ing. Fronting  the  house  of  Ironside,  and  about  fifty  yards  from  the  bank,  was  a  small 
stockade,  enclosing  two  hewed  log  houses,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by  James  Girty, 
(brother  of  Simon,)  the  other,  occasionally,  by  M'Kee  and  Elliot,  British  Indian  agents, 
living  at  Detroit. 

From  this  station  I  had  a  fine  view  of  the  large  village  more  than  a  mile  south,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Auglaize,  of  Blue  Jacket's  town,  and  of  the  Maumee  river  for  several  miles 
below,  and  of  the  extensive  prairie  covered  with  corn,  directly  opposite,  and  forming  to- 
gether a  very  handsome  landscape. 


DELAWARE  COUNTY. 

The  following  article  respecting  Delaware  County,  was  commu- 
nicated for  this  work  by  Dr.  H.  C.  Mann,  of  Delaware : 

Delaware,  the  county  seat,  was  laid  out  in  1808,  by  Col.  Moses  Byxbe,  and  Hon.  Henry 
Baldwin,  of  Pittsburgh,  who  had  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  for  that  purpose.  They 
sold  the  lots  at  private  sale  at  the  uniform  price  of  $30,  the  purchaser  taking  his  choice. 
Joseph  Barber  put  up  the  first  cabin  in  the  fall  of  1807.  It  stood  close  to  the  Spring,  and 
was  made  of  poles,  Indian  fashion,  fifteen  feet  square,  in  which  he  kept  tavern.  The  prin- 
cipal settlers  were  Messrs.  Byxbe,  Wm.  Little,  Dr.  Lamb,  Solomon  Smith,  Elder  Jacob 
Drake,  (Baptist  preacher,)  Thomas  Butler,  and  Ira  Carpenter.  In  the  spring  of  1808, 
Moses  Byxbe  built  the  first  frame  house  on  William  street,  lot  70,  and  the  first  brick  house 
was  erected  the  ensuing  fall,  by  Elder  Drake,  on  Winter  street,  where  Thomas  Pettibone's 
mansion  now  stands ;  being  unable  to  get  but  one  mason,  his  wife  laid  all  the  brick  of 
the  inside  walls.  The  court  house  was  built  in  1815,  the  year  in  which  the  town  was 
incorporated.  The  Methodists  commenced  the  first  meeting  house  in  1823,  now  the 
school  house,  but  it  was  not  finished  for  several  years.  The  old  churches  of  the  1st  Presby- 
terians and  the  Episcopalians  Were  built  in  1825,  upon  the  sites  on  which  the  present  beau- 
tiful edifices  were  erected  in  1845.  The  2d  Presbyterian  church  was  erected  in  1844,  tha 
new  Methodist  church  in  1846,  and  the  Lutheran  church  in  1835. 

The  town  now  contains  4  taverns,  one,  the  Hinton  House,  be- 
ing among  the  largest  in  Ohio,  having  over  100  rooms,  8  dry  goods 
stores,  3  drug  stores,  1  shoe  store,  1  confectionary  and  variety  store, 
and  2  small  groceries  ;  2  Divisions  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  1  Odd 
Fellows  Lodge,  1  Masonic  Society,  2  printing  offices,  from  which 
issue  weekly  the  "  Olentangy  Gazette,"  (Whig,)  by  Abel  Thomson, 
and  the  "  Loco  Foco,"  (Dem.,)  by  George  F.  Stayman.  The  latter 
commenced  in  1845,  the  former  in  1821,  by  Hon.  E.  Griswold,  then 
called  the  "  Delaware  Patron  and  Franklin  Chronicle."  The  first 
paper  in  town  was  published  in  1818,  by  Rev.  J.  Drake  and  Jos.  S. 
Hughs.  Delaware  also  contains  2  saw  mills,  1  flouring  mill,  1  oil 
mill,  and  the  woollen  factory  of  Messrs.  Howard  &  Sharp,  carrying 
on  quite  an  extensive  business  ;  8  lawyers,  7  physicians,  a  full  quota 
of  mechanics,  275  dwellings,  and  about  2000  inhabitants,  including 
South  Delaware,  which  properly  belongs  to  it,  though  not  included 
in  the  corporation.  The  Delaware  Bank,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000, 
is  a  branch  of  the  State  Bank.  A  bank  was  opened  in  1812,  but 
failing  to  get  a  charter  the  next  winter,  it  wound  up,  redeeming  all 


ADDENDA. 


its  notes  ;  and  during  the  same  year,  a  swindling  concern,  called  the 
"  Scioto  Exporting  Co."  was  started  by  a  posse  of  counterfeiters, 
who  drew  in  some  others,  but  it  was  destroyed  by  the  citizens  be- 
fore they  could  get  a  large  amount  of  paper  afloat. 

Ohio  Wesleyan  University  was  chartered  in  1842,  and  the  pre- 
paratory department  opened  the  following  year,  and  the  college 
regularly  organized  in  the  fall  of  1845.  The  present  faculty  con- 
sists of  Rev.  Edward  Thomson,  M.  D.,  president  and  professor  of 
moral  science  and  belleslettres  ;  Rev.  Frederick  Merrick,  A.  M., 
prof,  natural  science  ;  Rev.  Herman  M.  Johnson,  A.  M.,  prof,  an- 
cient languages  and  literature ;  Rev.  L.  D.  M'Cabe,  prof,  mathe- 
matics ;  William  G.  Williams,  A.  B.,  principal  of  preparatory  de- 
partment, and  E.  C.  Merrick,  A.  B.,  assistant.  The  college  library 
consists  of  over  1000  volumes,  obtained  by  donations,  and  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  Connected  with  it  is  a  cabinet  gallery  of  paint- 
ings, in  which  are  several  splendid  specimens  of  artistical  skill. 
The  laboratory  will  this  year  be  supplied  with  ample  chemical  and 
philosophical  apparatus.  There  are  two  literary  societies  connected 
with  the  institution,  each  of  which  has  a  hall  with  suitable  furniture, 
and  a  small  library.  The  tuition  is  $30  in  the  college,  and  $20  in 
the  preparatory  department. 

Endowment. — This  university  received  nothing  from  government,  but  originated  in  the 
liberality  of  the  citizens  of  Delaware,  embracing  all  denominations,  who  donated  the  build- 
ing and  ten  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $10,000.  Five  acres  adjoining,  including  the  Pres- 
ident's house,  at  $5,000 — a  farm  near  Marion,  at  $10,000— other  lands  at  $2,000,  and 
notes  $45,000,  all  obtained  by  subscription,  making  a  total  amount  of  $72,000.  These 
scholarship  notes  were  obtained  in  various  parts  of  the  state,  each  one  hundred  dollars  en- 
titling the  debtor  to  five  years  tuition,  the  interest  payable  annually.  Last  year  the  receipts 
were,  interest  on  notes,  $2,500,  rent  of  farm,  $300,  tuition,  $1,000  ;  total,  $3,800.  Ex- 
penses for  professors'  salaries,  $3,350.  A  new  and  elegant  chapel  of  limestone  is  now 
erecting,  and  will  be  finished  in  1848.  Its  cost  is  to  be  defrayed  from  the  proceeds  of  a 
small  8vo.  volume  of  original  sermons,  45  in  number,  by  the  elder  Methodist  ministers.  It 
has  just  issued  from  the  press,  (June,  1847,)  and  the  first  edition  of  5000  vols,  sold  in  six 
weeks.  This  manifestation  of  spirit,  connected  with  the  fact  that  the  first  annual  cata- 
logue exhibits  an  array  of  162  pupils,  warrants  the  conclusion  that  the  institution  is  des- 
tined to  flourish  remarkably.  It  must  be  so,  as  this  is  the  only  college  in  the  state  under 
the  control  of  the  Methodists,  who  in  the  same  bounds  number  150,000  communicants, 
just  being  properly  awakened  in  the  important  cause  of  education. 

History. — The  first  settlement  in  the  county  was  made  May  1st, 
1801,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Olentangy,  five  miles  below  Delaware, 
by  Nathan  Carpenter  and  Avery  Powers,  from  Chemango  county, 
N.  Y.  Carpenter  brought  his  family  with  him,  and  built  the  first 
cabin  near  where  the  farm  house  now  stands.  Powers'  family  came 
out  towards  fall,  but  he  had  been  out  the  year  before  to  explore  the 
country  and  select  the  location.  In  April,  1802,  Thomas  Celler, 
with  Josiah  McKinney,  from  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  moved  in  and 
settled  two  miles  lower  down,  and  in  the  fall  of  1803,  Henry  Perry, 
from  Wales,  commenced  a  clearing  and  put  up  a  cabin  in  Radnor, 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Delhi.  In  the  spring  of  1804,  Aaron, 
John,  and  Ebenezer  Welch,  (brothers,)  and  Capt.  Leonard  Monroe, 
from  Chenango,  N.  Y.,  settled  in  Carpenter's  neighborhood,  and  the 
next  fall  Col.  Byxbe  and  his  company,  from  Berkshire,  Mass.,  settled 


ADDENDA,  569 

on  Alum  creek,  and  named  their  township  Berkshire.  The  settle- 
ment at  Norton,  by  William  Drake,  and  Nathaniel  Wyatt ;  Lewis 
settlement,  in  Berlin,  and  the  one  at  Westfield,  followed  soon  after. 
In  1804,  Carpenter  built  the  first  mill  in  the  county,  where  the  fac- 
tory of  Gun,  Jones,  &  Co.  now  stands.  It  was  a  saw  mill,  with  a 
small  pair  of  stones  attached,  made  of  boulders,  or  "  nigger  heads," 
as  they  are  commonly  called.  It  could  only  grind  a  few  bushels  a 
day,  but  still  it  was  a  great  advantage  to  the  settlers.  When  the 
county  was  organized,  in  1808,  the  following  officers  were  elected, 
viz. :  Avery  Powers,  John  Welch  and  Ezekiel  Brown,  commission- 
ers. Rev.  Jacob  Drake,  treasurer,  Dr.  Reuben  Lamb,  recorder, 
and  Azariah  Root,  surveyor.  The  officers  of  court  were  Judge 
Belt,  of  Chillicothe,  president,  Josiah  M'Kinney,  Thomas  Brown 
and  Moses  Byxbe,  associate  judges  ;  Ralph  Osborn,  prosecuting  at- 
torney, Solomon  Smith,  sheriff,  and  Moses  Byxbe,  jr.,  clerk.  The 
first  session  was  held  in  a  little  cabin  that  stood  north  of  the  sulphur 
spring.  The  grand  jury  sat  under  a  cherry  tree,  and  the  petit  jury 
in  a  cluster  of  bushes  on  another  part  of  the  lot,  with  their  consta- 
bles at  a  considerable  distance  to  keep  off  intruders. 

Block-houses. — This  being  a  border  county,  during  the  last  war, 
danger  was  apprehended  from  the  Indians,  and  a  block-house  was 
built  in  1812,  at  Norton,  and  another,  still  standing  on  Alum  creek, 
7  miles  e.  from  Delaware ;  and  the  present  dwelling  of  L.  H. 
Cowles,  Esq.,  ne.  corner  of  Main  and  William  streets,  was  con- 
verted into  a  temporary  stockade.  During  the  war  this  county  fur- 
nished a  company  of  cavalry,  that  served  several  short  campaigns 
as  volunteers,  under  Capt.  Elias  Murray,  and  several  entire  compa- 
nies of  infantry  were  called  out  from  here  at  different  times  by  Gov. 
Meigs,  but  the  county  never  was  invaded. 

Drake's  Defeat. — After  Hull's  surrender,  Capt.  Wm.  Drake  formed 
a  company  of  Rangers  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  to  protect 
the  frontier  from  marauding  bands  of  Indians  who  then  had  nothing 
to  restrain  them  ;  and  when  Lower  Sandusky  was  threatened  with 
attack,  this  company,  with  great  alacrity  obeyed  the  call  to  march 
to  its  defence.  They  encamped  the  first  night  a  few  miles  beyond 
the  outskirts  of  the  settlement.  In  those  days  the  captain  was  a 
great  wag,  and  naturally  very  fond  of  sport,  and  being  withal  desi- 
rous of  testing  the  courage  of  his  men,  after  they  had  all  got  asleep 
he  slipped  into  the  bushes  at  some  distance,  and  discharging  his  gun, 
rushed  towards  the  camp  yelling  Indians  !  Indians  !  with  all  his 
might.  The  sentinels,  supposing  the  alarm  to  proceed  from  one  of 
their  number,  joined  in  the  cry  and  ran  to  quarters  ;  the  men  sprang 
to  their  feet  in  complete  confusion,  and  the  courageous  attempted  to 
form  on  the  ground  designated  the  night  before  in  case  of  attack ; 
but  the  first  lieutenant,  thinking  there  was  more  safety  in  depending 
upon  legs  than  arms,  took  to  his  heels  and  dashed  into  the  woods. 
Seeing  the  consternation  and  impending  disgrace  of  his  company, 
the  captain  quickly  proclaimed  the  hoax  and  ordered  a  halt,  but  the 
lieutenant's  frightened  imagination  converted  every  sound  into  In- 

72 


570  ADDENDA. 

dian  yells  and  the  sanguinary  war-whoop,  and  the  louder  the  captain 
shouted,  the  faster  he  ran,  till  the  sounds  sank  away  in  the  distance, 
and  he  supposed  the  captain  and  his  adherents  had  succumbed  to  the 
tomahawk  and  the  scalping-knife.  Supposing  he  had  been  asleep  a 
few  minutes  only,  he  took  the  moon  for  his  guide  and  flew  for  home, 
but  having  had  time  to  gain  the  western  horizon  she  led  him  in  the 
wrong  direction,  and  after  breaking  down  sapplings  and  running 
through  brush  some  ten  miles  through  the  woods,  he  reached  Radnoi 
settlement  just  at  daybreak,  bare-headed  and  with  his  garments  flow- 
ing in  a  thousand  streams.  The  people,  roused  hurriedly  from  their 
slumber,  and  horrified  with  his  report  that  the  whole  company  was 
massacred  but  him  who  alone  had  escaped,  began  a  general  and 
rapid  flight.  Each  conveyed  the  tidings  to  his  neighbor,  and  just 
after  sunrise  they  came  rushing  through  Delaware,  mostly  on  horse- 
back, many  in  wagons,  and  some  on  foot,  presenting  all  those  gro- 
tesque appearances  that  frontier  settlers  naturally  would,  supposing 
the  Indians  close  in  their  rear.  Many  anecdotes  are  told,  amusing 
now  to  us  who  cannot  realize  their  feelings,  that  exhibit  the  varied 
hues  of  courage  and  trepidation  characterizing  different  persons, 
and  also  show  that  there  is  no  difference  between  real  and  supposed 
danger,  and  yet  those  actuated  by  the  latter  seldom  receive  the  sym- 
pathies of  their  fellows.  One  family,  named  Penry,  drove  so  fast  that 
they  bounced  a  little  boy,  two  or.  three  years  old,  out  of  the  wagon, 
near  Delaware,  and  did  not  miss  him  till  they  had  gone  five  or  six  miles 
on  their  way  to  Worthington,  and  then  upon  consultation  concluded 
it  was  too  late  to  recover  him  amid  such  imminent  danger,  and  so 
yielded  him  up  as  a  painful  sacrifice !  But  the  little  fellow  found 
protection  from  others,  and  is  now  living  in  the  western  part  of  the 
county.  One  woman,  in  the  confusion  of  hurrying  off,  forgot  her 
babe  till  after  starting,  and  ran  back  to  get  it,  but  being  peculiarly 
absent  minded  she  caught  up  a  stick  of  wood  from  the  chimney  cor- 
ner, and  hastened  off,  leaving  her  child  again  quietly  sleeping  in  the 
cradle  !  A  large  portion  of  the  people  fled  to  Worthington,  and 
Franklinton,  and  some  kept  on  to  Chillicothe.  In  Delaware,  the  men 
who  could  be  spared  from  conveying  away  their  families,  or  who 
had  none,  rallied  for  defence,  and  sent  scouts  to  Norton  to  reconnoi- 
tre, where  they  found  the  people  quietly  engaged  in  their  ordinary 
avocations,  having  received  a  message  from  the  captain  ;  but  it  was 
too  late  to  save  the  other  settlements  from  a  precipitate  flight.  Upon 
the  whole  it  was  quite  an  injury  to  the  county,  as  a  large  amount 
of  produce  was  lost  from  the  intrusion  of  cattle  and  the  want  of 
hands  to  harvest  it ;  many  of  the  people  being  slow  in  returning 
and  some  never  did.  Capt.  Drake,  with  his  company,  marched  on 
to  Sandusky,  to  execute  the  duty  assigned  him,  without  knowing  the 
effect  produced  in  his  rear.  He  has  since  been  associate  judge,  and 
filled  several  other  offices  in  the  county,  and  is  still  living,  respected 
by  his  neighbors,  and  characterized  by  hospitality  and  good  humor, 
and  his  strong  penchant  for  anecdote  and  fun. 

Early  Customs. — I  learn  from  the  old  pioneers  that  during  the  early  period  of  the  county 


ADDENDA.  571 

the  people  were  in  a  condition  of  complete  social  equality  ;  no  aristocratic  distinctions 
were  thought  of  in  society,  and  the  first  line  of  demarkation  drawn  was  to  separate  the 
very  bad  from  the  general  mass.  Their  parties  were  for  raisings  and  log  rollings,  and  the 
labor  being  finished,  their  sports  usually  were  shooting  and  gymnastic  exercises  with  the 
men,  and  convivial  amusements  among  the  women  ;  no  punctilious  formality,  nor  ignoble 
aping  the  fashions  of  licentious  Paris,  marred  their  assemblies,  but  all  were  happy  and  en- 
joyed themselved  in  seeing  others  so.  The  rich  and  the  poor  dressed  alike  ;  the  men  gen- 
erally wearing  hunting  shirts  and  buckskin  pants,  and  the  women  attired  in  coarse  fabric! 
produced  by  their  own  hands  ;  such  was  their  common  and  holiday  dress;  and  if  a  fair 
damsel  wished  a  superb  dress  for  her  bridal  day,  her  highest  aspiration  was  to  obtain  a 
common  American  cotton  check.  The  latter,  which  now  sells  for  a  shilling  a  yard,  then 
cost  one  dollar,  and  five  yards  was  deemed  an  ample  pattern  ;  silks,  satins,  and  fancy 
goods,  that  now  inflate  our  vanity  and  deplete  our  purses,  were  not  then  even  dreamed  of. 
The  cabins  were  furnished  in  the  same  style  of  simplicity  ;  the  bedstead  was  home-made, 
and  often  consisted  of  forked  sticks  driven  into  the  ground  with  cross  poles  to  support  the 
clapooards  or  the  cord.  One  pot,  kettle,  and  frying-pan,  were  the  only  articles  considered 
indispensable,  though  some  included  the  tea-kettle  ;  a  few  plates  and  dishes  upon  a  shelf 
in  one  corner,  was  as  satisfactory  as  is  now  a  cupboard  full  of  china,  and  their  food  rel- 
ished well  from  a  puncheon  table.  Some  of  the  wealthiest  families  had  a  few  split  bottom 
chairs,  but  as  a  general  thing,  stools  and  benches  answered  the  place  of  lounges  and  sofas, 
and  at  first  the  green  sward  or  smoothly  leveled  earth  served  the  double  purpose  of  floor 
and  carpet.  Whisky  toddy  was  considered  luxury  enough  for  any  party — the  woods  fur- 
nished abundance  of  venison,  and  corn  pone  supplied  the  place  of  every  variety  of  pastry. 
Flour  could  not  for  some  time  be  obtained  nearer  than  Chillicothe  or  Zanesville  ;  goods 
were  very  high,  and  none  but  the  most  common  kinds  were  brought  here,  and  had  to  be 
packed  on  horses  or  mules  from  Detroit,  or  wagoned  from  Philadelphia  to  Pittsburgh, 
thence  down  the  Ohio  river  in  flat  boats  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  and  then  packed,  or 
hauled  up.  The  freight  was  enormous,  costing  often  $4,00  per  ton.  Tea  retailed  at  from 
two  to  three  dollars  a  pound,  coffee  75  cents,  salt  $5  to  $6  per  bushel,  (50  lbs.)  The 
coarsest  calicoes  were  $1  per  yard,  whisky  from  $1  to  $2  per  gallon,  and  as  much  of 
the  latter  was  sold  as  of  all  other  articles,  for  several  years  after  Delaware  was  laid  out ; 
but  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  then  was  the  border  town,  and  had  considerable  trade 
with  the  Indians.  It  was  the  common  practice  to  set  a  bottle  on  each  end  of  the  counter, 
for  customers  to  help  themselves  gratuitously  to  enable  them  to  purchase  advantageously  ! 
Many  people  suffered  hardships  and  endured  privations  that  now  would  seem  insupporta- 
ble. In  the  fall  of  1803,  Henry  Perry,  after  getting  up  his  cabin  near  Delhi,  left  his  two 
sons  and  returned  to  Philadelphia  for  the  remainder  of  his  family,  but  finding  his  wife  sick, 
and  afterwards  being  sick  himself,  could  not  get  back  till  the  next  June.  These  two  little 
boys,  Levi  and  J.eiiper,  only  eleven  and  nine  years  old,  remained  there  alone,  eight 
months,  fifteen  miles  from  any  white  family,  and  surrounded  by  Indians,  with  no  food  but 
the  rabbits  they  could  catch  in  hollow  logs ;  the  remains  of  one  deer  that  the  wolves  killed 
near  them,  and  a  little  com  meal  that  they  occasionally  obtained  of  Thomas  Cellar,  by 
following  down  the  "  Indian  trace."  The  winter  was  a  severe  one,  and  their  cabin  was 
open,  having  neither  daubing,  fire-place,  nor  chimney  ;  they  had  no  gun,  and  were  wholly 
unaccustomed  to  forest  life,  being  fresh  from  Wales,  and  yet  these  little  fellows  not  only 
struggled  through  but  actually  made  a  considerable  clearing  !  Jacob  Foust,  at  an  early 
day,  when  his  wife  was  sick  and  could  obtain  nothing  to  eat  that  she  relished,  procured  a 
bushel  of  wheat,  and  throwing  it  upon  his  shoulders,  carried  it  to  Zanesville  to  get  it  ground, 
a  distance  of  more  than  75  miles,  by  the  tortuous  path  he  had  to  traverse,  and  then  shoul- 
dering his  flour  retraced  his  steps  home,  fording  the  streams  and  camping  out  nights. 

Biography. — Colonel  Moses  Byxbe  was  for  several  years  the  most  prominent  man  in  the 
county,  being  the  owner  of  some  8000  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Berkshire  and  Berlin,  and 
joint  owner  with  Judge  Baldwin  of  about  thirty  thousand  acres  more,  the  sale  of  which  he 
had  the  entire  control.  These  were  military  lands,  which  he  sold  on  credit,  at  prices  vary- 
ing from  two  and  a  half  to  ten  dollars  an  acre.  He  possessed  a  complete  knowledge  of 
human  nature,  and  was  an  energetic  and  prompt  business  man.  Upon  the  organization  of 
the  county  he  was  elected  one  of  the  associate  judges,  and  continued  to  hold  the  office  till 
1822.  He  was  afflicted  with  partial  insanity  before  he  died,  which  occurred  in  1827,  at  the 
age  of  67. 

Solomon  Smith,  Esq.,  was  born  in  New  Salem,  N.  H,  and  came  here  with  Col.  Byxbe 
in  1804.  He  was  the  first  sheriff  in  the  county,  and  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the 
township,  which  office  he  held,  by  repeated  elections,  more  than  twenty  years.  He  was 
also  the  first  post-master,  and  continued  many  years  in   that  capacity.     The  responsible 


572  ADDENDA. 

offices  of  county  treasurer  and  county  auditor  he  also  filled  for  many  years,  and  discharged 
the  duties  of  all  these  stations  with  an  accuracy  seldom  excelled,  and  a  fidelity  never  ques- 
tioned. In  him  was  exhibited  an  instance  of  a  constant  office-holder  and  an  honest  mani 
and  for  a  long  time  he  possessed  more  personal  popularity  than  any  other  man  in  the  county. 
He  died  of  congestive  fever,  at  Sandusky  City,  on  his  return  from  New  York,  July  10th, 
1845,  in  his  58th  year,  and  his  remains  were  brought  here  for  interment. 

Hon.  Ezekiel  Brown  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1760,  and  moved  to  North- 
umberland county,  Pa.,  when  about  ten  years  old.  In  1776,  he  volunteered  and  marched 
to  join  Washington's  army,  which  he  reached  just  after  the  battle  of  Trenton.  He  partici- 
pated in  four  different  engagements,  and  in  '78,  joined  a  company  of  rangers,  called  out 
against  the  Indians.  On  the  24th  of  May,  when  out  scouting  with  two  others,  they  came 
across  a  party  of  fifteen  Indians  watching  a  house,  and  were  themselves  discovered  at  the 
same  moment.  The  Indians  fired  and  killed  one  man,  and  Brown  and  his  comrade  in 
stantly  returned  the  fire,  wounding  an  Indian,  and  then  fled.  The  other  escaped,  but  hb 
was  not  fleet  enough,  and  was  captured.  They  were  Delawares  and  Cayugas,  and  first 
took  him  to  Chemung,  an  Indian  town  on  Tioga  river,  where  he  had  to  run  the  gauntlet, 
being  badly  beaten,  and  received  a  severe  wound  on  his  head  from  a  tomahawk,  but  he 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  council-house  without  being  knocked  down.  After  a  few  days, 
they  resumed  their  march  to  the  north,  and  met  Colonel  Butler  with  a  large  body  of  British, 
tories  and  Indians,  on  their  way  to  attack  Wyoming,  and  he  was  compelled  to  run  the 
gauntlet  again  to  gratify  the  savages.  This  time  he  did  not  get  through,  being  felled  by  a 
war-club  and  awfully  mangled.  He  recovered,  and  proceeded  on  to  the  main  town  of  the 
Cayugas,  where  Scipio,  N.  Y.,  now  stands,  and  having  again  passed  the  gauntlet  ordeal 
successfully,  he  was  adopted  by  a  family,  in  the  place  of  a  son  killed  at  Fort  Stanwix. 
Afterwards  he  was  taken  to  Canada,  and  kept  to  the  close  of  the  war  in  '83,  when  he  re- 
ceived a  passport  from  the  British  general,  M'Clure,  and  returned,  after  an  absence  of  five 
years,  to  his  friends  in  Pennsylvania.  In  1800,  he  moved  to  Ohio,  and  in  1808,  he  settled 
near  Sunbury,  and  was  immediately  elected  one  of  the  first  county  commissioners.  After- 
wards he  was  elected  associate  judge,  and  served  in  several  minor  offices,  and  died  about 
five  years  ago,  leaving  the  reputation  of  an  upright  man. 

Captain  John  Minter,  from  Kentucky,  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Radnor,  and  brother- 
in-law  of  Col.  Crawford,  who  was  burnt  by  the  Indians,  was,  in  his  younger  days,  a  great 
hunter,  and  became  famous  for  a  terrible  bear  fight,  in  which  he  came  very  near  losing  his 
life.  When  hunting  alone  one  day,  he  came  across  a  very  large  bear  and  fired  at  him. 
The  bear  fell,  and  re-loading  his  gun,  Minter  advanced,  supposing  him  dead,  and  touched 
his  nose  with  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  when  he  instantly  reared  upon  his  hind  legs  to  seize 
him.  Minter  fired  again,  which  increased  his  rage,  only  inflicting  a  flesh  wound,  and  then 
threw  his  hatchet  at  him  ;  and  as  the  bear  sprang  forward  to  grasp  him,  he  struck  him  with 
the  rifle  on  the  head  with  all  his  might,  producing  no  other  effect  than  shivering  the  gun  to 
pieces.  Too  late  then  to  escape,  he  drew  his  big  knife  from  its  sheath  and  made  a  plunge 
at  his  heart,  but  old  Bruen,  by  a  stroke  of  his  paw,  whirled  the  knife  into  the  air, and  enfold- 
ing its  weaponless  owner  with  his  huge  arms,  both  rolled  to  the  ground.  A  fearful  struggle 
then  ensued  between  the  combatants :  one  ruled  by  unvarying  instinct,  and  the  other 
guided  by  the  dictates  of  reason.  The  former  depended  wholly  upon  hugging  his  adver- 
sary to  death,  while  the  latter  aimed  at  presenting  his  body  in  such  positions  as  would  best 
enable  him  to  withstand  the  vice-like  squeeze  till  he  could  loosen  the  grasp.  He  was  about 
six  *eet  in  height,  possessing  large  bones  and  well  developed  muscles,  and  being  properly 
proportioned,  was  very  athletic.  The  woods  were  open  and  clear  of  underbrush,  and  in 
their  struggles  they  rolled  in  every  direction.  Several  times  he  thought  the  severity  of  the 
hug  would  finish  him  ;  but  by  choking  the  bear,  he  would  compel  him  to  release  his  hold  to 
knock  ofT  his  hands,  when  he  would  recover  his  breath  and  gain  a  better  position.  After 
maintaining  the  contest  in  this  way  several  hours,  they,  happily  for  him,  rolled  back  near 
where  his  knife  lay,  which  inspired  him  with  buoyant  hope,  but  he  had  to  make  many  in- 
effectual efforts  before  he  could  tumble  the  bear  within  reach  of  it.  Having  finally  re- 
covered it,  he  stabbed  him  at  every  chance  till  he  at  last  bled  to  death,  only  relaxing  his 
hold  when  life  became  extinct.  He  attempted  to  get  up,  but  was  too  much  exhausted,  and 
crawling  to  a  log,  against  which  he  leaned,  his  heart  sickened  as  he  contemplated  the  scene. 
Not  a  rag  was  left  on  him,  and  over  his  back,  arms  and  legs  his  flesh  was  lacerated  to  the 
bones  by  the  claws  of  the  bear.  By  crawling  and  walking  he  reached  home  after  night,  with 
no  other  covering  than  a  gore  of  blood  from  head  to  foot.  His  friends,  who  went  out  next 
morning  to  survey  the  ground  and  bring  in  the  trophy,  said  the  surface  was  torn  up  by 
them  over  a  space  of  at  least  half  an  acre.  After  several  weeks  he  recovered,  but  he  carried 
with  him  the  cicatrices  and  welts,  some  of  which  were  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick, 


ADDENDA.  573 

till  he  died,  which  occurred  about  15  years  ago.  He  never  desired  another  bear  hug,  but 
gave  up  hunting,  and  turning  his  attention  to  agriculture,  left  his  children  a  comfortable 
patrimony  and  a  good  name. 

Rev.  Joseph  S.  Hughes,  from  Washington,  Pa.,  came  to  Delaware  in  1810,  and  organ- 
ized the  first  Presbyterian  church  here,  and  also  those  in  Liberty  and  Radnor.  For  a  short 
time,  he  was  chaplain  in  the  army,  and  was  with  Hull  when  he  surrendered,  at  which  time 
he  returned.  The  societies  being  unable  to  pay  much  salary,  he  sought  his  support  mainly 
from  other  sources,  serving  several  years  as  clerk  of  the  court,  and  afterwards  in  the  capa- 
city of  editor.  He  possessed  a  liberal  education,  superadded  to  oratorical  powers  of  a  supe- 
rior order  by  nature.  As  an  orator  he  is  described  as  being  graceful,  mellifluous,  persuasive 
and  convincing,  and  he  has  left  the  reputation  among  many  of  the  old  settlers  of  being  the 
most  effective  speaker  that  they  have  ever  heard.  In  the  social  circle,  too,  he  excelled,  but 
unfortunately  he  had  an  indomitable  penchant  for  festivity  and  sport.  Many  anecdotes  are 
related  detracting  from  his  clerical  character,  and  when  dwelt  upon,  we  must  not  forget  to 
associate  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  times  in  which  they  occurred.  For  instance,  it  is 
said  that  one  time,  on  the  occasion  of  a  wedding  at  Capt.  Minter's,  after  the  ceremonies 
had  been  solemnized  and  the  luxuries  duly  honored,  he  started  off  about  dusk  to  go  to  a 
place  some  five  miles  through  the  woods,  but  after  dark  returned  somewhat  scratched  by 
the  bushes,  and  reported  having  been  lost,  and  concluded  to  stay  till  morning.  According 
to  the  general  custom  on  such  occasions,  all  the  young  folks  in  the  settlement  had  assembled 
for  a  frolick,  and  they  charged  him  with  having  returned  to  participate  with  them,  and  as 
he  was  a  good  musician,  and  their  "  knight  of  the  bow"  had  disappointed  them,  they  in- 
sisted upon  his  playing  the  fiddle  for  them  to  dance,  which  he  did  all  night,  with  an  occa- 
sional intermission  for  refreshment  or  to  romp  !  Some  of  the  old  citizens  say  also  that  he 
was  a  good  hand  at  pitching  quoits,  and  as  it  was  common  to  choose  sides  and  pitch  for  the 
"  grog,"  he  seldom  even  then  backed  out !  For  these  and  other  charges  he  was  arraigned 
before  the  presbytery,  where,  declining  all  assistance,  and  relying  on  his  own  ingenuity  and 
eloquence,  he  made  a  successful  defence.  He  continued  to  preach  as  "  stated  supply"  till 
he  was  suddenly  cut  off  by  an  epidemic  fever  in  the  fall  of  1823,  and  was  interred  in  the 
old  burying  ground,  but  no  tombstone  points  out  the  place  where  his  mouldering  remains 
lie.  He  was  succeeded  in  1824  by  Rev.  Henry  Vandeman,  the  first  installed  pastor,  and 
who  has  retained  his  charge  ever  since,  a  fact  that  is  mentioned,  because  in  the  west  preach- 
ers seldom  retain  a  pastoral  charge  so  long,  and  in  this  presbytery  there  is  no  similar  in- 
stance, excepting  that  of  Dr.  Hodge,  of  Columbus. 

Antiquities. — The  remains  of  ancient  fortifications  are  found  in  three  places  in  the 
county,  the  most  remarkable  of  which  is  in  the  lower  part  of  Liberty,  about  eleven  miles 
below  Delaware,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Olentangy. 

Indian  Villages. — There  were  formerly  two  villages  belonging  to  the  Delawares,  mostly 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  town  of  Delaware.  One  occnpied  the  ground  around  the 
east  end  of  William  street,  and  the  other  was  at  the  west  end,  extending  from  near  the  saw- 
mill to  the  hill  side.  Upon  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  town,  they  cultivated  a  corn- 
field of  about  four  hundred  acres.  The  Mingoes  had  a  small  village  half  a  mile  above 
town,  on  "  horse  shoe  bottom,"  where  they  also  raised  com. 

Many  of  the  old  pioneers  entertained  towards  the  Indians  an  inveterate  hatred,  and  did 
not  consider  it  really  criminal  even  to  murder  them.  One  time,  after  the  last  war,  a  dead 
Indian  was  seen  floating  down  the  Scioto  on  two  logs,  lashed  together,  having  his  gun  and 
all  his  accoutrements  with  him.  He  had  been  shot,  and  the  people  believed  the  murderer 
was  George  Shanon,  who  had  been  in  service  considerably  during  the  war,  and  one  time 
when  out,  not  far  from  Lower  Sandusky,  with  a  small  company,  fell  in  with  a  party  of 
warriors  and  had  to  retreat.  He  lingered  behind  till  he  got  a  shot,  and  killed  one.  As 
soon  as  he  fired,  several  Indians  sprang  forward  to  catch  him  alive,  but  being  swift  on  foot, 
he  could  easily  keep  ahead,  when  he  suddenly  came  to  an  open  field,  across  which  he  had 
to  run  or  be  cut  off.  The  Indians  gained  the  first  side  just  as  he  was  leaping  the  fence  on  the 
other  and  fired  at  him,  one  ball  entering  his  hip.  He  staunched  the  blood  by  stuffing  the 
hole  with  a  portion  of  his  shirt,  that  they  might  not  track  him,  and  crawled  into  the  brush  ; 
but  they  gave  up  the  chase,  thinking  they  had  not  hit  him,  and  being  convinced  of  his  su- 
perior fieetness.  Shanon  got  into  camp  and  was  conveyed  home,  but  he  was  always  lame 
afterwards,  and  fostered  an  unrelenting  desire  for  vengeance  towards  the  whole  race,  not 
excepting  the.  innocent  and  harmless.  As  late  as  1820,  two  Indians  were  murdered  on 
Fulton's  creek.  A  party  came  down  there  to  hunt,  as  was  customary  with  them  every  fall, 
and  Henry  Swartz  ordered  them  off.  They  replied,  "  no !  the  land  belongs  to  the  white 
man — the  game  to  the  Indian,"  and  insisted  that  they  were  friends  and  ought  not  to  be  dis- 
turbed.    A  few  days  after,  two  of  their  number  were  missing,  and  they  hunted  the  entire 


574  ADDENDA. 

country  over  without  finding  them,  and  at  last  found  evidence  of  human  bones  where  there 
had  been  a  fire,  and  immediately  charged  Swartz  with  killing  and  burning  them.  They 
threatened  vengeance  on  him,  and  for  several  years  after  he  had  to  be  constantly  on  hia 
guard  to  pievent  being  waylaid.  It  was  never  legally  investigated,  but  the  neighbors  all 
believed  that  Swartz,  aided  probably  by  Ned  Williams,  murdered  and  disposed  of  them  in 
the  manner  the  Indians  suspected,  and  at  one  time  talked  of  driving  them  out  of  the  settle- 
ment.    They  were  considered  bad  men,  and  never  prospered  afterwards. 

Norton,  10  miles  sr.  of  the  county  seat;  Waldo,  12  do.;  Wood- 
bury, 12  nb.  ;  Westfield,  12  nne.  ;  Edin,  6  e.  ;  Sunbury,  12  e.  ;  Lock- 
win,  16  sse.  ;  Galena,  12  se.;  Stratford,  3  e.;  Williamsville,  10  s.  ; 
Belle  Point,  7  sw.;  Milleville,  6  w. ;  Delhi,  8  nw,,  and  Middletown, 
13  miles  nw.,  are  all  villages  in  the  county  of  less  than  200  inhabi- 
tants, but  several  of  them  handsome  and  thriving. 


SIGNIFICATION  AND  ORIGIN  OF  THE  NAME  OHIO. 

The  Shawanoese  called  the  Ohio  river,  Kis,ke,pi,la  Sepe,  i.  e., 
Eagle  river.  The  Wyandots  were  in  the  country  generations  be- 
fore the  Shawanoese,  and  consequently  their  name  of  the  river  is 
the  primitive  one,  and  should  stand  in  preference  to  all  others. 
Ohio  may  be  called  an  improvement  on  the  expression,  0,he,zuh,  and 
was  no  doubt  adopted  by  the  early  French  voyagers  in  their  boat 
songs,  and  is  substantially  the  same  word  as  used  by  the  Wyandots : 
the  meaning  applied  by  the  French,  fair  and  beautiful,  "  la  belle 
rive?-e"  being  precisely  the  same  as  that  meant  by  the  Indians — 
great,  grand  and  fair  to  look  upon.* 


GALLIA  COUNTY. 

The  annexed  article  respecting  the  Scioto  company  and  its  connection  with  the  Ohio 
company,  has  been  communicated  to  us  by  the  venerable  Ephraim  Cutler,  of  Washington 
county.  Judge  Cutler  is  the  son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Manasseh  Cutler,  who  was  the  agent  for  the 
New  England  Ohio  company,  in  making  the  contract  with  congress  for  their  lands.  His 
opportunities  for  accurate  information  upon  this  subject,  renders  his  testimony  of  great  his- 
torical value. 

The  Scioto  land  company  has  been  the  subject  of  considerable 
mystery,  and  the  cause  of  much  misrepresentation.  I  am  not  pre- 
cisely informed  concerning  its  origin.  It  was  probably  started 
during  the  negociation  of  Dr.  Cutler  with  the  old  congress,  in  1787, 
for  the  Ohio  company  purchase.  Dr.  Cutler  arrived  in  New  York, 
July  5th,  and  earned  on  his  negociations  for  a  week ;  he  was  then 
absent  another  week  on  a  visit  to  Philadelphia,  where  the  convention 
that  formed  our  federal  constitution  was  sitting.  On  his  return  to 
New  York,  the  project  for  the  Scioto  company  was  broached  to  him 
by  Col.  William  Duer,  as  appears  by  the  following  extract  from  the 
Dr.'s  journal.     "  Colonel  Duer  came  to  me  with  proposals  from  a 

*  Col.  John  Johnston. 


ADDENDA.  575 

number  of  the  principal  characters  in  the  city,  to  extend  our  contract, 
and  take  in  another  company."* 

The  arrangements  of  Dr.  Cutler  with  the  government,  made  room 
for  another  company.  But  this  other  association  was  entirely  dis- 
l>ct  from  the  Ohio  company.  Yet  it  has  been  represented  that  the 
Ohio  company  was  concerned  in  the  alledged  wrongs  towards  the 
French  emigrants  of  1790,  who  were  induced  to  come  over  in  ex- 
pectation of  beneficial  acquisitions  of  land  in  this  quarter,  by  the 
agency  of  Joel  Barlow.  But  this  imputation  is  entirely  groundless. 
What  "were  the  actual  regulations  and  doings  of  the  Scioto  company 
previous  to  or  connected  with  that  agency,  I  have  never  learned. 
Dr.  Cutler  contracted  for  a  million  and  half  acres  for  the  Ohio  com- 
pany. In  connection  with  his  negociation,  the  "  board  of  treasury" 
were  empowered  to  sell  all  west  of  the  7th  range,  up  to  the  north- 
west corner  of  T.  X,  to  the  Scioto,  and  south  to  the  Ohio.  This 
would  have  included  Zanesville  and  Columbus.  It  was  estimated 
at  five  million  acres — much  below  the  actual  amount. 

The  arrangements  and  objects  of  the  Ohio  company  and  the  Scioto 
company  are  believed  to  have  been  very  different.  The  aim  ^f  the 
Ohio  company  was,  actual  settlement  by  shareholders.  The  lands 
obtained  were  ultimately  to  be  allotted  in  shares,  of  which  no  one 
was  to  hold  more  than  five  shares. 

The  object  of  the  Scioto  company  seems  to  have  been,  solely  and 
simply,  land  speculation ;  to  purchase  of  congress — nominally,  at 
two-thirds  of  a  dollar  per  acre — paying  mostly  in  continental  paper 
money,  at  that  time  passing  at  enormous  amount — so  that,  in  fact, 
the  actual  cost,  per  acre,  might  not  be  more  tnan  eight  or  ten  cents, 
then  to  sell  at  prices  which  would  yield  them  enormous  profits. 

That  any  dishonest  intention  was  entertained  by  Colonel  Duer, 
or  the  other  associates  of  the  Scioto  company,  I  have  no  belief.  Dr. 
Cutler  speaks  of  the  association  as  comprising  "some  of  the  first 
characters  in  America."  Their  object,  no  doubt,  was  to  make  large 
profits  by  the  purchase  and  sale  of  public  lands. 

It  is  understood  that  Joel  Barlow  was  by  them  authorized  to  offer 
lands  in  France,  and  to  invite  French  emigrants ;  but  of  his  au- 
thority or  instructions,  we  have  no  specific  information.  In  this 
matter,  the  Ohio  company  had  as  little  concern  as  in  the  South  Sea 
bubble. 

But  the  splendid  project  of  the  Scioto  company  was  blighted. 
Probably  they  expected  to  purchase  public  securities,  to  pay  for 
their  purchase  of  congress,  at  the  excessively  low  rates  of  1787.  But 
the  adoption  of  the  federal  constitution,  and  the  successful  estab- 
lishment of  the  federal  government,  under  Washington  and  his  com- 
patriots, raised  the  credit  of  those  securities  and  blasted  the  hopes 
of  speculation.      Meantime,  the  French  emigrants  were   coming. 

*  The  reader  will  find  in  the  article  "  Ohio,"  in  the  North  American  Review  for  Oct., 
1841,  all  that  transpired  between  Dr.  Cutler  and  Colonel  Duer,  at  the  time  he  made  the 
purchase  for  the  Ohio  company,  extracted  from  the  private  journal  of  the  former. 


576  ADDENDA. 

The  Scioto  company  purchase  was  not  effected,  and  where  should 
these  emigrants  go  ? 

Certain  persons,  who  styled  themselves  "  trustees  to  the  propri- 
etors of  the  Scioto  lands,"  applied  to  Gen.  Rufus  Putnam  and  Dr. 
Manasseh  Cutler,  two  of  the  directors  of  the  Ohio  company,  for  *\e 
purchase  of  certain  interests  in  this  company.  The  persons  who 
thus  styled  themselves  "  trustees,"  were  William  Duer,  Royal  Flint, 
and  Andrew  Cragie.  They  bargained  with  General  Putnam  and 
Dr.  Cutler  for  148  "forfeited  shares"  in  the  Ohio  company.  The  8, 
3,  and  160  acre  lots,  and  the  town  lots,  had  been  already  allotted  and 
drawn.  The  undrawn  portions — equal  to  100,  262  and  640  acres 
to  each  share,  were  to  be  located  in  a  body,  in  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  purchase,  viz. : 

Townships  1,  2,  3,  in  range  14. 

1,  2,  3,  4,  5,    "       15. 

1,  2,  3,  "       16. 

1,  2,  3,  4,        "       17. 

And  so  much  of  south  of  T.  4 — R.  16, 

and  T.  5— R.  17, 

as  would  make  up  in  all  196,544  acres,  in  this  compact  body. 

This  contract"  was  ratified  by  the  Ohio  company.  The  lands  for 
the  French  settlement  of  Gallipolis,  (which  is  in  the  14th  range,)  were 
located  and  occupied,  I  suppose,  in  consequence  of  this  arrange- 
ment. General  Putnam,  as  agent  for  Duer  &  Co.,  provided,  at  some 
$2,000  expense,  for  the  accommodations  of  the  French  emigrants 
there,  and  by  the  failm-  of  Duer  &  Co.,  had  to  lose  most  or  all  of  it. 

The  Scioto  company  not  only  failed  in  securing  the  large  purchase 
contemplated,  but  did  not  succeed  in  obtaining  the  interest  for  which 
they  stipulated  in  the  lands  of  the  Ohio  company.  They  did  not 
pay,  and  the  contract  with  Putnam  and  Cutler  became  a  nullity. 
All  that  was  required  by  the  contract  was,  that  the  Scioto  company 
associates  should  pay  as  much  proportionably,  as  the  Ohio  company 
were  to  pay  congress,  and  relinquish  to  the  Ohio  company  the  pre- 
emption right,  winch  the  Scioto  company  was  understood  to  have  in 
reference  to  lands  lying  north  of  the  Ohio  company's  location.  All 
was  failure  on  the  part  of  the  Scioto  company.  The  French  emi- 
grants were  planted  at  Gallipolis,  and  General  Putnam  was  left  to 
pay  some  $2,000  expended  in  behalf  of  the  Scioto  company. 

It  is  rather  surprising  that  any  complaint  should  have  been  made 
against  the  Ohio  company  for  selling  the  lands  in  and  about  Galli- 
polis to  the  French,  for  $1.25  per  acre.  It  was,  in  truth,  an  act  of 
favor  and  courtesy,  in  deference  to  the  misfortunes  of  the  French. 
The  Ohio  company  was  under  no  obligation  to  them.  They  had  no 
agency  in  inviting  or  deceiving  them.  How  much  blame  there  was 
in  the  case,  and  to  whom  it  belonged,  we  are  not  now  able  to  decide. 
Barlow  was  poetic — but  we  know  not  that  he  was  intentionally  raise. 
Most  probably  the  emigrants  were  greatly  beguiled  by  their  own 
vivid  imaginations.  We  may  well  enough  suppose  there  was  more 
poetry  than  truth  in  the  whole  concern. 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  OHIO. 

COMMUNICATED    FOR   THIS    WORK    BY    CHARLES    WHITTLESEY,  OF    THE    LATE 
GEOLOGICAL    CORPS    OF    OHIO. 

In  the  state  of  Ohio,  no  primitive  rocks  are  found  in  place.  Her  rocks 
are  all  sedimentary  and  stratified,  and  as  they  are  nearly  horizontal,  the  strata 
that  appear  at  the  surface  are  few.  Her  geology  is,  therefore,  veiy  simple 
and  easily  understood,  especially  when  we  compare  it  with  that  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  York,  where  a  much  greater  variety  of  formations  is  seen. 

The  lowest  visible  rock  in  Ohio  is  the  "  blue  limestone"  of  Cincinnati, 
which  is  also  the  lowest  in  a  physical,  as  well  as  in  a  geological  sense. 

The  bed  of  the  Ohio  river,  near  Cincinnati,  is  133  feet  below  the  level  ol 
Lake  Erie,  and  is  the  most  depressed  portion  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  being  only 
431  feet  above  tide  water.  Here  the  blue  limestone  is  seen,  with  its  beds 
of  ""dun"  and  "blue"  marl.  The  strata  dip  in  all  directions  from  the  south- 
western angle  of  the  state,  which  occupies  a  crown,  or  geological  summit, 
rather  than  a  synclinal  axis. 

Any  one  would  be  convinced  of  this  by  travelling  from  thence  in  any  direc- 
tion and  observing  the  rocks.  If  he  should  go  up  the  Ohio  river,  he  would 
perceive  that  the  surface  of  the  blue  limestone  descends,  and  finally  passes 
beneath  its  channel  at  a  distance  of  less  than  100  miles.     In  the  same  way,  on 

descending  the  river,  he  would  discover  the  hills  about  Madison,  in county, 

capped  by  a  different  rock,  the  "  cliff  limestone,"  which  overlies  the  "  blue," 
and  arriving  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  at  Louisville,  the  "  cliff,"  continually 
sinking,  reaches  the  bed  of  the  river  and  causes  the  falls.  Go  up  the  Great 
Miami  to  Dayton,  and  the  cliff  makes  its  appearance,  although  the  descent  in 
this  direction  is  slight.  A  part  of  the  disappearance  of  the  blue  is  here  owing 
to  the  rise  of  the  country.  In  the  same  way,  if  one  passes  up  the  valley  of 
the  Licking  or  the  Kentucky  rivers,  the  overlying  cliff  settles  down  into  the 
level  of  the  blue,  and  apparently  occupies  its  place  in  the  horizon. 

We  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  thickness  of  the  blue  limestone,  for 
we  have  not  penetrated  through  it  to  the  rocks  beneath  ;  yet  it  is  estimated  at 
more  than  1000  feet,  600  to  700  of  which  are  visible. 

If  we  group  the  rocks  of  Ohio  according  to  their  lithological  characters,  there 
are  jive  distinct  divisions,  that  any  person  will  discover  on  examination. 
The  difference  in  appearance,  hardness,  color  and  composition  is  so  marked 
that  no  more  natural  division  could  be  made. 

1st.  Limestone,  visible  thickness  in  Adams  county,  according 

to  Dr.  Locke, 772  feet. 

2d.    Black  shale,  thickness  at  the  same  place,     .         .         .     251    " 

3d.    Fine  grained  sandstone,  thickness,  .         .         .     343    " 

4th.  Conglomerate,  "  ....     200    " 

5th.  Coal  series,  "  estimated,  .         .  2000    " 

Thickness  in  Ohio, 3566   " 

73 


578  GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO. 

This  is  dividing  the  rocks,  not  according  to  strict  geological  rules,  but 
according  to  external  characters. 

A  person  travelling  from  the  west  line  of  Adams  county  eastward,  to  the 
Little  Scioto,  in  Scioto  county,  would  pass  over  the  outcropping  edges  of  all 
these  rocks,  and  would  see  all  the  formations  of  Ohio. 

They  here  plunge  in  the  direction  south  801°  east,  and  sink  to  the  eastward 
at  the  rate  of  37  4-10  feet  per  mile  ;*  consequently,  the  cliff*  limestone,  the 
upper  member  of  the  great  limestone  deposit,  which,  at  West  Union,  Adams 
county,  is  600  feet  above  the  river  at  Cincinnati,  at  Brush  Creek,  6  miles 
east,  is  found  only  about  350  feet  above  the  same  level. 

And  the  fine  grained  sandstone  which  caps  the  hills  east  of  Brush  Creek, 
and  west  of  the  Scioto,  as  we  approach  the  Little  Scioto,  sinks  to  the  base 
of  the  hills  and  appears  beneath  the  conglomerate.  This  inclines  continually 
to  the  river  surface,  and  plunges  beneath  the  coal. 

In  other  parts  of  the  state,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  although  the  same 
rocks  prevail,  and  always  in  the  same  order,  their  thickness,  mass  and  dip 
will  be  different.  There  is  no  place  where  they  can  all  be  seen  in  so  short 
a  space  as  in  Adams  and  Scioto  counties,  and  here  Dr.  Locke  made  his  sec- 
tion in  1838. 

As  we  proceed  along  the  outcrop  of  these  strata,  by  which  is  meant  the 
irregular  line  of  junction  between  the  faces  of  the  strata,  we  find  that,  in  a 
level  country,  it  coincides  with  a  horizontal  line  separating  one  rock  from 
another ;  and  following  the  union  of  these  rocks — for  instance,  the  black 
shale  and  the  fine  grained  sand  stone — to  the  northward,  we  shall  observe  a 
change  in  the  direction  of  the  line  of  bearing,  and  also  of  the  dip  or  plunge. 

Rockville,  Waverly,  Chiliicothe,  Reynoldsburg,  Mansfield  and  Newburg, 
are  towns  in  or  near  the  western  edge  of  the  "  fine  grained  sandstone,"  or  at 
its  "  outcrop,"  forming  a  continuous,  but  crooked  line  from  the  Ohio  river  to 
Lake  Erie.  By  the  attached  map  of  the  state,  the  fine  grained  sandstone  will  be 
seen  to  occupy  an  irregular  belt  about  10  miles  wide,  embracing  those  places. 
Next,  westerly,  is  a  strip  of  the  black  shale  accompanying  the  fine  grained 
sandstone,  somewhat  broader,  and  bounded  by  it  on  the  east.  On  the  west 
of  the  whole,  and  covering  about  one-third  of  the  state,  in  the  west  and  north- 
west, is  the  cliff  or  buff-colored  limestone. 

In  the  southwest  corner,  is  the  blue  limestone,  occupying  a  circular  space 
from  West  Union,  by  way  of  Dayton,  to  the  state  line. 

On  the  east  of  the  line  of  towns  above  given,  is  the  conglomerate,  bending 
around  from  Cuyahoga  falls  to  Benton,  in  Geauga  county,  and  then  eastward 
into  Pennsylvania.  Adjacent  to  this  line  of  outcrop,  are  the  coal  bearing 
rocks,  occupying  the  east  and  southeastern  part  of  Ohio,  within  a  line  from 
Sharon,  on  the  Pennsylvania  line  to  Ravenna,  Akron,  Wooster,  Dover,  Browns- 
ville, on  the  National  road,  Logan  and  Hanging  Rock.  If  we  examine  any 
of  these  rocks  over  large  tracts  of  country,  at  points  10,  40,  or  100  miles 
apart,  we  soon  discover  that  the  line  of  outcrop  changes  in  direction,  and 
with  it  the  line  of  greatest  dip  or  plunge,  which  is  at  right  angles  to  the  line 
of  bearing. 

Thus,  from  Rockville  to  Chiliicothe,  the  course  is  north,  about  10°  east, 
and  corresponds  very  nearly  with  the  line  of  outcrop  of  the  fine  grained  sand- 
stone for  that  distance.  The  dip  at  Rockville  is  given  at  s.  80^°  east,  al- 
most a  right  angle,  and  the  rate  of  dip  37  feet  per  mile.     At  the  other  end  ot 

*  2d  vol.  Ohio  Geo.  Report,  page  238. 


GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO. 


570 


the  line,  at  Chillicothe,  the  general  dip,  rejecting  fractions,  is  south  70°  east, 
30  feet  to  the  mile,  the  line  of  bearing  thus  makes  a  curve  to  the  eastward, 
and  the  line  of  dip  a  corresponding  change  to  the  southward.  This  is  the 
universal  law ;  consequently,  when  we  course  around  the  edge  of  the  coal 
basin  to  the  northward,  and  the  line  of  bearing  changes  to  an  almost  easterly 
direction,  the  dip  is  nearly  south.     It  would  be  thus,  if  we  should  make  the 


Outline  Map  of  the  Geological  Formations  of  Ohio. 

entire  circuit  of  the  great  Alleghany  coal  field.  Pursuing  its  northern  boun- 
dary through  Meadville,  in  Pennsylvania,  we  should  soon  turn  southward,  and, 
arriving  at  the  Portage  summit  railroad,  should  observe  the  lowest  bed  of 
coal  there  at  the  door  of  the  station-house,  on  the  summit  of  the  Alleghanies, 
2500  feet  above  the  ocean,  it  would  be  found  plunging  rapidly  to  the  west, 
ward.  Following  down  the  Alleghanies  to  the  southwest,  through  Pennsyl- 
vania, Virginia  and  Tennessee,  to  the  southern  termination  of  this  great  coal 
bason,  the  rocks  and  the  coal  strata  are  found  to  dip  more  and  more  to  the 
northward,  and  finally,  at  the  flexure  of  the  course,  when  we  turn  back  to  the 
north,  the  dip  changes  from  north  to  northeast.  Continuing  on  northward,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  coal  field,  through  Tennessee,  across  the  Cumberland 
and  Kentucky  rivers  to  the  Ohio,  we  come  to  the  starting  point,  the  dip  be- 
ing  northeasterly,  easterly,  and  finally  south  of  east. 

These  lines  of  dip  point  to  a  common  centre,  or  depression  in  the  strata, 
at  the  foot  of  the  western  slope  of  the  Alleghanies,  in  Virginia. 


580  GEOLOGY    OF   OHIO. 

In  farther  illustration  of  the  geological  map,  it  should  be  said  that  the  scale 
is  too  small  to  give  the  exact  outlines  of  the  formations,  even  if  they  were 
exactly  known.  In  the  northeastern  part,  I  have  attempted  to  show  the  limits 
of  the  strata,  but  without  success,  owing  to  the  limited  scale  of  the  map. 
For  instance,  much  of  the  county  of  Medina  is  represented  as  being  a  con- 
glomerate rock  at  the  surface  ;  but  the  streams,  particularly  the  south  branch 
of  Rocky  river,  cut  through  the  conglomerate  and  reach  the  fine  grained  sand- 
stone beneath.  It  is  the  same  with  Rocky,  Cuyahoga,  Chagrin  and  Grand 
rivers,  and  Ashtabula  and  Conneaut  creeks.  The  shale  and  this  sandstone, 
therefore,  extend  in  narrow  bays  up  the  valleys  of  these  streams  and  their 
branches.  Between  the  fine  grained  sandstone  and  the  conglomerate,  is  a 
mass  of  coarse  grained  sandstone,  without  pebbles,  which  furnishes  the  grind- 
stones of  Lake  Erie,  extending  from  the  Vermillion  river,  through  Lorain 
county  and  Cuyahoga,  into  Lake  county ;  but  where  it  terminates  I  do  not 
know.  At  Newburg,  Warrensville  and  Chagrin  falls,  the  section  of  this 
intermediate  mass  is  as  follows — beginning  at  the  top  of  the  fine  grained 
sandstone : 

1st.  Black  shale,  with  thin  layers  of  sandstone,    .         .         .10  feet. 

2d.    Red  shale,  very  soft, 30     " 

3d.    Grindstone  grit, 40     " 

4th.  Shale,  ash  color,  and  layers  of  sandstone  to  lower  face  of 

conglomerate,  .         .         .         .         .         .         .     81     " 

In  Lorain  county,  the  coarse  sandstone  grit  appears  almost  to  displace  the 
fine  grained  sandstone  and  red  shale — thickening  downwards  at  Elyria  to 
the  black  shale.  Farther  examination  is  necessary  to  classify  these  inter- 
mediate strata. 

The  projecting  ridges  of  highland  between  the  Black  and  Cuyahoga  rivers, 
the  Cuyahoga  and  the  Grand  and  Mahoning  rivers,  are  composed  of  con- 
glomerate, as  the  surface  rock,  its  most  northerly  point  being  an  outlier, 
called  the  little  mountain,  within  5  or  6  miles  of  the  lake  at  Kirtland,  and 
elevated  600  feet  above  it. 

The  grindstone  grit,  red  shale  and  ash-colored  shale  vary  much  in  thick- 
ness, and  at  the  south  of  Elyria,  owing  to  the  drift,  it  cannot,  without  farther 
examination,  be  decided  where  they  cease,  and  where  the  fine  grained  sand- 
stone rock  may  be  first  seen.  In  the  valley  of  the  Cuyahoga,  they  are  seen 
distinctly  at  Brandywine  Mills,  and  at  the  Peninsula  in  Boston  ;  and  between 
Peninsula  and  Old  Portage,  appear  to  run  out  and  to  be  lost  in  the  shaly  por- 
tions of  the  fine  grained  sandstone. 

So  with  the  narrow  belt  of  fine  grained  sandstone  overlying  the  shale,  or 
black  slate  formations,  and  skirting  the  highlands  that  overlook  the  lake,  it  is 
not  easy  to  determine  the  line  of  division  between  the  two  formations,  par- 
ticularly in  the  valleys  of  Grand  river  and  the  Mahoning. 

Returning  to  the  consideration  of  dip,  a  few  instances  more  may  be  given, 
to  show  the  surprising  regularity  of  the  sedimentary  rocks  of  Ohio,  and  also 
the  change  in  direction  which  has  just  been  noticed. 

Take  the  town  of  Chillicothe,  in  Ross  county,  the  village  of  Newburg,  in 
Cuyahoga  county,  and  a  point  in  the  west  line  of  Crawford  county,  all  situ- 
ated at  the  surface  of  the  "  black  shale" — these  three  points  form  a  triangu- 
lar plane  of  stratification,  of  which  we  know  mathematically  the  relative 
elevations  and  the  distances.  By  a  trigonometrical  calculation,  we  deduce  the 
"  line  of  bearing"  and  the  "dip"  of  this  rock,  or  the  plane  of  its  superior  face. 
The  result  is  as  follows  :  course  of  dip  s.  59^°  east ;  bearing  n.  30£°  east. 


——■••Great  Miami  River,  at  Dayton. 


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.Muskingum  River,  at  Zauesville. 


•Ohio  River,  at  Wheeling. 


582  GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO. 

Taking  three  points  in  the  lowest  bed  of  coal,  Tallmadge,  Youngstown  and 
Sharon,  we  obtain  for  the  bearing,  n.  77£°  east ;  dip,  s.  12£°  e.  ;  amount, 
20  6-10  feet  per  mile.  These  results,  therefore,  are  not  surmises  and  specu- 
lations, but  physical  facts,  arrived  at  by  measurement. 

A  "  geological  section"  is  an  imaginary  vertical  cut,  made  through  the 
rocks  on  a  line  of  dip  or  greatest  inclination  ;  and  since  this  line,  in  Ohio  as 
elsewhere,  is  constantly  changing,  the  section  made  at  any  place  does  not 
represent  the  bearing  or  plunge  of  the  rocks  at  others,  but  only  their  order 
of  superposition. 

A  general  section  is  here  given,  extending  from  Dayton  to  Columbus, 
Zanesville  and  Wheeling,  taken  from  the  geological  reports  of  Ohio.  It 
shows  all  the  general  formations  of  Ohio,  but  on  a  scale  so  diminutive,  that 
the  subordinate  members,  or  subdivisions  of  the  formations  do  not  appear. 
This  would  require  a  plan  many  feet  long. 

To  comprehend  this  section  fully,  it  is  necessary  to  imagine  the  cut  made 
along  the  line  indicated,  and  one  half  of  the  mass  removed,  so  that  the  ob- 
server has  a  view  of  the  edges  of  the  strata. 

On  a  scale  so  limited,  it  is  necessary  to  reject  a  very  important  member  of 
the  geological  column,  the  "  drift,"  "  superficial  materials,"  or  "  diluvial  de- 
posits," as  it  is  variously  named :  a  coating  of  earth,  gravel,  clay,  stones  and 
boulders,  that  overspread  the  whole  country,  hiding  the  rocks  from  view. 
This  will,  however,  be  touched  upon  in  its  place. 

The  relation  between  the  horizontal  and  vertical  distances  must,  of  course, 
be  disregarded  in  the  scale  here  adopted ;  for  if  it  was  obscured,  the  eleva- 
tions would  be  comparatively  nothing,  and  little  could  be  shown.  The  con- 
sequence of  this  disproportion  is,  to  make  the  angles  of  dip  appear  much 
greater  than  they  really  are,  bnt  this  cannot  be  avoided. 

The  horizontal  line  represents  the  level  of  the  lake,  and  the  irregular  line 
above  it,  the  surface  of  the  earth,  the  elevations  of  which  are  in  figures  at  a 
few  points.  As  a  survey  has  been  made  along  the  National  road,  this  can  be 
done  with  great  accuracy. 

The  order  of  strata  is  here  seen  to  be  the  same  as  given  above.  Near 
the  west  line  of  the  state,  or  the  section,  the  dip  is  slight.  It  is  probably 
greater  in  a  northerly  direction.  It  is  not  very  rapid  between  Dayton  and 
Columbus,  but  increases  materially  between  Columbus  and  Zanesville,  in 
crossing  the  rocks  between  the  limestone  and  the  coal. 

Dr.  Locke  gives  the  dip,  at  Montgomery  and  Miami  counties,  at  n.  14° 
east,  6  feet  per  mile.  At  Columbus,  I  found  it  to  be,  s.  81°  52'  east,  22  feet 
73  hundredths  per  mile. 

The  thickness  of  these  formations  is  very  variable  at  different  points.  The 
"  fine  grained  sandstone,"  at  Newburg,  is  not  to  exceed  80  feet  in  thickness, 
at  Reynoldsburg  and  Jacktown  about  500  feet,  at  Waverly  250  to  300  feet, 
and  at  Brush  creek,  Adams  county,  343  feet.  The  "  black  shale"  is  more 
uniform,  being  at  Brush  creek  251,  Alum  creek  250  to  300,  in  Crawford 
county  about  250.  At  Newburg,  and  alone  the  lake  shore,  its  thickness  is 
unknown. 

The  conglomerate  is  more  irregular.  In  Jackson  county,  by  estimate, 
200  feet;  in  Licking  county  100;  Cuyahoga  falls  100  to  120;  Burton, 
•Geauga  county,  300. 

The  great  limestone  formation  is  divided  into  several  numbers.  At  Cin- 
cinnati, at  the  bed  of  the  river,  there  is — 

1st.  A  blue  limestone  and^  slaty  marlite. 


GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO.  583 

2d.  Dun  colored  marl  and  layers  of  lime  rock,        .         .     250  feet. 
3d.   Blue  marl  and  layers  of  blue  limestone,    .         .         .     160     " 
4th.  Marl  and  bands  of  limestone,  with  immense  numbers 
of  shells  to  surface. 
In  Adams  county,  the  detailed  section  is  thus — 
1st.  Blue  limestone  and  marl, 

2d.   Blue  marl, 25  feet. 

3d.   Flinty  limestone,        .         .         .         .         .         *       51     " 

4ih.  Blue  marl, 100     " 

5th.  Cliff  limestone,  ...  .         .       89     " 

The  coal  measures  of  Ohio,  like  those  of  England  and  Pennsylvania,  are 
composed  of  alternate  beds  of  coarse  grained  sandstone,  clay  shales,  layers 
of  iron  stone,  their  beds  of  limestone,  and  of  numerous  strata  of  coal.  If  the 
geological  explorations  of  the  state  had  been  prosecuted,  there  is  little  doubt 
but  the  number  of  coal  beds,  or  strata,  lying  one  above  the  other,  would  have 
been  shown  to  be  as  numerous  as  40  or  45,  and  that  there  are  15  or  20  of 
them  thick  enough  to  be  worked. 

Here,  as  usual,  the  coal  region  is  also  an  iron  region.  From  Jacktown, 
on  the  western  edge  of  our  coal  field,  to  Concord,  in  Muskingum  county,  in 
Mr.  Foster's  section,  (2d  Geol.  Reports,  p.  72,)  a  distance  of  about  42  miles, 
there  are  shown  eight  beds,  or  separate  strata,  of  coal,  and  seven  beds  of 
limestone. 

In  my  section,  (2d  Report,  p.  57,)  from  Freedom,  in  Portage  county,  to 
Poland,  in  Trumbull  county,  about  35  miles,  there  are  five  distinct  strata — 
three  of  them  in  places  capable  of  being  wrought.  Among  them  are  dis- 
tributed three  beds  of  limestone  and  many  beds  of  iron  ore. 

Dr.  Hildreth  made  a  section  of  the  hills  at  Dillon's  furnace,  Muskingum 
county,  from  the  bed  of  the  Licking  or  Pataskala  river  upward,  206  feet.  In 
this  vertical  distance,  there  were  four  beds  of  iron  ore,  two  of  coal,  and  one 
of  limestone. 

But  by  far  the  greatest  mass  of  coal  and  iron  measures  is  composed  of 
sandstone  and  shale.  The  beds  of  coal  and  iron  are  comparatively  thin ;  the 
beds  of  sandstone  from  10  to  20,  and  80  feet  thick  ;  of  shale,  5  to  50  feet 
thick.  A  bed  of  coal  is  considered  workable,  if  the  roof  and  drainage  are 
good,  when  the  thickness  is  three  feet.  If  it  is  four  feet,  it  is  considered  a 
good  mine,  and  very  few  of  them  average  five  feet.  Occasionally  it  increases 
to  six,  and,  in  one  or  two  cases,  to  ten  and  eleven  feet,  for  short  distances ; 
but  for  such  extreme  thickness  the  mine  is  certain  to  suffer,  in  consequence 
of  its  irregularity.  The  cases  where  a  bed  of  the  ordinary  "  heft"  of  four 
feet  falls  below  that  standard,  are  much  more  numerous  than  where  there  is 
a  greater  thickness. 

In  Lawrence  and  Scioto  counties,  in  the  distance  of  30  miles,  across  the 
edge  of  the  strata  may  be  seen  eight  principal  beds  of  ore,  and  new  ones  are 
being  discovered.     There  are  also  four  beds  of  coal  and  three  of  limestone. 

The  ore  varies  in  thickness  from  4  inches  to  12,  thickening  up,  in  some 
places,  to  2  feet ;  but  this  is  an  irregularity. 

There  are  17  furnaces,  on  the  Ohio  side,  supplied  with  ore,  flux  and  fuel  to 
drive  the  engines,  from  the  strata  represented  in  the  section.  A  large  por- 
tion of  the  ore  is  taken  from  beds  of  a  few  inches  in  thickness,  the  rule  being 
to  strip  a  foot  of  earth  for  an  inch  of  ore. 

Sometimes  beds  of  2  or  3  inches  are  worked  a  few  feet  into  the  hill ;  but, 
in  general,  the  valuable  beds  are  from  4  to  6,  7  and  10  inches  in  thickness. 


584  GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO. 

The  calcareous  ore,  resting  upon  the  second  bed  of  limestone  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  section,  being  very  rich,  is  sometimes  obtained  by  drifting,  but  far 
the  greatest  part  of  it  is  procured  by  "  stripping."  The  hills,  or,  more  pro- 
perly, the  valleys  of  this  region  are  so  numerous,  that  the  strata  crop  out,  con- 
tinually showing  their  edges  to  the  miner  along  the  slopes.  Here  he  can 
follow  the  stratum  into  the  earth  till  it  becomes  too  deep,  and  then  work  along 
the  side  hill  at  the  same  level.  The  immense  length  of  the  line  of  outcrop 
for  each  bed,  in  a  country  completely  intersected  by  hills  and  valleys,  can 
easily  be  imagined.  If,  instead  of  being  uneven  and  hilly,  it  had  been  flat, 
the  strata  remaining  as  near  horizontal  as  they  now  are,  it  will  be  readily 
seen  that  none  but  such  as  are  thick  enough  to  "  drift"  would  be  worthy  of 
attention. 

Among  the  iron  beds,  there  are  but  two  or  three  that  would,  at  present, 
pay  for  working  by  drifting.  The  ores  are  not  all  of  them  fit  for  use,  in  the 
present  state  of  metallurgy,  on  account  of  silicious  impurities  that  render  them 
hard  to  melt ;  but  the  exceeding  value  of  this  region  is  caused  by  the  general 
goodness  of  the  ores  in  relation  to  ease  of  reduction. 

There  are  many  parts  of  the  United  States  where  richer  ores  may  be  found, 
and  in  thicker  beds,  but  probably  none  where  iron  may  be  produced  with  as 
little  fuel  as  on  the  Ohio  river.  They  range  from  30  to  40  per  cent,  of  iron, 
and  are  so  happily  tempered  with  calcareous  and  aluminous  matter,  that  they 
require  a  small  amount  of  flux.  But  where  a  flux  is  needed,  it  is  found  every- 
where in  the  limestone  beds  which  nature  has  interspersed  with  the  other 
mineral  strata. 

The  abundance  of  these  materials  will  appear  from  an  examination  of  the 
section. 

The  iron  interest  of  Ohio  has  materially  improved  since  1837.  At  that 
time,  it  was  thought  to  be  a  good  yield  if  a  furnace  produced  3£  to  4  tons  per 
day.  This  was  with  the  old-fashioned  cold  blast.  In  1829,  an  improvement 
was  introduced  at  the  Clyde  works,  Scotland,  by  Mr.  Robert  Neilson,  of 
Glasgow,  which  consists  principally  in  using  a  blast  of  hot,  instead  of  cold, 
air.  Mr.  Dunlop,  of  the  Clyde  works,  and  Mr.  Dixon,  of  the  Calder  iron 
works,  improved  upon  Mr.  Neilson,  by  raising  the  temperature  of  the  blast 
from  300  to  600  degrees,  Fahrenheit.  This  improvement  did  not  reach  Ohio 
until  1841-2,  although  it  was  recommended  by  Dr.  Hildreth  in  his  Geologi- 
cal Report  of  1836.  The  result  is,  an  increase  of  product  of  nearly  one-half, 
raising  the  daily  yield  from  3£  to  5,  6,  and  even  7£  tons  per  day,  diminishing 
the  consumption  of  charcoal,  per  ton,  from  250  bushels  to  160  or  180. 

In  April,  1844,  Mr.  Gliddon,  the  master  and  owner  of  the  "Franklin  Fur- 
nace Junior,"  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  gave  me  the  yields  of  his  furnace 
during  a  blast  of  8  months,  1  day  and  4  hours,  commencing  May  8th,  1843, 
at  1845^  tons  of  2268  pounds,  or  7  tons  65  hundredths  per  day.  Charcoal 
per  ton,  before  the  hot  blast,  210  bushels  ;  for  this  blast,  161  bushels.  Stone 
coal  per  ton,  for  engine  and  hot  blast,  18  bushels  and  9-10ths  of  a  bushel, 
cost  of  ore  per  ton  of  iron,  $3.17  ;  the  amount  of  ore,  2  tons  54-100ths. 

The  saving  in  charcoal  of  49  bushels,  at  $1.75  the  hundred  bushels,  is 
85£  cents  per  ton.  But  the  great  item  is  in  the  labor,  the  same  hands  turn- 
ing out  about  40  per  cent,  more  iron. 

There  is  scarcely  a  doubt  but  the  cost  of  iron  may  be  still  more  reduced 
by  the  use  of  mineral  coal,  in  whole  or  in  part,  in  the  place  of  charcoal ;  an 
experiment  now  going  on  in  the  counties  of  Summit  and  Mahoning  with  ap- 
parent success. 


GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO.  585 

When  these  expectations  shall  be  realized,  it  will  be  seen  by  a  due  con- 
sideration  of  the  extent  of  the  mineral  region  of  Ohio,  its  richness  in  all  the 
materials  of  value  in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  that  this  state  will  soon  turn  out 
immense  quantities  of  that  metal. 

By  the  census  of  1840,  she  had  72  furnaces,  which  produced  35,236  tons 
of  pig  metal  the  year  previous.  She  had  19  forges,  that  made  7,466  tons  of 
bar  iron  in  the  same  time. 

In  this  notice  of  the  Ohio  strata,  I  have  not  spoken  of  them  by  the  scientific 
divisions  and  names,  because  their  place  and  nomenclature  in  the  system  is 
not  yet  well  settled  among  geologists. 

The  geological  survey  of  the  state  was  abandoned  by  the  legislature  when 
it  was  about  one-third  completed,  and  upon  the  work  done  no  final  report  was 
made  or  required.  The  survey  was  dropped  by  the  sudden  withdrawal  of 
the  funds,  the  corps  never  having  been  formally  disbanded. 

Two  annual  reports  were  made,  but  not  anticipating  the  abandonment  of 
the  survey,  they  contained  only  such  facts  as  appeared  to  be  of  present  prac- 
tical value,  reserving  the  theoretical  and  purely  scientific  matter  for  a  future 
and  final  report. 

Since  that  time,  the  splendid  reports  on  the  New  York  survey  have  been 
made,  and  as  those  geologists  had  a  great  range  of  observation,  from  the  coal 
down  to  the  primitive  rocks,  their  classification  has  become,  for  the  present, 
the  standard  for  the  United  States. 

In  Ohio,  many  formations,  well  developed  in  New  York,  are  wanting, 
leaving  gaps  in  the  series.  Mr.  Hall,  of  the  New  York  survey,  in  his  ex- 
tended geological  map  of  the  western  states,  makes  the  blue  limestone  of 
Cincinnati  equivalent  to  the  Trenton  and  Birdseye  group  of  New  York  mem- 
bers of  the  lower  Silurian  system,  within  two  formations  of  the  bottom  of 
the  sedimentary  rocks.  These  are  the  "  Potsdam  sand  stone,"  which  rests 
on  the  primitive,  and  the  "  calciferous  sand  rock,"  lying  between  the  Pots- 
dam and  the  Trenton  limestone. 

In  New  York,  next  above  the  Trenton,  is — 1st,  "  Utica  slate ;"  2d,  "Shaw- 
angunk  grits  ;"  3d,  "  Hudson  river  group  ;"  4th,  "  Medina  sandstone  ;"  5th, 
"  Clinton  group" — all  wanting  in  Ohio. 

Next  above  these  rocks,  in  New  York,  is  the  "  Niagara  limestone,"  repre- 
sented in  Ohio,  according  to  Mr.  Hall,  by  the  lower  part  of  the  cliff"  limestone, 
the  upper  part  being  here  the  geological  equivalent  of  the  "  Helderberg 
limestone"  of  New  York. 

Between  the  Helderberg  and  the  Niagara  is  found  the  "  Onondaga  salt 
group,"  of  which  only  uncertain  traces  are  found  in  Ohio.  Our  "  black 
shale,"  which  rests  on  the  cliff  limestone,  represents  the  "  Hamilton  group" 
of  New  York,  and  the  New  York  geologists  discover  in  our  fine  grained,  or 
"  Waverly  sand  stone"  the  "  Portage  and  Chemung  group"  of  southern  New 
York,  which  there  plunges  south  and  beneath  the  coal  series,  as  it  does  here. 
Our  conglomerate,  underlying  the  coal,  does  not  reach  New  York,  but  fol- 
lows the  edge  of  the  coal  field,  as  I  have  above  described  it,  around  through 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  back  to  Ohio. 

The  coincidence  and  equivalency  of  our  rocks  with  those  of  New  York  can- 
not, in  all  respects,  be  regarded  as  settled.  The  fossils  of  the  Ohio  rocks,  the 
great  guide  in  classifying  formations,  have  not  been  fully  discovered  or  studied. 
The  division  of  the  fine  grained  sandstone  into  two  members,  equivalent  to 
the  Portage  and  Gardeau  rocks,  did  not  occur  to  the  Ohio  geologists,  but  may, 
notwithstanding,  be  a  good  division.     There  will,  probably,  be  occasion  to 

74 


586  GEOLOGY    OP    OHIO. 

divide  the  blue  limestone  into  more  members  than  are  given  above,  when  its 
multitude  of  fossils  are  completely  understood. 

An  attempt  was  made  at  the  meeting  of  the  "  Association  of  American 
Geologists  and  Naturalists,"  at  Washington,  May,  1844,  by  Professor  H.  D. 
Rogers,  to  adopt  a  system  of  names  for  the  several  formations,  that  should 
answer  for  the  whole  United  States.  Hitherto,  the  geologists  of  each  state, 
following  the  example  of  those  of  England,  have  given  to  their  strata  the 
name  of  a  locality  or  region,  by  which  the  same  rock,  when  it  crosses  a  state 
line,  takes  another  name  or  designation.  To  make  the  science  easy  to 
learners  and  readers,  and  to  give  simplicity  to  the  system  among  its  profes- 
sors, a  nomenclature  that  shall  be  uniform  in  the  United  States,  and  even 
over  the  world,  is  indispensable. 

The  coal  series  of  Ohio  present  no  striking  difference  from  the  coal  fields 
of  other  states  and  kingdoms,  except  in  the  presence  of  the  "  buhr  stratum." 
All  coal-bearing  strata  present  alternate  beds  of  iron  ore,  sand  stone,  shales, 
limestone  and  coal  in  their  beds,  and  consequently  changing  frequently  as  we 
ascend  or  descend  in  the  series. 

In  the  1st  Geological  Report  of  Ohio,  p.  28,  Dr.  Hildreth  notices  the  "cal- 
careo  siliceous,"  or  "  buhr  stone  rock,"  of  the  coal  series  of  Ohio,  which 
resembles  very  closely  the  French  buhr,"  used  in  this  country  for  mill  stones, 
and  imported  from  France.  On  Raccoon's  creek,  and  at  other  places  in  the 
south,  near  the  Ohio  river,  this  rock  is  wrought  into  mill  stones  to  a  consider- 
able extent ;  but  millers,  as  yet,  prefer  the  foreign  buhr,  at  a  considerably 
higher  price. 

In  this  brief  view  of  the  outlines  of  the  geology  of  Ohio,  I  shall  omit  to 
notice  the  fossils,  because  upon  this  subject  geologists  are,  as  yet,  only  par- 
tially instructed. 

The  most  numerous  and  striking  are  the  trees,  plants  and  stems  of  the 
coal-bearing  rocks,  the  shells  and  corals  and  Crustacea  of  the  limestone,  and 
the  timber,  leaves  and  dirt-buds  of  the  "  drift,"  or  "  diluvium."  The  latter 
is  the  general  term  for  the  earthy  covering  that  conceals  the  rocks,  varying 
in  thickness  from  nothing  to  200  feet. 

It  is  sometimes  called  the  "  superficial  deposits,"  having  been  brought  on 
by  some  force,  after  the  deposition  and  induration  of  the  rocky  beds. 

There  are  many  theories  respecting  \b°>  manner  in  which  this  immense 
mass  of  clays,  sand  and  gravel  was  brought  on,  the  discussion  of  which  would 
occupy  much  space. 

The  "  boulders,"  or  lost  rocks,  that  lie  scattered  over  this  state  in  most  of 
its  parts,  and  of  the  northern  half  of  the  United  States,  are  objects  of  great 
curiosity,  because  they  have  evidently  been  transported  a  great  distance. 
They  are  fragments  of  primitive  rocks,  granite,  gneiss  and  Hornblende  rock, 
which  do  not  exist  in  place  in  Ohio,  nor  within  about  400  miles  in  any 
direction. 

As  we  go  northward  to  the  mountain  ranges  that  skirt  Lake  Superior,  wc 
find  the  nearest  rocks  that  answer  to  the  specimens  found  here ;  and  from 
this  and  other  reasons,  it  is  conclusively  shown  that  they  are  from  the  north. 
In  almost  eveiy  quarry  where  the  superficial  earth  has  been  stripped  off, 
especially  on  the  summits  of  hills,  we  find  scratches,  grooves  and  furrows, 
that  are  in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direction,  varying  from  n.  15°  to  n.  40° 
west.  There  is  an  evident  connexion  between  the  boulders  and  these  diluvial 
furrows,  and  also  with  the  drift  or  diluvium  itself.  It  is  supposed  by  some 
geologists  that  the  drift  and  the  boulders  were  brought  on  by  the  action  of 


GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO.  587 

g'aciers  of  ice  moving  down  from  the  north,  in  remote  ages,  when  the  north- 
ern hemisphere  was,  as  the  Alps  are  now,  bound  up  in  continual  winter. 

By  others,  that  the  waters  of  the  Northern  Ocean  once  stood  several 
thousand  feet  higher  than  at  present,  and  that  by  means  of  heavy  currents  in 
those  ancient  seas,  the  drift  and  boulders  were  brought  on. 

Others  join  the  two  theories,  and  suppose  an  elevated  state  of  the  waters 
and  a  great  degree  of  cold,  but  not  continual,  as  in  the  Alps,  and  currents  of 
water  acting  in  a  double  capacity  as  transporters  of  sand,  clay  and  gravel,  and 
of  huge  icebergs,  that  enclosed  and  brought  along  the  rocks  we  now  see. 

By  this  supposition,  a  greater  number  of  the  phenomena  of  the  drift  can  be 
explained  than  by  the  aqueous  or  the  glacial  alone.  It  is  called  the  "  aqueo- 
glacial"  theory.  The  glacial  explains  how  the  scratches  and  furrows  may 
have  been  formed,  but  by  this  the  sands,  clay  and  gravel  should  be  mixed 
and  in  confusion,  whereas  we  find  them  stratified ;  and  more,  we  observe  in 
Ohio  and  the  west,  that  the  boulders  are  not  mixed  with  the  superficial  mass, 
but  lie  upon  it,  being  spread  over  the  surface. 

By  the  aqueous  doctrine,  it  does  not  seem  probable  that  a  force  could  be 
acquired  sufficient  to  tear  off  and  transport  huge  rocks  many  hundred  miles  ; 
and  if  it  could,  should  they  not  be  mingled  with  the  mass,  and  not  rest 
upon  it? 

Icebergs  are  now  seen  floating  in  the  ocean  of  many  square  miles  in  ex- 
tent, and  2000  feet  thick. 

If  the  ocean  or  lake  waters  were  elevated,  so  as  to  cover  the  highest  land 
in  Ohio,  which  is  near  the  sources  of  Mad  river,  about  900  feet  above  the 
lake,  or  1450  above  the  ocean,  one  of  those  largest  icebergs  would  not  float 
in  the  basin  of  Lake  Erie.  In  Massachusetts,  the  same  grooves,  boulders 
and  scratches  which  are  seen  here,  are  met  with  much  higher  than  any  land 
in  Ohio,  at  2400,  2600  and  at  3200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

These  facts  show  conclusively,  either  that  the  waters  were  higher,  or  the 
highlands  lower  than  at  present.  If  masses  of  ice  existed  then  as  now,  and 
drifted  southward,  they  would  be  likely  to  embrace  fragments  of  the  northern 
rocks,  and  in  passing  across  our  ranges  of  hills,  would  wear  away  the  most 
exposed  points,  leaving  scratches  and  furrows  on  the  rocks. 

The  superficial  deposits  of  Ohio  are  arranged  into  four  geological  forma- 
tions, and,  in  the  order  of  age,  are  as  follows  : 

1st,  The  "  ancient  drift,"  resting  upon  the  rocks  of  the  state. 

2d,   The  Lake  Erie  marl  and  sand  deposits. 

3d,  The  drift  occupying  the  valleys  of  large  streams,  such  as  the  Great 
Miami,  the  Ohio  and  Scioto. 

4th,  The  "boulders,"  or,  as  it  may  be  called,  the  "boulder  stratum." 

In  these,  we  do  not  take  into  account  the  "  alluvium,"  or  earthy  deposit, 
now  going  on,  not  as  the  result  of  an  universal  geological  change,  but  by  the 
action  of  floods,  rains,  bogs,  vegetable  decay,  concretion,  etc. 

The  "  ancient  drift,"  or  drift  formation,  No.  1,  of  Ohio,  has  not,  as  I  know, 
furnished  any  shells  from  which  it  can  be  determined  whether  it  was  of 
"  marine"  or  salt  water  origin,  or  a  "lacustrine"  or  fresh  water  deposit.  It 
is  distinctly  stratified  in  the  following  order. 

1st.  At  the  bottom,  blue  clay,  or  "  hard  pan,"  with  gravel  stones,  of  both 
primitive  and  sedimentary  rocks,  and  contains  carbonate  of  lime.  These 
gravel  stones  are  not,  in  general,  as  much  worn  as  in  the  superior  strata,  and 
are  scratched  and  striated — thickness  sometimes  150  feet. 

2d.  The  yellow  clay,  or   "  hard   pan,"  of  the  well-diggers,  with   gravel 


588  GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO. 

stones  similar  to  the  "blue  hard  pan" — the  stratum  in  general  not  as 
thick. 

3d.  Sand  and  gravel  less  perfectly  stratified,  and  embracing  more  pebbles 
of  the  sedimentary  rocks,  such  as  limestone,  sand  stone,  iron  ore,  coal  and 
shale — the  pebble  more  polished  and  rounded. 

No.  1  of  these  divisions  includes  great  numbers  of  logs,  trees,  leaves, 
sticks,  and  what  the  well-diggers  call  "  grape  vines."  All  these  members 
occupy  the  surface  at  different  places  ;  but,  in  general,  it  is  made  up  of  Nos. 
3  and  4.  Drift  formation  No.  2,  or  the  "  Lake  Erie  deposits,"  are  not 
satisfactorily  proved  to  be  newer  than  No.  1  ;  yet  the  preponderance  of  evi- 
dence  and  all  analogy  are  in  favor  of  placing  it  above  the  "  hard  pans"  in 
geological  order.  It  is,  however,  often  lower  in  natural  level,  occupying  the 
basin  of  Lake  Erie. 

The  section  is  as  follows  : 

1st.  From  the  lake  level  upwards,  fine  blue  marly  sand,         45  to  60  feet. 

Its  depth  below  the  surface  of  the  water  is  unknown — probably  50  to  100 
feet,  making  a  thickness  of  95  to  160  feet. 

2d.  Coarse  grey  water- washed  sand,    .  .  .         10  to  20  feet. 

3d.  Coarse  sand  and  gravel,  not  well  stratified,  to  surface,      20  to  50    " 

The  lake  ridges  from  Erie  to  Norwalk  belong  to  this  stratum. 

Stratum  No.  1  of  this  formation  is  easily  dissolved  by  the  action  of  water, 
and  it  is  upon  this,  being  at  the  water  level,  that  the  principal  encroachment 
of  the  lake  is  effected.  It  may  be  traced  along  the  shore  around  the  western 
half  of  the  lake  in  Ohio,  Michigan  and  Canada,  everywhere  undergoing  loss 
by  the  pei'petual  movement  of  the  waves,  and  sliding  into  the  lake  in  heavy 
masses.  It  contains  carbonate  of  lime,  magnesia,  alumina,  iron,  sulphur,  silex, 
and  a  few  decayed  plants,  sticks  and  leaves.  There  are  also  pebbles  of  primi- 
tive rocks,  but  they  are  not  numerous.  Its  upper  surface  is  almost  horizon- 
tal, for  the  difference  between  the  south  shore  at  Cleveland  and  the  north 
shore  at  Port  Burwell,  in  Canada,  does  not  exceed  15  feet.  It  is  heavy  and 
compact,  so  as  to  be  impervious  to  water,  causing  numberless  springs  to  flow 
out  at  its  upper  edges.  In  contact  with  water,  it  becomes  quicksand,  and  is 
easily  washed  away.  The  coarse  sandy  stratum,  No.  2,  resting  upon  it,  is 
porous,  atrd  suffers  the  water  to  settle  through  it  readily.  It  is  the  same  with 
No.  3,  on  the  surface  stratum  or  soil,  occupying  a  long,  nari'ow  belt  along 
the  south  shore,  and  also  the  broad  and  level  region  of  southeastern  Michigan 
and  the  western  portion  of"  Canada  West,"  between  Lakes  Erie  and  Huron. 

The  ridges  of  sand  and  sandy  materials  that  are  so  common  over  all  this 
space,  appear  to  have  been  formed  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ancient  waters, 
and  were  formerly  parallel  with  the  ancient  shore. 

They  are  seen  at  various  levels  above  the  lake,  from  30  to  140  and  200 
feet,  but  of  greater  length  and  regularity,  is  90  to  120  feet.  They  were  pro- 
bably formed  when  the  waters  were  at  various  heights,  and  by  the  same  pro- 
cess that  sand  bars  are  now  formed  in  the  lakes  and  the  ocean.  Beneath 
the  surface  on  the  coast  of  the  United  States,  opposite  the  states  of  New 
Jersey,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia  and  North  and  South  Carolina.  In 
Lake  Erie,  also,  such  ridges  are  known  to  form,  having  a  general  direction 
parallel  with  the  shore.  Should  the  water  recede  rapidly,  or  the  bed  of  the 
ocean  rise  suddenly,  they  would  be  left  in  form  and  extent  like  our  lake 
ridges.  Similar  ridges  or  terraces  surround  Lake  Ontario.  At  Toronto,  on 
the  northern  shore,  Mr.  Roy  has  given  the  elevation  of  several  of  them,  refer- 
red to  the  lake  level  as  follows.     The  base  of  the  1st,  or  nearest  ridge  to  the 


GEOLOGY    OF    OHIO.  589 

lake,  108  feet ;  2d,  208  feet ;  3d,  288  feet,  and  the  highest  near  the  summit, 
between  Lakes  Ontario  and  Simcoe,  was  found  to  be  680  feet,  or  448  feet  above 
Lake  Erie.  In  Canada,  those  of  the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  extend 
across  the  level  region  between  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Huron,  forming  there 
ridges  that  belong  to  Lake  Erie.  Examination  will  no  doubt  show,  hereafter, 
higher  ridges  on  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  than  those  above  given. 

Formation  No.  3  of  the  drift  of  Ohio,  being  that  which  is  found  in  the 
valleys  of  large  rivers  and  lowlands,  but  of  greater  extent  and  thickness  than 
the  alluvium,  does  not,  so  far  as  I  know,  possess  within  itself  subdivisions  of 
strata  like  formations  Nos.  1  and  2.  Its  pebbles  are  numerous,  and  generally 
form  rocks  of  a  sedimentary  kind.  Pebbles  of  primitive  rocks  may  be  occa- 
sionally seen,  but  seldom.  In  the  valleys  of  the  Scioto  and  the  two  Miamies, 
rivers  flowing  in  or  near  the  limestone  formation,  the  gravel  is  principally  of 
limestone,  well  water  worn  and  rounded. 

The  "  Hickory  Plains"  at  the  forks  of  the  White  Water  and  Great  Miami, 
and  also  between  Kilgores  mill  and  New  Richmond,  in  Ross  county,  and  in 
Pickaway  county,  are  examples  of  this  modification  of  the  drift.  It  is  proba- 
bly the  result  of  heavy  diluvial  currents,  that  exerted  themselves  irregularly 
during  the  subsidence  of  the  waters,  and  acting  in  the  direction  of  the  great 
valleys. 

The  fourth  and  superior  member  of  the  drift,  and  the  last  action  of  the  drift 
period,  is  the  boulder  itself.  I  call  it  a  formation,  because  it  appears  to  be 
due  to  a  separate  geological  epoch,  occurring  after  the  three  formations  above 
noticed  were  in  place.  It  may  be  called  a  stratum,  for  it  covers  a  greater 
surface  than  any  rocky  stratum,  and  is  disposed  in  regular  order  over  all  other 
deposits  except  the  alluvial.  At  the  best,  it  is  not  mingled  with  the  subordi- 
nate beds,  however  it  may  be  at  Canada  East  and  New  England.  It  is  the 
result  of  some  force  different  from  that  which  brought  on  the  sands  and  clay. 
The  boulders  themselves  must  have  been  deposited  in  a  short  space  of  time, 
or  they  would  have  been  found  embedded  in  the  drift.  The  waters  must 
have  retired  soon  after  they  were  brought  on,  or  the  sediment  would  soon 
have  covered  them.  They  were  probably  dropped  from  masses  of  floating 
ice  as  the  waters  receded.  But,  in  this  sketch,  it  would  be  out  of  place  to 
discuss  the  theories  of  the  presence  of  the  drift  and  the  boulders. 

In  laying  down  the  outlines  of  the  grindstone  grit,  it  should  be  observed, 
that,  on  the  west,  the  junction  between  it  and  the  fine  grained  sand  stone  is 
covered  with  drift,  and,  therefore,  its  limits  are  conjectural. 

The  grit  and  its  shales  appear  to  be  in  the  form  of  a  wedge  between  the 
conglomerate  and  the  fine  grained  sand  stone,  which,  as  we  go  from  the 
lake,  diminishes  in  thickness,  and  is  displaced  by  the  Waverly  thickening  up. 

This  accounts  for  the  appearance  of  the  Waverly  in  the  east  fork  of  Rocky 
river,  at  Old  Portage,  and  at  Warren,  Trumbull  county,  where  its  surface  is 
higher  than  at  the  lake.  Along  an  east  and  west  line  through  these  place?, 
the  surface  of  the  Waverly,  or  fine  grained  sand  stone,  has  been  elevated  by 
an  upward  increase  of  thickness. 


VOCABULARIES  OF  THE 
SHAWANOESE  AND  WYANDOTT  LANGUAGES,  ETC 

[The  following  article  was  communicated  for  this  work  by  the  venerable 
Col.  John  Johnston,  of  Upper  Piqua,  Ohio,  who,  for  about  half  a  century,  has 
been  an  agent  of  the  United  States  over  the  Indians  of  the  west.  See  page 
363.] 

The  Wyandotts  had  resided  on  the  soil  of  Ohio  long  before  the  French  or 
English  visited  the  country.  Forty-six  years  ago,  I  took  a  census  of  them, 
when  they  numbered  2300  souls.  In  1841  and  2,  I  was,  as  the  commissioner 
of  the  United  States,  negotiating  with  them  a  treaty  of  cession  and  emigra- 
tion, when  it  was  found,  by  actual  and  accurate  count,  that,  in  a  little  less 
than  50  years,  they  had  been  reduced  to  the  number  of  800  ;  none  had  emi- 
grated— all  that  was  left  were  the  subjects  of  my  negotiation.  I  had  been 
their  agent  a  great  part  of  my  life  ;  and  after  being  separated  from  them  for 
1 1  years  by  the  power  of  the  Executive,  it  fell  to  my  lot,  under  the  appoint- 
ment of  my  honored  and  lamented  friend  and  chief,  President  Harrison,  to 
sign  and  seal  the  compact  with  their  chiefs  for  their  final  removal  from  their 
cherished  homes  and  graves  of  their  ancestors,  to  which,  of  all  their  race,  I 
had  ever  known  they  were  the  most  tenderly  attached,  to  the  country  south- 
west of  Missouri. 

The  Shawnoese  came  into  Ohio  not  long  anterior  to  BradJock's  campaign 
of  1754.  They  occupied  the  country  contiguous  to  the  Wyandotts,  on  the 
Scioto,  Mad  river,  the  Great  Miami,  and  the  upper  waters  of  the  Maumee  of 
the  lake,  being  in  the  light  of  tenants  at  will  under  the  Wyandotts.  They 
were  their  devoted  friends  and  allies  in  all  their  wars  with  the  white  people — 
these  two  tribes  having  been  the  last  of  the  natives  who  have  left  us,  for 
there  is  not  an  Indian  now  in  Ohio,  nor  an  acre  owned  by  one  of  their  race 
within  its  limits. 

I  have  thought  that  a  specimen  of  the  respective  languages  of  these  tribes 
might  form  a  proper  item  in  the  history  of  a  state  so  lately  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  the  primitive  inhabitants.  The  vocabulary,  as  far  as  it  goes,  is 
accurate,  and  may  be  relied  upon.  The  reader  will  at  once  observe  the 
great  dissimilarity  in  the  two  languages,  not  one  word  in  the  whole  being 
common  to  both.  In  all  their  large  councils,  composed  of  both  tribes,  inter- 
preters were  as  necessary  between  the  parties  as  it  was  between  the  Indians 
and  the  United  States'  officers.  Not  so  with  the  Shawanoese.  Delawares, 
Miamies,  Putawatimies,  Chippeways,  Ottawas,  Wee,as,  Kickapoos  and  Pian- 
keshawas — all  of  whom  had  many  words  in  common,  and  clearly  establishing 
a  common  origin.  Almost  all  the  tribes  I  have  known,  had  tradition  that 
that  their  forefathers,  at  some  remote  period,  came  from  the  west ;  and  this 
would  seem  to  strengthen  the  commonly  received  opinion  of  Asiatic  descent. 
Many  of  the  Indian  customs,  even  at  this  day,  are  strictly  Jewish  :  in- 
stance the  purification  of  their  women,  the  year  of  Jubilee,  the  purchase  of 
wives,  &c. 

All  the  Indians  have  some  sort  of  religion,  and  allege  that  it  was  given  to 
their  forefathers,  and  that  it  would  be  offensive  to  the  Great  Spirit  to  throw 
it  away  and  take  up  with  any  other.  They  all  believe  that  after  this  life  is 
ended,  they  will  exist  in  another  state  of  being  ;  but  most  of  their  sacrifices 
and  petitions  to  their  Maker  are  done  with  a  view  to  the  procuring  of  tempo- 
ral benefits,  and  not  for  the  health  of  the  immortal  part. 


VOCABULARY    OF    SHAVVANOESE    LANGUAGE. 


591 


Death  has  no  terrors  to  an  Indian  :  he  meets  it  like  a  stoic.  The  fate  of 
the  soul  does  not  appear  to  give  him  the  smallest  uneasiness.  I  have  seen 
many  die,  and  some  in  full  confidence  of  a  happy  immortality  ;  such  were  not 
taught  of  the  Christian  missionaries.  In  innumerable  instances  I  have  con- 
fided my  life  and  property  to  Indians,  and  never,  in  time  of  peace,  was  my 
confidence  misplaced.  I  was,  on  one  occasion,  upwards  of  a  week,  in  a  time 
of  high  waters,  alone,  in  the  month  of  March,  with  a  Delaware  Indian  in  the 
woods,  whom  I  ascertained  afterwards  to  be  a  notorious  murderer  and  robber  ; 
and  having  every  thing  about  my  person  to  tempt  a  man  of  his  kind — a  good 
horse,  equipments,  arms,  clothing,  &c. — and  yet  no  one  could  be  more  pro- 
vident, kind  and  tender  over  me  than  he  was.  When  the  chiefs  heard  that  I 
had  taken  this  otherwise  bad  man  for  a  guide,  they  were  alarmed  until  in- 
formed of  my  safety.  I  have  had  large  sums  of  public  money,  and  public 
dispatches  of  the  greatest  importance,  conveyed  by  the  Indians,  without  in 
any  case  suffering  loss. 

VOCABULARY  OF  THE  SHAWANOESE. 

One — Negate. 

Two — Neshwa. 

Three — Nithese. 

Four — Newe. 

Five — Nialinwe. 

Six — Negotewathe. 

Seven — Neshvvathe. 

Eight — Sashekswa. 

Nine — Chakatswa. 

Ten — Metathwe. 

Eleven — Metath,we,  Kit,en,e,gate. 

Twelve — Metathwe,  Kiteneshwa. 

Thirteen — Metathwe,  Kitenithwa. 

Fourteen — Metathwe,  Kitenewa. 

Fifteen — Metathwe,  Kitenealinwe. 

Sixteen — Metathwe,  Kitenegotewathe. 

Seventeen — Metathwe,  Kiteneshwathe. 

Eighteen — Metathwe,  Kitensashekswa. 

Nineteen — Metathwe,  Kitenchakatswe. 

Twenty — Neesh,wa,tee,tuck,e. 

Thirty — Nithwabetucke, 

Forty — Newabetucke. 

Fifty — Nialinwabetucke. 

Sixty — Negotewashe. 

Seventy — Neshwashe. 

Eighty — Swashe. 

Ninety — Chaka. 

One  hundred — Te,pa,wa. 

Two  hundred — Neshwa tepawa. 

Three  hundred — Nithwatepawa. 

Four  hundred — Newe-tepawa. 

Five  hundred — Nialinwe-tepawa. 

Six  hundred — Negotewathe-tepawa. 

Seven  hundred — Neshwethe-tepawa. 

Eight  hundred — Sashekswa-tepawa. 

Nine  hundred — Chakatswe-tepawa. 

One  thousand — Metathwe-tepawa. 

Two  thousand — Neshina .metathwe ,tepawa. 

Three  thousand — Nethina,metathwe,tepawa 

Four  thousand — Newena,metahwe  tepawa. 

Five  thousand — Nealinwa  metathwe  tepawa. 

<~*>n  man — PasBeovflc 

Young  man — Meaneiener. 


Chief — Okema. 

Dog — Weshe. 

Horse — Meshewa. 

Cow — Methothe. 

Sheep — Meketha. 

Hog — Kosko. 

Cat — Posetha. 

Turkey — Pelewa. 

Deer — Peshikthe. 

Raccoon — Ethepate. 

Bear — Mugwa. 

Otter — Kitate. 

Mink — Chaquiwashe. 

Wild  cat — Pe^hewa. 

Panther — Meshepeshe. 

Buffalo — Methoto. 

Elk— Wabete. 

Fox — Wawakotchethe. 

Musk  rat — Oshasqua. 

Beaver — Ama  ghqua . 

Swan — Wabethe. 

Goose — Neeake. 

Duck — Sheshepuk. 

Fish — Amatha. 

Tobacco — Siamo. 

Canoe — Olagashe. 

Big  vessel  or  ship — Misheologashe. 

Paddle — Shumaghtee. 

Saddle — Appapewee. 

Bridle — ShaketonebetcheKa. 

Man — Elene. 

Woman — Equiwa. 

Boy — Skillewaythetha. 

Girl — Squithetha. 

Child — Apetotha. 

My  wife — Neewa. 

Your  wife — Keewa. 

My  husband — Wysheana. 

Your  husband — Washetche. 

My  father — Notha. 

Your  father — Kotha. 

V)'-'  mother-    Neesrah 

■  rnndmot ner-  -Cocumtha 


592 


VOCABULARY    OF    SHAWANOESE    LANGUAGE. 


My  sister — Neeshematha. 

My  bother — Neethetha. 

My  daughter — Neetanetha. 

Great  chief — Kitchokema. 

Soldier — Shemagana. 

Great  soldier,  as      )  Kitcho,  great,  and 

Gen.  Wayne,       $  Shemagana,  soldier. 
Hired  man,  or  servant — Alolagatha. 
Englishman — by  the  Ottawas,  Sagona. 

"  by  Putawatimies  and  Chippe- 

ways,  the  same. 
"  by  the  Shawanoese,  English- 

manake. 
Frenchman — Tota . 
American — Shemanose,  or  big  knives,  first 

applied  to  the  Virginians. 
The  lake — Kitchecame. 
The  sun — Kesathwa. 

"  by  the  Putawatimies,  Chippeways 

and  Ottawas,  Keesas. 
The  moon — Tepeth,ka,ke8ath,wa. 
The  stars — Alagwa. 
The  sky — Men,quat,we. 
Clouds — Pasquawke. 
The  rainbow — Quaghcunnega. 
Thunder — Unemake. 
Lightning — Papapanawe. 
Rain — Gimewane. 
Snow — Conee. 
Wind — Wishekuanwe. 
Water — Nip,pe. 

"         by  the  Putawatimies,  Ottawas  and 
Chippeways,  Na,bish. 
Fire — Scoate. 
Cold— We,pe. 

"       Putawatimie,  Sin,e,a. 
Warm — Aquettata. 
Ice — M'Quama. 
The  earth — Ake. 

The  trees,  or  the  woods — Me,te,quegh,ke. 
The  hills — Mavueghke. 
Bottom  ground — Alwamake. 
Prairie — Tawaskota. 
Friend — Ne,can,a. 

"         in  Delaware,  N'tschee. 

"         in  Putawatimie,  Ottawa  and  Chip- 
peway,  Nitche. 
River — Sepe. 
Pond — Miskeque. 

Wet  ground,  or  swamp — Miskekope. 
Good  land — Wesheasiske. 
Small  stream — The,bo,with,e. 
Poor  land — Mel,che,a,sis,ke. 
House — Wig.wa . 
Council  house,  or  great  house — Takatche- 

maka  wigwa. 
The  great  God,  or  good  spirit — Mishemene- 

toc. 
The  bad  spirit,  or  the  devil — Watchemene- 

toc. 
Dead — Nep,wa. 
Alive — Lenawawe. 


Sick — Aghqueloge. 
Well — Weshelashamama. 
Corn — Da,me. 

"       by  the  Putawatimies,  M'tamc. 
Wheat — Cawasque. 
Beans — Miscoochethake. 
Potatoes — Meash,e,tha,ke. 

"         by  the  Putawatimies,  Ptng^ca. 
Turneps — Openeake. 
Pumpkins — Wabegs. 

Mellons Usketomake. 

Onions — Shekagosheke. 
Apples — Me , she  ,me  ,na,ke . 
Nuts — Pacanee. 
Nut — Paean. 
Gun — Metequa. 
Axe — Te.ca.ca. 
Tomahawk — Cheketecaca. 
Knife — Manese. 

"        by  the  Putawatimies,  Comong. 
Powder — Macate. 
Flints — Shakeka. 
Trap — Naquaga. 
Hat — Petacowa. 
Shirt — Peleneca. 
Blanket — Aquewa. 

"  by  the  Putawatimies,  Wapyan,  or 

wabscat,  wapyan,  i.  e.   white 
blanket. 
Handkerchief — Pethewa. 
Pair  of  leggings — Me.tetawawa. 
Eggs — Wa,wa,le. 
Freshmeat — Weothe. 

"  by  the  Putawatimies,  We,as. 

Salt — Nepepimme. 
"        by  the  Putawatimies,  Su,ta,gin. 
Bread — Ta,quan,e. 

"         Putawatimies,  Quasp.kin — a  Shaw- 
anoese would  say,  Meet,a,lasqwa. 
I  have  got  no  bread — Ta,qu,ana. 
Kettle — A,coh,qua. 
Sugar — Me,las,sa. 
Tea — Shis,ke,wapo. 
Medicine — Cho,beka. 
I  am  very  sick — 01ame,ne,taghque,lo,ge. 
I  am  very  well — Ne,wes,he,la,shama,mo. 
A  fine  day — Wash,he,kee,she,ke. 
A  cloudy  day — Mes,quet,wee. 
My  friend — Ne,can,a. 
My  enemy — Matche,le,ne,tha,tha. 
The  Great  Spirit  is  the  friend  of  the  Indians — 

Ne,we,can,e,te,pa,  we,sphe,ma,mi,too. 
Let  us  always  do  good — We,sha,cat,we,lo, 

ke,we,la,wapa. 
Bell— To,ta,gin. 
Plenty — Ma,la,ke, 
Cut,e,we,ka,sa,  or  Blackfoot,  the  head  chief 

of  the  Shawanoese,  died  at  Wapoghkon- 

etta  in  1831,  aged  about  105  years. 
She,me,ne,too,  or  the  Snake,  another  aged 

chief,  emigrated  with  the  nation  west. 
Fort,  or  garrison — Wa,kargin. 


SPECIMEN    OP    WYANDOTT    LANGUAGE. 


593 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  WYANDOTT,  OR  HURON  LANGUAGE. 


One — Scat. 

Two— Tin, dee 

Three— Shaight. 

Four — An.daght. 

Five — Wee,ish. 

Six — Wa,shaw. 

Seven — Soo,ta,re. 

Eight — Ace,tarai. 

Nine — Ain,tru. 

Ten — Augh,sagh. 

Twenty — ten,deit,a,waugh,sa. 

Thirty — Shaigh,ka,waugh,sa. 

Forty — An,dagh,ka,waugh,sa. 

Fifty — Wee,ish,awaugh,sa. 

S  ix  ty — Wa  w  ,sha  w,wa  gh  ,sa , 

Seventy — Soo,ta,re,waugh,sa. 

Eighty — Au,tarai,waugh,sa. 

Ninety — Ain,tru,waugh,sa. 

One  hundred — Scu,te,main,gar,we. 

The  great  God,  or  good  spirit — Ta,main,- 

de,zue. 
Good — Ye,waugh,ste. 
Bad — Waugh,she. 

Devil,  or  bad  spirit — Deghshee,re,noh. 
Heaven — Ya,roh,nia. 
Hell — Degh,shunt. 
Sun — Ya,an,des,hra. 
Moon — Waugh^unt,ya,an  ,des,hra . 
Stars — Tegh,she. 
Sky — C  a  gh  ,ro  ,ni  ,ate . 
Clouds — Oght.se  ,rah. 
Wind — Iru.quas. 
It  rains — Ina,un,du,se. 
Thunder — Heno. 
Lightning — Tim,mendi,quas. 
Earth — Umait,sagh. 
Deer — Ough,scan,oto. 
Bear — Anu.e. 
Raccoon — Ha,in,te,roh. 
Fox — Th,na,in,ton,to. 
Beaver — Soo,taie. 
Mink — So,hoh,main,dia. 
Turkey — Daigh,ton,tah. 
Squirrel — Ogh,ta,eh. 
Otter — Ta,wen,deh. 
Dog — Yun,ye,nah. 
Cow — Kin,ton,squa,ront. 
Horse — Ugh,shut,te,  or  man  carrier. 
Goose — Yah,hounk. 
Duck — Yu,in,geh. 
Man — Air,ga,hon. 
Woman — Utchjke. 
Girl — Ya,weet,sen,tho. 
Boy — Oma,int,sent,e,hah. 
Child— Che,ah,ha. 
Old  man — Ha,o,tong. 
Old  woman — Ut,sindag,sa. 
My  wife — Azut,tun,oh,oh. 
Corn — Nay,hah. 
Beans — Yah  ,re,sah . 
Potatoes — Da,ween,dah. 
Mellons,  or  pumpkins — 0,nugh,sa 


Grass — E,ru,ta. 

Weeds — Ha,en,tan. 

Trees — Ye,aron,ta. 

Wood — 0,tagh,ta. 

House — Ye,anogh,sha. 

Gun — Who,ra,min,ta. 

Powder — T'egh,sta. 

Lead — Ye,at,ara. 

Flints — Ta,wegh,ske,ra. 

Knife — We,ne,ash,ra. 

Axe — Otto,ya,ye. 

Blanket — Deengh,tat,sea. 

Kettle — Ya,yan,e,tith. 

Rum — We,at,se,wie. 

River — Ye,an,da,wa. 

Bread — Da,ta,rah. 

Dollar — Sogh,ques,tut. 

Shirt — Ca,tu,reesh. 

Leggins — Ya.ree. 

Bell — Te,ques,ti,egh,tas,ta. 

Saddle — Quagh.she,ta. 

Bridle — Cong,shu,ree. 

Fire — Sees,ta. 

Flour — Ta,ish,rah. 

Hog — Quis,quesh. 

Big  house — Ye,a,nogh,shu,wan,a. 

Corn  field — Ya,yan,quagh,k». 

Musk  rat — Se,he,ash,i,ya,hah. 

Cat — Dush,rat. 

Wild  cat — Skaink,qua,hagh. 

Mole — Ca,in,dia,he,nugh,qua. 

Snake — To,en,gen,seek. 

Frog — Sun,day,wa,shu,ka. 

Americans — Sa,ray,u,migh,  or  big  knives. 

Englishman — Qu,han,stro,no. 

Frenchman — Tu,hugh,car,o,no. 

My  Brother — Ha,en,ye,ha. 

My  sister — A,en,yajna. 

Father — Ha,yes,ta. 

Mother — Ane,heh. 

Sick — Shat,wu,ra. 

Well — Su,we,regh,he. 

Cold— Ture,a. 

Warm — Ote,re,a,ute. 

Snow — De,neh,ta. 

Ice — Deesh,ra. 

Water — Sa,un,dus,tee,the,  the  origin  of  San- 
dusky, the  bay,  river  and  county 
of  that  name. 

Friend — Ne,at,a,rugh. 

Enemy — Ne,mat,re,zue. 

War — Tre,zue. 

Peace — Scan,o,nie. 

Are  you  married — Scan,dai,ye. 

I  am  not  married  yet — Augh^ogh,a,sante,- 
te,sandai,ge. 

Come  here — Owa,he. 

Go  away — Sa  cati,arin,ga. 

You  trouble  me — Ska,in,gen,tagh,qua. 

I  am  afraid — I,agh,ka,ron,8e. 

I  love  you — Yu,now,moi,e. 

I  hate  you — Yung,squa,his. 


594 


SPECIMEN    OF    WYANDOTT    LANGUAGE. 


I  go  to  war — A,yagh,kee. 

I  love  peace — Eno,moigh,an,dogh,sken,onie. 

I  love  all  men — Away,tee,ken,omie. 

I  have  conquered  my  enemy — 0,negh,e,ke,- 

wishe,noo. 
I  don't  like  white  men — Icar,tri,zue,egh,har,- 

taken,ome,enu,mah. 
Indians — I,om,when. 
Negro — Ahon,e,see. 
Prisoner — Yan,dah,squa. 
He  is  a  thief — Run,neh,squa,hoon. 
Good  man — Room,wae,ta,wagh,stee. 
Fish — Ye,ent,so. 
Plums — At,su,meghst. 
Apples — Sow,se,wat. 
Fruit — Ya,heeghk. 
Sugar — Se,ke,ta.     Honey — the  same. 
Bees — Un,dagh,quont. 
Salt — Anu,magh,ke,he,one,    or    the    white 

people's  sugar. 
Moccasin — Aragh,shee , 
How  do  you  do — Tu,ougk,qua,no,u. 
I  am  sorry — I,ye,et,sa,tigh. 
lam  hungry — Yat,o,regh,shas,ta. 
You  will  be  filled — E,sagh,ta,hah. 
I  am  dying — E,hye,ha,honz. 
God   forgive    me — Ho,ma,yen,de,zuti,et,te,- 

rang. 
Auglaize    river — Qus,quas,run,dee,    or    the 

falling  timber  on  the  river. 
Blanchard's  fork  of  the  Auglaize — Quegh,- 

tu,wa,  or  claws  in  the  water. 


Sandusky — Sa,un,dus,tee,  or  water  within 
water-pools. 

Muskingum — Da,righ,quay,  a  town  or  place 
of  residence. 

Cayuhoga — Ya,sha,hia,  or  the  place  at  the 
wing. 

Miami  of  the  lake — Cagh,a,ren.du,te,  or 
standing  rock  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  of 
this  river.  There  is  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream  a  large  elevated  rock,  which,  at  a 
distance,  very  much  resembles  a  house. 
The  place  was  named  by  the  French  Roche 
de  Boef,and  hence  the  standing  rock  river. 

The  sea  of  salt  water — Yung,ta,rez,ue. 

The  lakes — Yung,ta,rah. 

Detroit — Yon,do,tia,  or  great  town. 

Defiance,  now  the  county  seat  of  Defiance 
county,  at  the  junction  of  the  Auglaize 
and  Miami  of  the  lake — Tu,enda,wie,  or 
the  junction  of  two  rivers.  After  defeat- 
ing the  Indians  in  1794,  Gen.  Wayne,  on 
his  return,  built  Fort  Defiance,  thereby 
proclaiming  defiance  to  the  enemy. 

Chillicothe  town — Tat,a,ra,ra,  or  leaning 
bank.  Chillicothe  is  Shawanoese,  and  is 
the  name  of  one  of  their  tribes. 

Cincinnati — Tu,ent,a,hah,e,wagh,ta,  a  land- 
ing place,  where  the  road  leaves  the  river. 

Ohio  river — 0,he,zuh,ye,an,da,wa,  or  some- 
thing great. 

Mississippi — Yan,da,we,zue,  or  great  the 
river. 


NAMES    OF   RIVERS    BY    THE   SHAWANOESE — SPOKEN    SHA,WA,NO. 

Ohio,  i.  e.  Eagle  river. — See  page  574. 

Ken,a,wa — meaning  having  whirlpools,  or  swallowing  up.  Some  have  it  that  an  evil 
spirit  lived  in  the  water,  which  drew  substances  to  the  bottom  of  the  river. 

Sci,o,to  was  named  by  the  Wyandotts,  who  formerly  resided  upon  it.  A  large  town  was 
at  Columbus,  having  their  cornfields  on  the  bottom  grounds  opposite  that  city.  The  Wy- 
andotts pronounce  the  word  Sci,on,to,  signification  unknown. 

Great  Miamie — Shi,me,a,mee,sepe,  or  Big  Miamie. 

Little  Miamie — Che,ke,me,a,mee,sepe,  or  Little  Miamie. 

MusJung,um  is  a  Delaware  word,  and  means  a  town  on  the  river  side.  The  Shawa- 
noes  call  it  Wa,ka,ta,mo,sepe,  which  has  the  same  signification. 

Hock,hock,ing  is  Delaware,  and  means  a  bottle.  The  Shawanoese  have  it  Wea,tha,- 
kagh,qua,sepe — Bottle  river. 

Auglaize  river — Cow,the,na,ke,sepe,  or  falling  timber  river. 

Saint  Mary's  river — Ca,ko, the  ,ke, sepe,  or  kettle  river — cako,the,ke,  a  kettle. 

Miamie  of  the  lake — Ot,ta,wa,sepe,  or  Ottawa  river.  The  Ottawas  had  several  towns 
on  this  river  as  late  as  1811,  and  down  to  within  10  years.  They  occupied  the  country 
about  the  lake  shore,  Maumee  bay  and  the  rapids  above  Perrysburgh. 

Blanchard's  fork  of  the  Auglaize — Sha,po,qua,te,  sepe,  or  Tailor's  river.     See  p.  237. 

Sandusky  river — called  by  the  Shawanoese  Po,ta,ke,sepe,  a  rapid  river. 

Detroit  strait,  or  river — Ke,ca,me,ge,  the  narrow  passage,  or  strait. 

Kentucky  is  a  Shawanoese  word,  and  signifies  at  the  head  of  a  river. 

Licking  river,  which  enters  the  Ohio  opposite  the  city  of  Cincinnati — the  Shawanoese 
have  it,  Ne,pe,pim,me,sepe,  from  Ne,pe,pim,me,  salt,  and  sepe,  river,  i.  e.  salt  river. 

Mad  river — by  the  Shawanoese,  Athe,ne,sepe,athe,ne,  a  flat  or  smooth  stone,  and  sepe, 
river,  i.  e.  a  flat  or  smooth  stone  river. 


INDEX. 


595 


INDEX  TO  CITIES  AND  PRINCIPAL  VILLAGES. 


Aberdeen, 

72 

Clifton, 

201 

Adelphi, 

444 

Conneaut, 

39 

Akron, 

474 

Columbiana, 

111 

Albion, 

127 

Coshocton, 

115 

Ashland, 

35 

Columbus, 

170 

Ashtabula, 

43 

Covington, 

365 

Athens, 

49 

Croghansville, 

446 

Austinburg, 

45 

Cuyahoga  Falls, 

476 

Barnesville, 

66 

Dayton, 

369 

Batavia, 

98 

Defiance, 

144 

Bainbridge, 

444 

Delaware, 

146 

Ballsville, 

452 

Deerfield, 

420 

Bethel, 

166 

Dover, 

491 

Bedford, 

126 

Dresden, 

392 

Berkshire, 

149 

Eaton, 

421 

Bellbrook, 

201 

Edingburg, 

521 

Berlin, 

257 

Ellsworth, 

342 

Bellevue, 

259 

Elyria, 

314 

Bellefontaine, 

355 

Enon, 

96 

Beallsville, 

368 

Euclid, 

127 

Belleville, 

432 

Fairfield, 

201 

Beverly, 

517 

Fairport, 

280 

Birmingham, 

157 

Fairview, 

205 

Black  River, 

317 

Felicity, 

100 

Bloomingburg, 

166 

Findlay, 

238 

Bolivar, 

493 

Franklinton, 

169 

Bourneville, 

444 

Freeport, 

244 

Bridgeport, 

60 

Frederickton, 

277 

Brooklyn, 

127 

Franklin  Mills, 

418 

Brownsville, 

298 

Frankfort, 

444 

Bryan, 

522 

Franklin, 

502 

Burlington, 

104 

Galeon, 

119 

Bucyrus, 

117 

Gallipolis, 

185 

Burton, 

190 

Gambier, 

276 

Burlington, 

290 

Garrettsville, 

420 

Carrol, 

80 

Georgetown, 

69 

Castalia, 

157 

Germantown, 

376 

Cambridge, 

203 

Gillford, 

111 

Cadiz, 

243 

Gilead, 

541 

Canfield, 

340 

Gnadenhutten, 

493 

Carrolton, 

376 

Gratiot, 

393 

Campbellsport, 

420 

Granville, 

295 

Camden, 

426 

Greenfield, 

255 

Canton, 

467 

Greenville, 

141 

Canal  Fulton, 

469 

Hamilton, 

73 

Cary, 

555 

Hanover, 

110 

Cedarville, 

202 

Harrison, 

327 

Centreville, 

288 

Harrisville,    26S 

,348 

Celina, 

353 

Hanging  Rock, 

291 

Chagrin  Falls, 

125 

Harmar, 

517 

Chardon, 

189 

Harveysburg, 

505 

Chester, 

352 

Hebron, 

298 

Chesterville, 

277 

Hillsborough, 

250 

Chandlersville, 

392 

Higginsport, 

72 

Charloe, 

397 

Huron, 

157 

Chillicothe, 

435 

Jamestown, 

201 

Cincinnati, 

215 

Jackson, 

263 

Circleville, 

400 

Jacksontown, 

298 

Clarington, 

368 

Jeromeville, 

36 

Cleveland, 

123 

Jefferson, 

43 

JefTersonville, 

Junction, 

Kalida, 

Kenton, 

Kingsville, 

Kingston, 

Kirtland, 

Lancaster, 

La  Porte, 

Lafayette, 

Leesburg,         80, 

Leesville, 

Lewistown, 

Lexington, 

Lebanon, 

Lima, 

Liverpool, 

Little  Sandusky, 

Loudonville, 

Logan, 

London, 

Lowell,  342, 

Lower  Sandusky, 

Manchester, 

Martinsville, 

Martinsburg, 

Maumee  City, 

Manhattan, 

Marion, 

Malta, 

Mansfield, 

Masillon, 

Marysville, 

Marietta, 

M'Arthurstown, 

M'Connelsville, 

Mechanicsburg, 

Medina, 

Middletown,    78, 

Milford, 

Milan, 

Millersburg, 

Miamisburg, 

Middlcbury, 

Morristown, 

Mt.Pleasant,237, 

"    Vernon, 

"    Gilead, 

"    Eaton, 
Montgomery, 
Monroeville, 
Mogadore, 
Napoleon, 
Nashville, 
Nelsonville, 
Neville, 
Newark, 
Newville, 
Newton  Falls, 
New  Carlisle, 


166 

New  Haven, 

253 

397 

New  Richmond, 

100 

427 

New  Lisbon, 

107 

241 

New  Madison, 

143 

45 

New  Market, 

252 

444 

New  Concord, 

292 

282 

New  Lexington, 

400 

158 

New  Paris, 

426 

317 

N.  Philadelphia, 

488 

337 

Niles, 

483 

252 

Norwalk, 

257 

119 

Norwich, 

392 

304 

Oberlin, 

315 

432 

Ohio  City, 

125 

400 

Oxford, 

79 

28 

Parkman, 

190 

110 

Paris, 

259 

555 

Fainsville, 

279 

36 

Petersburg, 

252 

255 

Perrysburg, 

540 

337 

Piqua, 

360 

517 

Piketon, 

412 

446 

Plymouth, 

259 

28 

Poland, 

342 

66 

Pomeroy, 

350 

277 

Port  Clinton, 

396 

327 

Port  Jefferson, 

466 

332 

Portsmouth, 

457 

344 

Providence, 

332 

381 

Putnam, 

390 

430 

Ravenna,       414 

,473 

468 

Rehobeth, 

400 

495 

Republic, 

463 

512 

Reynoldsburg, 

176 

54 

Ripley, 

71 

379 

Richmond,    272 

,281 

84 

Roscoe, 

116 

347 

Rossville, 

73 

206 

Russelville, 

72- 

100 

Salem, 

109 

154 

Sandusky  City, 

158 

256 

St.  Clairsville, 

57 

374 

St.  Marys, 

353 

476 

Scipio, 

463 

66 

Senecaville, 

205 

272 

Seville, 

348 

275 

Section  Ten, 

498 

344 

Shelby, 

432 

521 

Sidney, 

465 

237 

Sinking  Spring, 

252 

259 

Smithfield, 

272 

420 

Somerville, 

79 

249 

South  Charlestoi 

,   96 

257 

Somerset, 

398 

49 

Springfield, 

94 

100 

Spring  Valley, 

201 

293 

Springboro', 

505 

432 

Strongville, 

127 

482 

Steubenville, 

270 

96 

Sunbury, 

149 

596 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


Tallmadge, 

478 

Utica,                    298 

Waynesville, 

503 

Winchester, 

28,  162 

Tarlton, 

412 

Upper  Sandusky,  453 

Watertown, 

517 

Worthington, 

169 

Taylorsville, 

392 

Van  Wert,             496 

West  Jefferson, 

337 

Woodsfield, 

368 

Tiffin, 

462 

Vermillion,             157 

West  Union, 

27 

Woodville, 

453 

Thornville, 

400 

Wapakoneta,          29 

West  Liberty, 

312 

Wooster, 

519 

Toledo, 

329 

Washington,  163,  204 

Wellsville, 

109 

Youngstown, 

341 

Troy, 

359 

Warren,                  272 

Wheelersburg, 

457 

Xenia, 

197 

Tvvinsburg, 

478 

Waterville,            332 

Williamsburg, 

98 

Zanesfield, 

312 

Unionville, 

288 

Wadsworth,          348 

Wilmington, 

101 

Zanesville, 

384 

Union  Village, 

501 

Waverly,                413 

Willoughby, 

281 

Zoar, 

491 

Uibana, 

81 

Waynesburg,469, 521 

Willshire, 

497 

GENERAL  INDEX. 


Abbott,  David,  escape  of,  156 

Alder,  Jonathan,  captivity  of,  333 

Alligator,  the,  298 

Alarm,  false,  475 

Anecdote,  singular  legal,  490 
Ancient  works,       40,  53,  294,  298,  361, 

375,410,413,457,503,515 
Appleseed,  Johnny,  eccentricities  of,        431 

Armstrongs,  the  notice  of,  166 

Assoc.  Ref.  Theo.  Seminary,  78 

Bark  Cutters,  the,  28 
Badger,  Rev.  J.,                                  45,  482 

Bank,  Gallipolis,  185 

Baptist  church,  first  in  Ohio,  229 

Battise,  John,  242 

Ball,  Col.,  squadron  of,  attacked,  452 

Bears  attacked  by  ladies,  47 

"       desperate  fight  with,  572 

Benham,  Capt.,  attack  on,  498 

Beaverhat,  town  of,  515 

Big  Bottom  attacked,  377 

Black  Hoof,  sketch  of,  33 

Blue  Jacket,  sketch  of,  34 

Blind,  institution  for  the,  173 

Black  Swamp  described,  245 

Blannerhasset's  Island,  514 

Bodily  exercises,  46 

Boquet's  expedition,  111 

Bockingehelas,  notice  of,  146 

Boone,  Daniel,  anecdotes  of,  191 

Bowman,  expedition  of,  192 

Bradstreet's  expedition,  150 

Bradley,  Capt.,  skirmish  of,  397 

Brady's  Leap,  419 

Brannon,  sentence  of,  434 

Breckenridge,  reminiscences  of,  182 

Brown,  Jim,  the  counterfeiter,  475 

British  attack  Fort  Stephenson,  447 

Butler,  Gen.,  death  of,  129 

Bullit,  Capt.,  boldness  of,  190 

Buskirk's  Battle,  270 

Burlington  storm,  294 

Burr's  Conspiracy,  18 

Captina,  battle  of,  55 


Cass,  Major,  allusion  to,  76,  381 

Cascade  at  Clifton,  201 

Canal  lands,  558 

Canals,  commencement  of,  in  Ohio,  19 

Catholic  church,  1st  in  Ohio,  400 

Church,  1st  in  Cincinnati,  213 

Cholera,  224 

Chillicothe,  old,  190 

Chicago,  signification  of,  324 

Child,  first  born  in  Ohio,  487 

Cleveland,  Gen.,  notice  of,  120 

Clarke  Co.,  history  of,  in  addenda,  565 

Clarke,  Gen.,  expedition  of,  357 

"  "     destroys  Loramie's  store,    464 

Coal,  Pomeroy,  341 

Coal,  cannel,  204 

Coshocton  campaign,  114 

Courts,  primitive,  193,  337,  508 

Columbia  settled,  206 

Colleges,  Athens,  49 

Central,  176 

'•       Cincinnati,  219 

"       Franklin,  244 

"       Granville,  295 

"       Kenyon,  276 

"       Medical,  124, 220, 281 

"       Muskingum,  392 

"       Marietta,  512 

"       Oberlin,  314 

"       Ohio  Wesleyan,  148 

St.  Xavier's,  219 

"       Western  Reserve,  473 

"       Wittemberg,  95 

"       Woodward,  219 

College  lands,  558 

Cold  Winter,  the,  345 

Colored  Persons,  settlement  of,  71,  3'^k  465 

Community,  German,  at  Zoar,  491 

Congress,  members  of,  000 

Convention,  members  of  the  state, 

Congress  lands,  558 

Cornstalk,  death  of,  409 

Copus's,  their  cabin  attacked,  430 

Crawford,  Col.,  notice  of,  117 

"         "         burning  and  defeat  oc    542 

Cranberry  marsh,  119 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


597 


Curry,  Col.  Jas.,  494 

Customs,  early,  76,  151,  ICO,  254,  274, 

366,  434,  570 


Darlinton,  Gen.,  notice  of, 
Davis,  Samuel,  escape  of, 
Deserters  executed, 
Deserted  camp, 
Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum, 
Defiance  at  an  early  day, 
Delaware  tribe,  sketch  of, 

"  reservation, 

Diver,  shot  by  an  Indian, 
Donalson,  Israel,  captivity  of, 
Downing,  escape  of, 
Dog,  hanging  of  a, 

"    sacrificed, 
Dominican  Friars,  Convent  of, 
Dohrman's  Grant, 
Donation  tract, 

Drake's  defpat,  amusing  anecdotes 
Drouth  of  1845, 
Dunlap's  station  attacked, 
Dunkards,  the 
Dunmore,  expedition  of, 

"       narrow  escape  of, 
Dunlavy,  Judge,  notice  of, 
Dudley,  defeat  of, 

Edgingtons,  attack  on  the, 
Ellison,  Andrew,  captivity  of, 
-Elliott,  Colonel,  death  of, 

"       Captain,  the  renegade, 
Emlen  Institute, 

English  settlement,  first,  in  Ohio, 
Erie,  signification  of, 
Ewing,  Major  George, 
Explosion  of  Gunpowder, 


of, 


26 

260 
76,  437 
101 
174 
566 
146 
343 
410 
22 
23 
26 
460 
399 
558 
558 
569 
189 
210 
257 
405 
409 
501 
533 

25 
25 
222 
337 
355 
7 
150 
511 
521 


Fallen  Timbers,  battle  of  the,  318 

Female,  sharp  shooting  of  a,  126 

Fire-lands,  the,  150,  330,  558 

Fire,  distressing,  228 

Forts  Amanda,  34  ;  Ball,  462  ;  Campus 
Martins,  508;  Defiance,  144,  317; 
Deposite,  318;  Dilies,  54;  Findlay, 
238;  Gower,  49;  Greenville,  143; 
Harmar,  506  ;  Hamilton,  74  ;  Jeffer- 
son, 128  ;  Junandat,  150  ;  Laurens, 
487;  Loramie,  464;  M'Arthur,  240  ; 
Meigs,  528,  539  ;  Miami,  319  ;  Piqua, 
363  ;  Recovery,  138  ;  St.  Marys,  353  ; 
St.  Clair,  421  ;  Sandusky,  150  ;  Sen- 
eca, 458  ;  Stephenson,  446  ;  Steuben, 
270 ;  Washington,  209. 
Fossil  remains,  53 

Fountain,  the  white  sulphur,  148 

French  policy,  36 

"       ancient  relic  of,  313 

traders,    49,  120,  150,  328,  456,  463 
"        fort  at  Piqua  attacked,  363 

"        grant,  456,  558 

"       early  explorations  of,  5 

"       settlement  of  English  attacked  by,  463 


French  settle  Gallipolis,                     177,  574 

Freshet  of  1832,                        •  224 

Funks,  the  fighting  family  of,  165 

Gallipolis,  settlement  of,                     177,  574 

George,  Captain,  killed  by  M'Mahon,  480 

Girty's,  the,  246 

Gorge  in  rocky  fork  of  Paint  creek,  250 

Governors  of  Ohio,  562 

Grave-yard,  ancient,                             40,  115 

Greenville  treaties,  142 

Greene,  Mrs.,  captivity  of,  160 

Greene  county,  early  times  in,  193 

Greentown  Indians,  428 

Harpers,  privations  of  the,  42 

Hamer,  Gen.,  notice  of,  71 

Harrison,  Gen.,  tomb  and  biography  of,  231 

letter  to  Chilton,  322 

"  interview  with  Tecumseh,   90 

"  "  "     Chambers,  529 

"             attempt  to  assassinate,  458 

Hardin,  Col.,  defeat  of,  13 

"          notice  of,  240 

Hewit,  Moses,  captivity  and  escape  of,  51 

Hermit  of  the  Scioto,  443 

Hinkson,  Col.,  notice  of,  103 

Hillman,  Col.,  anecdotes  of,  338 

Hocking,  wild  scenery  in,  253 

Hotel,  first  at  Zanesville,  385 

Hunt,  Josiah,  anecdotes  of,  199 

"      Abner,  death  of,  211 

"      a  grand,  346 

Huntington,  Gov.,  anecdote  of,  280 

Hughes,  Jesse,  the  Indian  fighter,  292 

Hurricane  Toms,  413 

Hudson,  David,  settlement  of,  470 

Indian,  pleasing  feature  in  character  of,  163 

"       method  of  trading,  274 

"            "       "    hunting,  345 

"       delicacy  of  an,  418 

"       game  of  ball,  30 

"       customs,  3 1 

"       murders,  55 

Indians,  Delaware,  notice  of,  145,  343 
"        Miami,  signification  of  the  name,  356 

"        Shawanoese,     "         "         "  363 

"        Wyandot  tribe,  history  of,  550 

"        Piqua  tribe,  origin  of  the,  362 

"        last  treaty  with,  549 

Iron  region  of  Ohio,  288 

"     ore,  smelting  of,  342 

Jerks,  the,  46 

Johnny-cake, a  huge,  47 

John,  Captain,  ferocity  of,  165 

Johnson  boys,  heroism  of,  268 

Johnston,  Col.  John,  notice  of,  362 

"         Captain,  notice  of,  364 

Kenton,  General,  biography  of,  306 

"  "         anecdotes  of,  82, 555 

Kellys,  the  attack  on,  288 


o98 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


Kingsburys,  the  sufferings  of  the,  39 

Kirkwood,  Captain,  cabin  of,  attacked,  60 
Killbuck,  notice  of,                             146,  519 

Lands,  public,  558 

Lane  seminary,  219 

Lasselle,  Antoine,  escapes  hanging,  327 

Lake,  artificial,  largest  in  the  world,  354 

Leatherlips  executed  for  witchcraft,  167 

Lewis,  Captain,  notice  of,  302 

"             "        anecdote  of,  365 

Life  in  the  woods,  62 

List  of  public  men,  561 

Little  mountain,  287 

"     Turtle,  biography  of,  424 

Logan,  the  chief,  murder  of  his  family,  264 

"             "           speech  of,  406 

"             "          murder  of,  409 

"        General,  expedition  of,  299 

"        Captain,  sketch  of,  302 

Lowry,  defeat  of,  423 

Loramie,  the  French  trader,  463 

Lunatic  asylum,  172 

Lytle,  General,  anecdotes  of,               98  299 

Map,  first  of  Ohio,  170 

Mastodon,  remains  of,  118,  264 

Mach-a-chack  towns  destroyed,  299 

Maumee,  map  illustrating  battles  of  the,  318 

"       road  lands,  558 

"       valley,  early  history  of  the,  522 

"       speculations  in,  540 

Mansfield,  Col.  Jared,  notice  of,  431 

Massie,  General,  biography  of,  441 

May, ,  killed  by  Indians,  326,  453 

M' Arthur,  Duncan,  anec.  of,       56,  454,  455 

"              "         biography  of,  439 

M'Clelland,  Captain,  anecdote  of,  241 

M'Clellan,  the  spy,  324 

M'Donald,  Colonel,  expedition  of,  382 

M'Dowel,  adventures  of,  454 

M'Intire,  John,  anecdotes  of,  386 

M'Kee,  Col.  Alex.,  the  renegade,  327 

M'Mahon,  Major,  death  of,  138 

M'Pherson,  Jas.,  notice  of,  304 

Medical  University,  124,  220,  281 

Methodist,  first  in  the  Scioto  Valley,  435 

"  "  Ind.  miss,  in  Miss.  Valley,  552 

Meigs,  Fort,  siege  of,  525 

"      Governor,  biography  of,  514 

Miller's  Bank,  413 

Mingo  town,  the  old,  264 

Ministerial  lands,  558 

Misery,  scene  of,  417 

Missionary,  first  on  the  Reserve,  482 

Missionaries,  Moravian,     120,  155,466,  483 

Mob  against  Negroes,  226 

Mobs  to  suppress  abolition,  225 

Moravian  mission,  first  in  Ohio,  467 

"         lands,  558 

"         massacre,  483 

Mormons,  history  of,  282 

"         temple  of,  283 


Morrow,  Gov.,  residence  of,  501 

Mound,  large,  375 

"       at  Marietta,  516 

Mount  Pleasant,  161 

Mud  cottage  of  an  emigrant,  108 

Murder,  execution  of  Indians  for,  122,  258 

Narrdws  of  Licking,  298 

Neutral  Nation,  the,  445 

Newspaper,  first  in  Ohio,  215 

North  Bend  settled,  208 

Nunnery,  Catholic,  399 

Ohio  Co's  purchase  and  settlement,  10,  506 
"     connection  with  the  Scioto  Co.,       574 

"     becomes  a  state,  16 

"     origin  of  the  word.  574 

"     general  view  of,  556 

Oliver,  Capt.  Wm.,  anecdotes  of,  238,  529 

Ornish,  the  sect  of,  427 

Pack  saddle,  shooting  with  a,  263 

Paine,  Gen.  Edward,  settles  Painesville,  280 
Patriots,  skirmish  of,  397 

Patterson,  Col.  R.,  biography  of,  372 

Penitentiary,  Ohio,  175 

Perry's  victory,  394 

Phenomenon,  singular,  27 

Pioneer,  a  story  of,      '  348 

Pipe,  Capt.,  36,  343 

Piqua,  attack  on,  85 

"      origin  of  the  tribe,  362 

"      Pickaway  plains  described,  402 

Poe,  escapes  assassination,  554 

Poes,  the  contest  of  the,  106 

Point  Pleasant,  battle  of,  405 

"  "     last  survivor  of  the,  292 

Popejoy,  Esq.,meth.  of  dispensing  justice,  164 
Portage  path  bet.  Tuscarawas  and  Cuya.  476 
between  the  Miamies,         363 
Prisoners,  mourning  of,  together,  263 

Putnam,  Gen.  Rufus,  biography  of,  513 

Raccoons  catching  frogs,  345 

Randolph,  John,  slaves  of,  356 

Refugee  tract,  558 

Relic,  ancient,  40,313 

Reily,  John,  78 

Reserve,  Conn.  Western,  history  of,  9, 12, 

16, 17, 120,  150 

"  first  landing  of  surveyors  in,  37 

"  "    missionary  in,        45, 482 

"    salt  works  in,      338,  479 

"  "    how  settled,  188 

"  "    great  drouth  in,  189 

"  "    lands  of  the,  558 

Ridge,  curious,  496 

Riley,  Capt.  Jas.,  497 

Roundhead,  the  Wyandot  chief,  242 

Rudolph,  Major,  fate  and  cruelty  of,  75 

Ruffner  fight,  429 

Salt,  263,  338,  349,  380,  381,  479,  412,  558 


INDEX. 


599 


St.  Clair,  biography  of,  57 

"         defeat  of,  131 

"              "        poem  on  the,  137 

St.  Mary's,  treaty  of,  353 

Sandusky,  signification  of,  445 

School  lands,  558 

Scioto  Company,         11,  169,  177,  296,  574 

Scott,  Gen.,  expedition  of,  454 

Seneca  Reservation,  459 

Sermon,  first  in  Newark,  293 

Settlements,  first,  in  Ohio,  7, 10 

Shakers,  501 

Shaylor,  Capt.,  escape  of,  141 

Silver  mine  hoax,  392 

Slover,  escape  of,  404 

Smally,  Wm.,  anecdotes  of,  102 

Snake  stories,                    297,  342,  477,  480 

Song,  Pioneer,  296 

Songs,  military,  137,540 

Spencer,  O.  M.,  taken  captive,  222 
Springs,  117,118, 146, 1 48, 157, 200, 239, 463 

Squirrels,  grand  hunt  for,  176 

Stigwanish,  anecdote  of,  280 

State  House,  first  in  Ohio,  436 

Steamboat,  first  in  the  west,  18 

Storrs,  President,  notice  of,  474 

Stow,  Joshua,  anecdote  of,  477 
Story,  Rev.  Daniel,  first  Prot.  preacher,  514 

Sugar  Camp  settlement,  237 

Surveyors,  privations  of,  442 

Sum-mun-de-wat,  murder  of,  554 

Subterr-asiean  stream,  462 
Sweetland,  Solomon,  driven  across  L.  Erie,  41 

Swift,  Judge  Zephaniah,  grave  of,  479 

Symmes'  Hole,  76 

Symmes'  purchase,  205,  558 

Symmes,  Judge,  notice  of,  235 

Tarhe,  the  Crane,  159,  304,  551 

Tappan,  Hon.  Ben]'.,  settles  Ravenna,  414 
Tecumseh,  67,  83,  88,  94, 143  535,  537 
Thames,  battle  of,  18 

Thomas,  Capt.,  death  of,  82 

Tippecanoe,  battle  of,  18 

Tornado,  83,  187,  294 

Tomb,  a  singular,  291 

Tobacco,  effect  of,  on  snakes,  297 

Trees,  239, 555 

Trimble,  Col.,  notice  of,  251 

Tupper's  expedition,  187,  525 

Turnpike  lands,  558 


University,  Ohio  Wesleyan,  148,  568 

"          Butler,  79 

United  States  military  lands,  558 

Virginia  military  lands,  9,  21,  558 

Volney,  anecdote  of,  367 

Washington  steamer  burnt,  444 

Wagoners,  attack  on,  75 

Washburn,  Neil,  notice  of,  99 

Warmus,  the  described,  254 

Walworth,  Hon.  John,  278 

Wayne's  victory,  318 

Wayne's  spies,  323 

Wayne,  Gen.,  biography  of,  518 

War,  Ohio  and  Michigan,  331 

"    late,  first  action  of,  in  Ohio,  394 

Wakatomaca,  expedition  against,  382 

Wetzel,  adventures  of,  56,  221 

Wet  land,  98 

Wells,  gas,  239 

"       ancient,  273 

"       Capt.,  notice  of,  323 

Weddings,  pioneer,  367 

Weyer,  Bernard,  249 

Whiteyes,  Capt.,  death  of,  105 

Whingwy  Pooshies,  grief  of,  168 

Wheat,  low  price  of,  348 

"       sick,  274 

Whistler,  Capt.,  notice  of,  354 

Wilwipea,  oratory  of,  32 

Witchcraft,  execution  for,  167,  459 

Witch  story,  223,  290 

Wills  creek,  whites  attacked  near,  202 

Wilderness,  a  home  in  the,  427 
Wolves,  stories  about,  47,  243,  275,  280,366 

Worthington,  Gov.,  notice  of,  438 

Wright,  Judge,  anecdote  of,  489 

Wyandot  reservation,  549 

"       history  of  the,  tribe,  559 

"       mission,  552 

Young,  Granny,  the  midwife,  elect,  justice,  244 

Zane,  Elizabeth,  heroism  of,  61 

Zane,  Isaac,  notice  of,  304 

Zane's  Trace,  384 

"       grant,  558 

Zeisberger,  Rev.  David,  grave  of,  486 


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HOLCOMBE'S   EQUITY  JURISPRUDENCE.    An  Introduction  to  Equity 
Jurisprudence,  with  Notes  and  references  to  English  and  American  Cases,  adapt- 
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New  York,  July  17,  1846. 
"  I  have  perused  with  pleasure  Mr.  Holcombe's  Introductory  to  Equity  Jurisprudence. 
It  is  a  clear  and  able  manual  or  outline  of  the  Elementary  principles  of  Equity,  as  admin- 
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tating and  recommending  the  study  and  knowledge  of  the  Equity  administration  of  Justtee." 
Yours,  respectfully,  JAMES  KENT. 


Lexington,  Dec.  22,  1846. 

Dear  Sir — Engagements  almost  incessant  have  until  very  recently,  prevented  me  from 
a  careful  and  thorough  examination  of  your  "  Introduction  to  Equity,"  a  copy  of  which 
you  have  kindly  presented  to  me. 

It  is  more  simple  and  didactic  than  Mitford  or  Jeremy  ;  and  it  is  so  much  more  readable 
than  Story,  which  is  too  diffuse,  as  to  entitle  it,  in  my  judgment,  to  the  patronage  of  Teach- 
ers and  Students  of  rudimental  Equity  ;  and  I  am  disposed,  as  a  Teacher  of  Jurisprudence, 
to  substitute  it  for  Mitford,  which,  though  once  preeminent,  and  even  yet  excellent  in  some 
respects,  as  an  instructive  book  on  Equity,  is  neither  so  methodical  nor  comprehensive  as 
your  "  Introduction,"  which  exhibits,  with  general  accuracy,  an  intelligible  outline  of  the 
principles  of  modern  Equity,  and  to  the  young  student  unacquaiuted  with  the  anatomy  of 
this  great  subject,  cannot  fail  to  be  useful. 

Very  respectfully,  G.  ROBERTSON. 

To  James  P.  Holcombe,  Esq. 

Louisville,  March  3d,  1847. 

Gentlemen — 1  have  read  "  Holcombe's  Introduction  to  Equity  Jurisprudence,"  with  much 
satisfaction.  A  book,  such  as  this,  so  condensed,  but  lucid,  and  so  complete  in  its  struc- 
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I  have  found  the  work  so  useful  to  the  student,  that  I  have  made  it  a  text-book  in  the 
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tice.' " — Western  Law  Journal,  Feb.,  1847. 

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